Talkin' 'bout My Generation

by Angel Cohn September 24, 2010
Fall Pilot Season: My Generation

This is probably the show that I've had the hardest time explaining to people this season. It's a good show, with an interesting premise and execution, but I feel like its kind of a hard sell, because the set up isn't as simple as "old guy says inappropriate things." Here it is kind of like "a documentary crew follows a group of high school kids around and finds out what they are doing a decade later," but there's a lot more too it. There are a lot of clever flashbacks that add a bit of ironic humor to the situation and some poignant moments brought about by real-life events that have affected these people in many ways. It's got a lot of potential, and sort of reminds me a bit of Reunion, but without the entire murder plot. My fear is that it will last only as many episodes as Reunion, since this show isn't just a procedural or the latest medical drama. I'd like to be proven wrong though.

In the year 2000... No, it isn't the start of a Conan skit, it is the year in which a documentary film crew in Texas embarked on a decade-long project. Sort of like that Seven Up! series of films. Here, the crew picked nine high school seniors from various cliques to participate in this experiment. Let's meet them, shall we? The Jock: Rolly Marks is a basketball player who thinks that George W. Bush is going to be the best president ever. The Beauty Queen: Jackie Vachs is a pretty popular girl who aspires to be an Oscar winning actress. The Over-Achiever: Steven Forster thinks he'll be president some day. The Punk: Dawn Barbuso, she has big boobs. The Wallflower: Caroline Chung is shy and has very little to say. The Nerd: Kenneth Finley who lives up to his label. The Brain: Brenda Serrano stands by the motto "Don't get mad. Don't get even. Get ahead." The Rich Kid: Anders Holt thinks that money doesn't matter. The Rock Star: A kid named "Falcon" has no comment, which he spray paints on the wall. We see footage of the documentary of them wandering around school at various activities via their yearbook, which for television purposes has been made much more visually stimulating. It's actually a pretty cool intro and we get to see the popular folk partying and the nerd and the punk hanging out. Its insight that you'd only get if you were paying attention. Wait, that's not good for the viewing masses who want to be easily entertained. This show is probably doomed. Sad.

The nine kids are gathered on folding chairs to discuss their impending graduation and asked what they are going to do. Dawn's future entails getting drunk. Since that was enlightening, the unseen documentarian asks them for one word to describe their future.

1 2 3 4 5Next




Get the most of your experience.
Share the Snark!




The Latest Activity On TwOP