Posted on 01/13/2006 9:38:18 AM PST by devane617
It's no secret NBC has become a laughing stock of the airwaves, and "The Book of Daniel" is just one more reason to shamelessly snicker.
The one-hour Friday night show, which airs at 10 p.m., is the floundering network's attempt to compete with "Desperate Housewives" and other deviously clever dramas that have surfaced over the last couple of seasons.
However, "Daniel" is one book that needs to be shredded after watching last Friday's two-hour premiere. (The show debuted poorly, attracting 9 million viewers, to finish third in its network slot, according to Nielsen Media Research.)
It's sad, really, that creator Jack Kenny, who was behind forgettables such as "Caroline in the City" and "Maggie," can't get with the program but insists on staying in the game. While the majority of today's dramas offer characters and plots that salute the viewer's intelligence while adding a dose of social statement and a dash of whimsy, "Daniel" overdoses on social taboos with characters who offer no warmth and only alienate the audience.
The show centers around the Websters, a one-dimensional family with more problems than Freud would know what to do with. The father, Daniel, played by Aidan Quinn, is an Episcopalian priest whose sermons are intended to justify his sailor's vocabulary, poor parenting skills and addiction to prescription medication. Since he's supposed to anchor the show, a Jesus character often talks to him.
But even that doesn't redeem this televised disaster.
Daniel is married to Judith, played by Susanna Thompson, a woman who seems to have a drink surgically attached to her hand. Whenever an issue arises in the family, she heads for the bottle. Nice throwback to the 1960s, don't you think?
The Websters have three kids. Peter, played by Christian Campbell, is a 23-year-old gay son who is hovering over the threshold of the closet.
Adam, played by Ivan Shaw, is the couple's oversexed 16-year-old adopted Chinese son. He's supposed to be the show's poster boy for racism as the parents of his girlfriend, played by Leven Rambin, are against the match because of their prejudices, not because they have a problem with their teenage daughter's promiscuity.
This story line is especially disappointing because Rambin's exemplary portrayal of autistic teen Lily Montgomery on "All My Children" has earned her an Emmy pre-nomination. But on "Daniel" she's just relegated to the back seat of a car.
Allison Pill plays the angst-riddled 16-year-old daughter Grace who dabbles in drug dealing to support her Japanese animation hobby. Can this be real?
Additional subplots, such as involving the Mafia to find stolen church funds and church bishops having an affair, make this show comparable to "The Colbys" of the 1980s. Not only because the show fails to catch up with the 21st century, but you'd only watch to see how bad it can get.
"The Book of Daniel" is one more example of the NBC peacock's wilting plume, because Must See TV, it ain't.
I'll give you 50:50 that the producers of this show didn't even know there WAS a "Book of Daniel" in the Bible.
Well no show is perfect, it depends on where Scrubs goes.. but all it all its a show that deserves a dedicated time slot... not the treatment NBC has been giving it.. and they wonder why they are in the dumper.
The other thing I liked about earl is, the concept... it was simple and you could easily see that it was going to be different just from the promos before it aired.
Redneck hillbilly who hasn't lived a clean life, suddenly discovers what comes around goes around.. so he decides to make an honest attempt to better himself... and decides to do it by making up for every last deed on his "list".
And you gotta admit some of the things he'd done on his list that were the punchlines for jokes.. you definately could see someone like that doing in real life... man I can tell you some stories >:)
I think the reason The Office didn't work is that it didn't have the spoof documentary feel that the UK version had, even though creators Ricky Gervaise and Stephen Merchant adapted it for the American audience. I also like Extras on HBO, Gervaise's newer comedy.
Well I dunno, with the Office, it just isn't funny.... I don't think you wrap it up with different camera behaviors you wind up with a better show.
Arrested tried the "reality style" cinematography with scripted episodes.. and it really made it difficult to watch, even though the show was funny... the constant jumping of the camera nearly made me move on even though I enjoyed the show.. they toned that down quickly though, and kept the feel.
I intentionally skipped mention of Firefly, my vision goes all screwy when I start on that topic!
Well, that's your opinion. Have you actually seen the British version on BBC America? I think it's the best comedy in years. Many of the American sitcoms like Friends seem stale and formulaic by comparison because they have an army of script writers working on each laboured pun.
I work in a state Probation and Parole office and recommend Earl to everybody I see there. It hits really close to home.
Oh man...careful or you'll get me all riled up! Whoever it was at Fox who purposely killed "Firefly" needs to burn!!!
My opinions are of the American Show.. I have no opinion of the british show that inspired it.
You know watching that show that someone on that staff has a relative that lives, or have themselves lived that life... the stuff is just too spot on to be fluked by a bunch of writers randomly.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
The show is basically an overdone and poorly acted SOAP OPERA, that just happens to be about an Episcopal priest and his family, which is plagued by more problems than possible in real life. It is in reality a send-up of revisionist "Christians", and has nothing whatsoever to do with us orthodox folks. That sermon in tonight's episode on "welcoming" and "acceptance" is not too far off the mark from what you might hear from a revisionist priest or pastor in real life.
The BAD part is how they trivialize Jesus Christ!!!! They just show the "Jesus" character appearing to this revisionist, and uttering brief inane comments. That's the part of the series that's anti-Christian.
I predict that "Daniel" will not last long.
bump
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