My So-Called Life and writing

I want to talk about something a little different today. I'm not a big TV person. I just don't watch it. There are no shows that I watch on a weekly basis. There are a couple shows I tried to get into, that I enjoyed, but I just can never make it last. There's a few older shows that I LOVE though.

My all time favorite show is is My So-Called Life. It only lasted one season, but I can honestly say there is nothing like it. I own the season. I've watched it over and over. I study it actually. I think it's not only an entertaining series for people to watch, but I think it's good for writers. Awesome characterization. Awesome emotions. Awesome writing. I would love to write characters like this. Characters that you feel like your inside their skin, living and breathing and feeling everything they do right along with them. I think it captured what it's REALLY like to be a teen in a way NO other show ever has and probably ever will. It didn't sugarcoat life, which I love. It's so painful, and raw, and just make of awesome. I catch something different every time I watch an episode.

"People always say you should be yourself, like yourself is this definite thing like a toaster or something."

Gah. Love it.

It showed so many facets of life. Joy, pain, heartache, loss, betrayal, low self esteem, needing to fit in, and it did them all brilliantly. Here is one of my favorite scenes. When Jordan walks proudly down the hall with Angela for the first time. I FEEL her happiness when I watch it. I'm not afriad to mention I tear up ;)



And the break up scene. So raw and full of emotion. I don't think I will ever crush on anyone the way I do Jordan Catalono. He is so tortured and so far from perfect it's not even funny, but you can't help but love him.



Confusion on Sex, which is sort of in the other scenes too, but I love seeing it in the scene.



How confusing relationships are and how when they're over, sometimes they're more than they ever were when they were on. How they can mean different things to different people.



Issues teens face. REAL problems. AKA Jordan can't read


Writers, are there any shows you watch and study that help with your writing? Do you think TV and movies CAN help with writing.

Readers, what are some of your favorite TV shows and why.