My whole TV experience for the last fifteen or so years has been of sport, news, South Park and the occasional documentary. I haven't watched a TV Series since Prisoner (the ongoing battle between Queen Bea, Vinegar Tits and The Freak is the benchmark of Australian drama - now we're stuck with the Secret Life Of Us generation, whose idea of 'drama' is whether or not Josh (a barman who was bullied at Xavier) will go vegan or not... but I digress).
This year I decided I'd watch some TV serieseses. First stop: The Sopranos. Never seen it. I purchased Series One on DVD, enjoyed it, so have purchased the second series and am awaiting its arrival from The Amazon.
Second stop: Dexter. Bought series one and two on DVD and watched all of them, and here's the thing, I kinda loved it, but, the problem was, Dexter's sister Deborah both looked and acted like my ex, Ponygirl. It was interrupting my enjoyment of the show. I remember this also occurring a few years ago when watching the marvellous film 'Girl On The Bridge' starring Daniel Autlielieele and Johnny Depp's missus, where the 'girl' acted a lot like and looked a little like my main ex, Andromeda 3.0.
Proust maintains that one's enjoyment of a work of art will invariably be radically dictated by who or what the work of art reminds one of. Mona Lisa looks like my mate's wife, for instance. I can't look at Mona Lisa without thinking of her. I assume Mona Lisa acted like my mate's wife. And so on.
So, as much as I liked Dexter, I came out of every episode kinda depressed because his sister, Deb Morgan, dumped me. Except that it wasn't Deborah Morgan that dumped me, it was Ponygirl.
I rang an ex yesterday and asked if anyone in popular culture reminded her of me after we split up and she said, "Shaun Micallef... a bit."
He's handsome and funny, right? It's better than what people usually say... "Will from Lost In Space".
Any popular culture fictional figures remind any of you of your exes or currents or significants?
PS: Dexter's sister is in real life the actor's wife!
You *do* look like him! Older and hotter, natch.
ReplyDeleteI will tell you something someone else told me, that helped me enjoy the Soppranos more: it gets a bit dodgy around season 4, 5. But stick it out, it gets good again.
Is Mona Lisa the wife of your lead guitarist?
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I discovered a bottle of hair dye in Munich featuring a picture of a girl who looked EXACTLY like me wife. It was a little freaky. I suggested we track the German version down and have a threesome. My wife was unimpressed.
She should have been impressed that your idea of a threesome was two of her!
ReplyDelete(No, the wife of the Greek music officianado, who from memory, you're not a big fan of).
Desci, are you saying I'm hotter but older than Micallef, or that he's hotter but older? And what's a natch?
I'm usually quite prepared to make time to watch a TV show with no other redeeming value, just because it has someone that reminds me of a girl I like or have liked. Including children's tv shows. Apart from that, Phoebe Cates and Mariska Hargitay both remind me of a girl I was in love with in high school.
ReplyDeleteMr.Squib's doppelganger is actor John Lynch. Also a random stranger told him he looks like the 8th Doctor
ReplyDeletePersey, you look nothing like Micallef and your style of humour is completely different
Shaun Micallef is a big tick, whether you look like him or not, Perseus.
ReplyDeleteAnd I was going to say Dexter's sister is his wife in real life, as a way of encouraging you, but you already know that. And that didn't make any difference?
We are waiting for the next season of Dexter. We love it.
Six Feet Under was good too.
Have we talked about Deadwood? We liked that for a while... but my memory tells me you don't like it?
My ex-husband looks like John Travolta. I was never sure if that was a good thing. Other people (ie "fans") thought it was.
Deadwood is possibly the best series ever made. Head-shakingly, gasp-inducingly, laugh-creatingly, tear-jerkingly brilliant.
ReplyDeleteI can't watch Scrubs because Zach Braff looks heaps like a guy I spent half my 20s in love with.
ReplyDeleteZach Braff is also kind of annoying.
Louche, haven't you been with your husband since you were 20?
ReplyDeleteAre you saying The Nerd looks like Zach Braff?
I pretty much lost interest in TV shows when I started getting interested in the news. For me, everything just seemed to pale into insignificance when compared to the comedy and drama of the political coverage alone.
ReplyDeleteDon't think I know anyone who looks like Kerry O'Brien or Tony Jones though.
Perseus, I thought you were a big Doctor Who fan as well?
Best series of each decade?
