The two most dominant mediums in modern culture - Television and Cancer

The comparisons between student and worker just keep flying into free writter's vision at the moment and so if this journal becomes a slow build to loathed state of being, somebody stop me, because Im not sad nor mad, this is just a fad.

While living in London, and being a part of the student hustle, I rarely watched TV. So much so that I would make fun of religiously, and a warranted teasing that medium deserves. Im not sure if television just went through an incredible awkward stage of suck, or if simply my critical mindset while emersed in media studies catered ideally to my hating anything that at some point could show britney spears on a whim, or tell me who j-lo was breaking up with next. Thats a scary place to live in, and thus warrants the teasing.

Now out of school though, and keeping in mind the post of last friday, I find that there is so much more time to watch television. I am not saying Im on the tube everynight watching must see TV, but for me even one or two nights a week for a couple hours in front of the TV is a enough to multiply my previous viewing habits by about 17 or so; i did the math, and im lying.

I strongly encourage you to watch Terminal City. A Canadian production with a team of support listed in the credits from all sorts of non profit arts based government funds, Terminal City is about Katie Sampson, the kind of mother I picture Paige, Alex, Cid, Nicole, and any other of the fun loving party girls I hold close to my heart, to be. Unfortunately however, despite Katie Sampson's unbelievable attractiveness and fun loving attitude, the show focuses on Katie's diagnosis of breast cancer, and the trials and tribulations for her and her family that come with the process.

The show is really well done, and equal if not far surpassing Huff, as my favorite "Smart Television Show". The writing is amazing and touches on so many incredible moving themes. Oh did I mention, that in the diagnosis of cancer, a television network discovered Katie and developed a reality television show (embedded in the fictional drama) about her and her struggle with Cancer.

Themes, themes and more themes run rampant throughout the show. One there is the conflict and discussion that arises with showcasing Cancer in the reality show format. The show combines the two most dominant themes of modern culture; Entertainment and Cancer, and that concept alone is worth stepping into. In addition to this though, you watch Katie's husband try and hold a family together, the oldest daughter deal with the slow loss of her mother while coming into an age of sexual realizations and independence. Theres the middle son, whose crush on a hot 40 year old becomes a topic, and the youngest son who becomes obsessed with death, dressing in black, and reading the bible in the wake of his mothers diagnosis. Finally, there is the grandfather (husbands father), a survivor of the holocaust living in Canada, who continually battles to find his place in the world, while also dealing with his evolving loneliness and solitude.

I always find that the best films, television, music, is that in which you engage fully, but somehow its story makes you think about personal things while you watch it. You become emmersed in compassion for the characters and begin to care about your own loved ones by the end of the entertainment. That is the true value in some entertainment I think, the ability to make you think, and while escaping via the medium, you are really captured in your own thoughts and personal experiences.

Terminal City is filmic television, and its good. Its dramatic, thought provoking and please if you can rent the DVD or watch it on the Movie Network here in Canada. Its on Mondays at 9 on the Movie Network, or on Demand if you live in your parents house :P

posted by mr. tomas ubik @ Thursday, December 01, 2005