Homework: Good Old Television

Well, of course, I have to take a break from the travel journal in order to answer this week's weekend assignment.  Especially since, y'know, it's the one I submitted.

>>"With the upcoming New Fall TV Line-Up, I get to thinking about the last Golden Age of Television (whenever the heck THAT was).

"Assignment:  What gone, but not forgotten, TV series do you miss the most?

Extra Credit:  If you had to be on a game show or reality show, which one would it be?"<<

Well, I did have a show in mind when I submitted this one.  Homicide:  Life on the Street.  It was, without a doubt, the best thing on television.  A brilliant show, with multi-dimensional characters -- all of the heroes had flaws -- that wasn't afraid to tackle difficult subjects with the depth they deserved.  The cast was a highly talented ensemble, although Andre Braugher stood out in the character of Frank Pembleton, a searingly intelligent detective who could talk you into confessing a crime you didn't commit.  Whenever anyone starts calling television the "idiot box," I play them a tape of one of my favorite episodes -- to show how much value television can have (and still be entertaining as all get-out.)

I also had an answer in mind for the extra credit.  I've actually auditioned for two shows in my lifetime.  When I was in junior high school, I auditioned for Teen Week on Wheel of Fortune.  (Made it to the callback stage, but did not get further.)  And just a few months ago, I found myself in a studio doing an audition video for, um, a spinoff of a highly successful reality show -- the spinoff being called, Queer Eye for the Straight Girl.  I didn't get on that one either.  While somewhat disappointed that I would not be getting a free personal and home makeover, I prefer to think of it as a positive thing that there were other people who needed the style assistance of the gay community more than I do.