One Heinous Show

I usually try to give new tv shows a little lee-way while they find themselves in the first season. HOWEVER--the cast at the left, the writers, producers, and anyone involved in the creation or airing of ABC's Big Shots should be ashamed of themselves. This is possibly one of the ugliest, most disgusting television shows I've ever seen. Here's why:

1. The plot: About for "big shots" (men, of course) who are despicable people trying to figure out "women" (the general, monolithic understanding of them as brainless vehicles for the men's pleasure), "life" (how to have more hot sex), and "family" (dealing with the bitches who divorced them and the burdens that are their children). Originally described (by ABC) as a kind of "sex and the city for men," this show is that except without the nuance, the humanity, the empowered women, and the wit. So, to summarize: it's not SATC but with men.

2. The characters: Both the men and women are sad caricatures of some pseudo-reality. The men are ulgy: womanizers (within and without their marriages), shallow, deceptive. And here's my favorite part--all of that is understood to be a good and natural part of man-hood (say that with the "movie announcer" voice and you get the picture). And now for the women: also ugly. These characters are completely either subservient to their (say with whispy voice) big, strong, men OR they're portrayed as constantly exhibiting symptoms of PMS. They might as well be blow-up dolls for all they give to the show in terms of "real-ness." And then there's what they say: they are somehow made to be complicit with the behavior of their men so that they help the men be womanizing, shallow, and deceptive--because that's what women do.

So, in summary, I have serious problems with plot and character which means, all in all, I'm never, EVER watching this again. But I have one last beef: this show is held up as a testament to "male bonding" and what it means to be a man in 2007. Let me be clear: if this is what manhood in 2007 is, they need to build loneliness into the characters--because no one, man or woman, would ever want to be near that.