One of the hardest decisions a screenwriter has to make is deciding what you need to tell your audience and what you need to keep from the audience. How do you keep an audience in suspense while also keeping them informed? How do you make sure they understand your story without spoon-feeding it to them in a way that feels patronizing and belittling? How do … Continue reading Writing About Writing: The Well-Informed Mystery Paradox
I wrote about Freeform’s The Bold Type in a previous article and used it as launching pad for a broader discussion of social stigma surrounding content made for women. While I’m still proud of that post, upon re-reading it I can’t help but notice that it really doesn’t do justice to the show itself. I also wrote it before Season 2, which means I have even MORE to talk about now.
And so to celebrate the Season 2 finale, I thought it best to write a proper fangirl post of The Bold Type. While it’s very easy to look at the The Bold Type’s marketing and think that it’s just another 20-somethings-in-Manhattan show that the world doesn’t need, I genuinely believe there is no other show like this on television. Here’s why.
Yesterday, I finished Season 2 of the CW’s Riverdale. The more I think about it, the more I think that the CW’s Riverdale is the most frustrating television program on the air right now. It might even be in the running for most frustrating television program of all time. Note that I did not say “worse” because that’s not accurate. I said frustrating. That’s because Riverdale is not really a BAD show it just comes so close to being a good show that when it fails, it fails big.
I’ve always found that this is some of the hardest type of tv to watch; not the stuff that is just straight up bad, but the stuff that is just good enough to show you all the potential it failed to reach. Look at these components. Riverdale has all the makings of quality entertainment and then some:
Had I seen it before: No. What IMDb says: Baltimore drug scene, seen through the eyes of drug dealers and law enforcement. Why I picked it: As someone who lives sorta kinda near Baltimore, I’ve always been like “I should watch that Baltimore-based show that was rather successful.” 30 Pilots in 30 Days offered the perfect kick in the butt to finally try it. I also have … Continue reading 30 Pilots in 30 Days: The Wire
Had I seen it before: No. What IMDb says: A bipolar CIA operative becomes convinced a prisoner of war has been turned by al-Qaeda and is planning to carry out a terrorist attack on American soil. Why I picked it: Homeland is more than just one of the token Showtime pilots on this list though I’m not gonna lie, that’s part of it. It’s also had a fair amount … Continue reading 30 Pilots in 30 Days: Homeland
Had I seen it before: No. What IMDb says: New Jersey mob boss, Tony Soprano, deals with personal and professional issues in his home and business life, which affects his mental state and ends up seeking professional psychiatric counseling. Why I picked it: The Sopranos has the distinction of being the oldest pilot on my list. While it’s not the first HBO original drama, it’s the first one … Continue reading 30 Pilots in 30 Days: The Sopranos
Had I seen it before: Nope. What IMDb says: Follows Elliot, a young programmer working as a cyber-security engineer by day, and a vigilante hacker by night. Why I picked it: This is one of the more recent breakout hits that *gasp* isn’t on AMC. Not only did Rami Malek win an Emmy for this in its first season, Mr. Robot also won the Golden Globe for its … Continue reading 30 Pilots in 30 Days: Mr. Robot
Had I seen it before: Yes, I’ve seen the whole series. What IMDb says: When a young boy disappears, his mother, a police chief, and his friends must confront terrifying forces in order to get him back. Why I picked it: I picked it because the rest of ya’all seem to really like it. Like, really really like it. In addition, Stranger Things is pretty much the … Continue reading 30 Pilots in 30 Days: Stranger Things
Had I seen it before: Yes! I’ve seen all of Season 1 and the beginning of Season 2 but I never quite got to that breaking point where you can’t stop watching. Yes, that pun was intended AF. What IMDb says: A high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine in order to secure his family’s future. Why I picked … Continue reading 30 Pilots in 30 Days: Breaking Bad
Had I seen it before: Nope. What IMDb says: After a supernatural event at his church, a preacher enlists the help of a vampire to find God. What I say: … wait really? That’s what it’s about? Was I supposed to get that from the pilot? Why I picked it: I hadn’t even heard of this show until I started putting my list together. But when I … Continue reading 30 Pilots in 30 Days: Preacher
Butcher Thoughts 