The evolution of Literature: Tv Shows.

The late 90's and the 00's have been great years for the television. The tv shows are been considered even better than most of the movies nowdays. Is there everybody in the industry of Hollywood going to Television because it's the future? We don't know, but what we can assure is that tv shows allow to tell stories and develop characters in a way Movies rarely do.

I'm going to confess something: one of my goals (dreams, I'd say better) would be become a screenwriter: spending hours in a room with other people, talking about characters and taking them to new "Places", forward or not, but that's the point: in television shows you have time enough to make the characters go through changes that many of us would go through in our lives (and make them credible).

However, the screenwriter has limitations; there's a person who has the power: the creator. The creator usually knows what he wants for his show, what he expects from it and what is going to happen to his characters. The screenwriters use their imagination in order to make those things the best way possible.

WHAT A GOOD TV SHOW SHOULD BE?

"DARK..."

Angel

Angel is the Buffy's spin-off. Many people thought it wouldn't be succesful, but the truth was the show did it pretty well. For many people, actually, was better than the original (Not for me) and even attracted some new viwers because it was a darker show (you can actually see this since 1x09, with the death of one of the main characters). Even though I love Buffy, maybe if Angel would have broadcasted first, I would have fallen in love with the vampire with soul... Because its characters (Cordelia, Lorne, Fred), his darkness (Angel tries to control himself to not be a monster he actually is: this can be relate with what any of us have inside: a dark side) but, mainly, because its epic, the way each season had something to do with the next or the previous one, because everything was related and its pinch of HUMOR ("My parents were great. Tasted like chicken" Angel-Season 1).

"REAL"

Six feet under

American's beauty creator creates a powerful drama, more like a 50-minute-film. 13 episodes per season and only 5 seasons. Of course, it wasn't enought but, at the end, it was just... perfect. The characters, the crudeness, the way it was filmed, the way it was written...

"All we have is this moment, right here, right now. The future is just a fucking concept that we use to avoid being alive today. So, be here now"

"SMART"

Veronica Mars

Veronica Mars, or "the new Buffy, but while some people thought it would be a fail or a copy, it turned out that Veronica made a place herself. The scripts were really well-written and its premature death (the show's cancellation due to low ratings was on its third season) made it a cult tv show (fans even did crazy things like sending dollars to the newtwork so they renewed the series).

"Mr. Clemmons: Logan, can I have a word?
Logon: Anthropomorphic, all yours big guy."

"FUNNY!"

Community

Comedies are suppose to be funny. But truth is that, maybe because we've already seen everything it's hard to laugh when you see a new tv show (I wasn't myself a really fan of Friends, for example). But Community does. Community has a great CREW, that makes crazy things, that think BIGGER and FUNNIER. I think since Scrubs and My name is Earl, there was no comedy I loved. This one I think is even in my number one of "Best comedies".

Jeff: "I discovered at a very early age that if I talk long enough, I can make anything right or wrong. So either I'm God or truth is relative. In either case, booyah!"

"THE PERFECT MIX"

Buffy

My favourite tv show. You can really relate with any of its characters: since strong leader Buffy to funny Xander or outcast Anya. Joss Whedon created a cult tv show that have became a huge success all over the world. Buffy has darkness (the fight with the demons is, in fact, a mataphor with problems teenagers deal with), reality (starting in season 5 with Joyce's death), smart and funny quotes ("We are totally overreacting." "But it's fun, isn't it?" -- Buffy and Xander). Buffy has everything in 40 minutes and throughout 7 seasons. The evolution of the characters never ceases to amuse me.

WHAT A TV SHOW SHOULDN'T BE?

Charmed

Charmed had a good start. But it was only that: a good start. The seasons began to have more episodes without really importance (there was no BIG bads, only one stand bads). The show focused on the way they dressed and the way they chased men more than (They chased) demons.

The Simpsons

No, it's not what you think. In its better years, was one of my favourite tv shows (still in my list of comedies) and I actually share what critics are saying: that the last 2 seasons are coming back to its origins, but anyway: I'm not talking about the pass of years, I'm talking about the continuity. With Maude's (Ned's wife) death we were all shocked and that was a GREAT step for the tv show. However, with the new seasons you begin to feel the weight of the years: 20 years have pass and many birthdays have celebrated and many things have happened, but there have not been significant changes. In fact, none. I'm not asking for a grown up Bart or Lisa (I wouldn't say no: "Lisa's wedding", the episode she gest to see her future, was one of the favourite for the fans) but I'm saying that they lost their track (i.e: The story of how Marge and Homer met have been told over and over again, and in each way, it was different).

Family Guy

I kind of hate Family Guy and his creator (sorry, guys). The premise is basically the same as the Simpsons. But it's suppose to be funnier and thug. It's a "happy" family but with a lot of criticism. In my opinion, they lost the essential: the soul. None of their episodes moved me a little and that, for me, is important. The tv shows I normally love are the ones that mix drama with love and comedy. Family guy is comedy, comedy (more comedy) and criticism. Oh!, and there's the fact that there are jokes that mostly american citizens get but I'll give this show (and its creator) a rest... For now.

Winter