Sara Watches TV: The Good Place and the good, good place of euphoric media
The internet will tell you that we're amidst the golden age of peak television. There is good shit everywhere. I can tell you about so many good television shows that I don't even watch - guys, apparently Julie Louis Dreyfuss is really good on Veep. Modern Family isn't even winning Emmys anymore! It's a good time to be a fan of television. I am a big fan of TV, even though I've only really discussed reality television on this blog. I did my duty as a television fan this year. I watched and loved The Handmaid's Tale! The only episode of Black Mirror really, really worth watching - San Junipero - won a bunch of awards! Mac came out for real in season 12 of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia! Good stuff. Good, really gay stuff.
If you're also into any form of media, you might have noticed the equivalence of intellectualism with seriousness/darkness and pop culture being "intellectual" as being proper pop culture. The majority of Television To Try is increasingly steeped in heavy material, because we can't be serious people if our television isn't about very serious business. The darkness isn't just thematic - it's literal. I gave up on Homeland two seasons in because the combination of ceaseless misery and consistently dark scenes. I felt like my eyes were giving out on me. I spend half of Designated Survivor wondering why no one ever turns on the lights in the white house. A lot of the time I give up before I start - I see the dimly lit screencaps and it's straight to the back of my watch list.
I'm always searching for entertainment that will let me take a moment from my life to stop focusing on the darkness and have a bit of of light amongst it. My most recent plunge into the depths of the Netflix binge was the latest from Michael Schur, The Good Place. Schur is better known as one of the creators Parks and Recreation, an oft cited example of feel-good tv, and is the co-creator of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The Good Place is a show about death and the afterlife that balances the moments of sadness and awfulness with an abundance of silly puns and bright colours. Even with killer cliffhangers and a second season twist that knocks it out of the park, nothing about it feels like a slog.
The world in 2017 is not a particularly bright place. It would some kind of weird dystopian projection to suggest that all media should be bright and funny and unsubstantial to distract the masses from the actual dystopia surrounding us, and that is far from my intent. I do think it's important to have balance, though, and there is a tremendous importance to have media that lifts from the darkness as well as sinking into it. Watching The Good Place really reminded me of the importance in having those spots of light amongst the dark.
I was diagnosed with depression when I was about 15. It ebbs and flows, and it mainly worsens when my physical health is doing worse (and wouldn't you know it, I was diagnosed with a chronic autoimmune disease the next year). I have been working at and editing my list of Good Media for When The World Around Me Is Caving In. A lot of the time nothing works, but when I'm stuck in bed or in hospital for days on end and I can't let myself sink into the dark spots, it's important for me to have the bits of media that I can maximise my chance of taking enjoyment in. I can't let myself think too much.
My personal list? Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Good Place, both comedies with their own problems but predominantly making sure people are in on the joke and not shying away from the shittiness in the world. Pushing Daisies is another show about death that manages sweetness and exceeds at worldbuilding. My Sing Street DVD is going to get worn out from the amount of feel-good rewatches I've given it. I watch a lot of old clips from Thank God You're Here on YouTube, or the weird collection of ex-rental DVDs I've stockpiled. I've rewatched Legally Blonde a lot, and Tucker and Dale vs. Evil or What We Do In The Shadows (two that marry horror and feel good comedy). Basically any wedding show - hours on end of Say Yes to The Dress. I'm also really into the British First Dates right now. My enjoyment of the horror genre has resulted in a weird relationship where I will semi-regularly rewatch the Saw series when I'm feeling particularly low - not because of the hypocritical "take advantage of life" message but because of the hilariously contrived traps and plot twists as the movies go on, despite it being the epitome of the Dark Colours Serious Business trope.
There's a place for good media that makes you smile. There's a place for happy pop music and silly iphone games and movies that don't break your heart. It may get you taken seriously to make a gritty movie, but there's a unique skill set to crafting pop culture that evokes genuine glee. In a world where the internet is there to point out the aspects of your creations that break down to problematic elements (I'll raise my hand to that) and choice in media is expanding constantly, to create something that works to maintain interest without dropping the euphoria factor is more of a challenge than ever. I'm glad shows like The Good Place are tackling death and morality without fading into dark places.
If you're also into any form of media, you might have noticed the equivalence of intellectualism with seriousness/darkness and pop culture being "intellectual" as being proper pop culture. The majority of Television To Try is increasingly steeped in heavy material, because we can't be serious people if our television isn't about very serious business. The darkness isn't just thematic - it's literal. I gave up on Homeland two seasons in because the combination of ceaseless misery and consistently dark scenes. I felt like my eyes were giving out on me. I spend half of Designated Survivor wondering why no one ever turns on the lights in the white house. A lot of the time I give up before I start - I see the dimly lit screencaps and it's straight to the back of my watch list.
I'm always searching for entertainment that will let me take a moment from my life to stop focusing on the darkness and have a bit of of light amongst it. My most recent plunge into the depths of the Netflix binge was the latest from Michael Schur, The Good Place. Schur is better known as one of the creators Parks and Recreation, an oft cited example of feel-good tv, and is the co-creator of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The Good Place is a show about death and the afterlife that balances the moments of sadness and awfulness with an abundance of silly puns and bright colours. Even with killer cliffhangers and a second season twist that knocks it out of the park, nothing about it feels like a slog.
The world in 2017 is not a particularly bright place. It would some kind of weird dystopian projection to suggest that all media should be bright and funny and unsubstantial to distract the masses from the actual dystopia surrounding us, and that is far from my intent. I do think it's important to have balance, though, and there is a tremendous importance to have media that lifts from the darkness as well as sinking into it. Watching The Good Place really reminded me of the importance in having those spots of light amongst the dark.
I was diagnosed with depression when I was about 15. It ebbs and flows, and it mainly worsens when my physical health is doing worse (and wouldn't you know it, I was diagnosed with a chronic autoimmune disease the next year). I have been working at and editing my list of Good Media for When The World Around Me Is Caving In. A lot of the time nothing works, but when I'm stuck in bed or in hospital for days on end and I can't let myself sink into the dark spots, it's important for me to have the bits of media that I can maximise my chance of taking enjoyment in. I can't let myself think too much.
My personal list? Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Good Place, both comedies with their own problems but predominantly making sure people are in on the joke and not shying away from the shittiness in the world. Pushing Daisies is another show about death that manages sweetness and exceeds at worldbuilding. My Sing Street DVD is going to get worn out from the amount of feel-good rewatches I've given it. I watch a lot of old clips from Thank God You're Here on YouTube, or the weird collection of ex-rental DVDs I've stockpiled. I've rewatched Legally Blonde a lot, and Tucker and Dale vs. Evil or What We Do In The Shadows (two that marry horror and feel good comedy). Basically any wedding show - hours on end of Say Yes to The Dress. I'm also really into the British First Dates right now. My enjoyment of the horror genre has resulted in a weird relationship where I will semi-regularly rewatch the Saw series when I'm feeling particularly low - not because of the hypocritical "take advantage of life" message but because of the hilariously contrived traps and plot twists as the movies go on, despite it being the epitome of the Dark Colours Serious Business trope.
There's a place for good media that makes you smile. There's a place for happy pop music and silly iphone games and movies that don't break your heart. It may get you taken seriously to make a gritty movie, but there's a unique skill set to crafting pop culture that evokes genuine glee. In a world where the internet is there to point out the aspects of your creations that break down to problematic elements (I'll raise my hand to that) and choice in media is expanding constantly, to create something that works to maintain interest without dropping the euphoria factor is more of a challenge than ever. I'm glad shows like The Good Place are tackling death and morality without fading into dark places.
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