ReplyDelete1950s I have no opinion. Something to do with Lucille Ball?
1960s Get Smart, I Dream of Jeannie
1970s M*A*S*H, Happy Days
1980s The Young Ones, Blackadder
1990s Seinfeld, The Simpsons
2000s Deadwood, The Office
I see you went almost exclusively with sitcoms, Bob. I'd like to add Batman to your 1960s list.
ReplyDeleteAnd what made you go with I Dream of Jeannie over Bewitched? Those two shows seemed virtually interchangeable to me.
The genius of Larry Hagman, Alex, the genius.
ReplyDeleteGood point Alex. Yes, I discovered Doctor Who last year, and loved it. When is it coming back?
ReplyDelete60's: Lost In Space
70's: Matlock Police
80's: Prisoner
90's: Four Corners
00's: Tour de France
And you are right Melba. I tried two episodes of Deadwood and didn't think much of it.
Perseus, 2009 will only see 4 hour-long specials (xmas 08, Easter 09, ~Sept 09, xmas 09) instead of a full season, due to David Tennant's stage work in Hamlet late last year.
ReplyDeleteI thought for certain you were going to say Barbara Eden.
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ReplyDeleteI got married at 25, Boogey.
ReplyDeleteYou have met the nerd - nope he doesn't look like Zack Braff. Some say he looks like Micheal Shumacher though!
Oh Alex, you mistake me for a misogynistic, shallow little pervert. But you have a point: shit she was HOT!
ReplyDeleteOh, and Perseus. That list is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteOn balance, I vote for Lewd Bob's list apart from Blackadder. Is that where we are going to part ways, Bob?
ReplyDeleteAND LARRY HAGMAN WAS A GENIUS.
"due to David Tennant's stage work in Hamlet late last year."
ReplyDeleteAy, there's the rub.
Actually, based on my enjoyment levels, here's a better list:
70's: Footy
80's: Footy
90's: Footy
00's: Footy
Black Adder and Ab Fab are my favorite comedies. I think 'Some mothers do ave em' and 'Fawlty towers' deserve a mention.
ReplyDeleteCan't say that anyone in the shows I watch reminds me of anyone I've dated. Mostly because the people in TV shows are hot, and the guys I date generally aren't that good looking.
ReplyDeleteYes Deadwood was a top show. Speaking of dopplegangers, my friends say I bring to mind Calamity Jane. Well, just her dress sense.
ReplyDeleteAlso "metaphysical incest" seems to occur frequently in tv. Christina Applegate was dating her "dad" Al Bundy.
Also, count the 'rangers. From Kerry to Dexter, to David Caruso to that guy on "life" (Cruz?) They are over represented in the unreal world. Weird.
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ReplyDeleteNo-one's ever told me I look like someone famous... Which is fine by me - I'll have my anonymity gladly... Well you know, until I'm famous, and then I'll be famous in my own right.
ReplyDeleteWhy has no-one mentioned Red Dwarf here?! I love that show! Oh, and Sliders too... Otherwise, television was pretty restricted as I was growing up - so having never been allowed to watch the Simpsons I am subsequently not that into the show... Or television at all really. Any series I want to watch we download *ahem* I mean 'procure'. Most recently has been Dr Who - which I am loving! Sadly I am into the final half dozen episodes... I love how they keep using the same extras too - very amusing for those paying attention at home :)
And Hamlet shmamlet! Come back to us Doctor Tennant! That or have a body/face change thing and get someone else to take over.
oh jeebus - is it wrong to hate *Mash as much as i do? just hearing the opening bars to the theme song is enough to make me want to start stabbing myself in the eye with a turkey baster.
ReplyDeletewhat about 'Love My Way'?
i watched the whole series on dvd in almost one mammoth sitting. i just loved that series. love love loved it!
I second the Love My Way suggestion. I too loved loved. And it's not just for chicks, Perseus.
ReplyDeleteThe Projectivist - Ha! I share your Mash hatred! I remember when I came home from school, it was always at 4.30 or something. I was a latchkey kid, so I would usually have the TV on and be sitting in the kitchen or something. The opening bars of Mash were enough to make me launch myself across the kitchen bench into the lounge room to grab the remote and change the channel.
ReplyDeletePers, I was talking about Will from Lost In Space. And natch - naturally. I'm down with young person's lingo and shit.
ReplyDeleteIt's a god thing I don't think you look like Shaun Micallef, lest I jump you next time we see each other.