Dramatic interludes
By Michael Kennedy
Why would someone in, say, Ireland, care about the lives of a
group of detectives in New York, or some well-paid young lawyers
in London? Think carefully now, because if you can answer this,
chances are you could make a bucket of money writing episodic
television drama.
yone can be smug, say they never watch any TV that isn't either
news or documentary, but they'd be missing out on what television
is all about. Which is entertainment; other people's lives. Other
people's lives can command our interest, grip our imaginations,
make us pause to reflect, and find an echo in our own.
Of course this can become an obsession, like for the people who
pore over each and every move made by film or sports stars. It's
obvious that instead of wondering what dress Princess Diana will
wear to the next ball, the healthy person should be trying to
figure out how to persuade the English people they should chop
off her pretty little head with a bread knife and declare a
republic.
But in general, there's nothing wrong with a well-made bit of
televised diversion after a hard day's rabble-rousing. The
trouble is, there's usually nothing decent on.
Two exceptions spring to mind, and as a service to readers, this
week's column is devoted to NYPD Blue (Channel 4, Mondays, 10 pm,
repeats on RTE) and This Life (BBC 2, Thursdays, 9.25pm).
At first glance, the writers of NYPD Blue have it easy. The
series is set in a New York police station, and the characters
are part of the force's detective squad. The everyday backdrop to
the programme is crime and its motives in the big city. It has
greed, stupidity, drug abuse, jealousy, betrayal - and that's
just within the squad.
In fact, NYPD Blue grabs the attention because its characters are
ordinary people, not superheroes, with ordinary human strengths
and weaknesses. Now in its fourth season, the show has won award
after award for its gritty, real-life feel, excellent acting and
beautiful direction. It is the product of Steven Bochco and his
writing partner David Milch, who brought us Hill Street Blues in
the 1980s.
Each episode is self-contained, and although there may be
references to previous shows, these are explained at the start of
the programme. This means that one need not worry about becoming
hooked, and being forced to cancel one's social life the way it
used to be with Dallas.
In brief, the main characters are: Detective Andy Sipowicz, a
recovering alcoholic with a tendency towards bigotry. Underneath
his intolerant cop exterior, though, he's a decent person.
Detective Bobby Simone, considered the female interest part, a
sensitive guy who can't find the right girl. He's having an
affair with Detective Diane Russell, who comes from a
dysfunctional family and is also an alcoholic. Overseeing the lot
is Lieutenant Arthur Fancy, a cool African American who keeps his
squad on the rails.
All of this is filmed in a herky-jerky cinema verité style, and
accompanied by a great musical score. Check it out, if you
haven't already.
Shot in a similar way, this time almost as if half the scenes are
done with a camcorder, is This Life, now in its second series
with the BBC.
It is not as slick as NYPD Blue, and its subjects, a group of
young lawyers starting their careers in London, are not as
engaging, but the show isn't far off.
Here too we have the stuff of all great stories: infidelity,
betrayal, deceit, lust, covetousness, sloth, and of course lots
of cocaine. The young cast are convincing as 20-something
professionals just finding out that college doesn't really
prepare one for life.
In brief, the main characters are: Millie, an earnest wife
winning more success in her career than her partner, Egg, a
Manchester United-obsessed happy-go-lucky type of guy who quit
his job to be a chef and doesn't know his wife is having an
affair with her boss. Anna, a tall Scot with a drug problem and a
self-destructive personality who loves Miles, an uptight
careerist who dislikes his powerful father and releases his
internal tensions through drink. Weaving in and out of all this
is Ferdy, a gorgeous motorcycle courier who is confused about his
sexuality.
Check it out, too.
Late news: The BBC said this week it is likely to commission
another series of This Life for next season.
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