Television

Goodbye, Eli Stone

Barb Sherrill — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:01:26 -0800

So I found out yesterday one of my new favorite tv shows has been canceled: Eli Stone.

Sigh.

If you haven’t watched the show (and since low ratings is the reason the show got canceled, there’s a good chance you haven’t), Eli Stone is the story of a lawyer who had it all–high-paying, high-powered corporate job, beautiful fiancee, amazing apartment, a car to die for–until he started having visions.

And his first vision, of all things, was George Michael singing in his living room.

It's a quirky show.

Turns out, Eli’s visions were brought on by a brain aneurysm. It also turns out that Eli’s visions were brought on by God.

Eli’s visions caused problems in his life. Those around him thought he had gone nuts, and his visions asked him to take on problems and cases that often made no sense...at first. In fact, following his visions cost Eli a lot–his high-paying, high-powered corporate job, his beautiful fiancee, even his sanity at times–but in the process he found his soul.

I love this show.

There aren’t too many programs on television at the moment that even consider God part of the equation. A side note here: never get theology from a tv show. Admittedly, Eli Stone plays fast and loose with the concept of God. But what I thought was so interesting about this show is that encounters with God, often through visions that contain song-and-dance numbers, don’t initially make sense, are powerful enough to cause dramatic life change, demand obedience of Eli, and cost our hero everything.

Kind of like Moses with his burning bush...or Paul on that Damascus road.

And as I watch Eli respond to those nonsensical visions each week, I can’t help but be reminded that I’ve had an encounter with God as well.

And I have to ask myself, am I living like I’ve seen a burning bush, or a great light, or even George Michael singing in my living room?

Am I willing to obey God’s call, even if it doesn’t make sense?

No matter the cost?

Thanks for the reminder, Eli. I’m going to miss you.

The Day After

Barb Sherrill — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:52:08 -0800

You can guess what I watched on tv last night.

We saw history made. In our lifetime. That doesn’t happen just any day of the week.

Perhaps you woke up this morning with a feeling of dread about where our country is headed. Perhaps you woke up this morning with a feeling of hope about where our country is headed.

I woke up this morning feeling one of those ways, and it got me to thinking about what do I do now? The unprecedented election is over, and we have a President-elect who is about to inherit a mess.

We also have believers on both sides of this election. What do we do now?

We pray for President-elect Obama. And no, I don’t mean praying that he’ll change his mind on issues we don’t see eye-to-eye on. I’m talking about praying for the man, no strings attached. Praying for his wisdom and discernment, that he surrounds himself with capable and compassionate cabinet members and advisors. Praying for his marriage and family, that his wife and children will be a source of strength, comfort, and joy to him in the days and years ahead. Praying for his leadership skills, that he won’t tire in the face of great opposition. Praying for his role in international affairs, that both our country and the world will respond. Praying for his health, that his body will be able to stand the rigors of office.

I’d love to see us as Christians pray for President-elect Obama without a personal agenda, without ulterior motives. Let’s pray for him first and foremost, as a man, as a world leader, as a husband and father.

Can we do that as believers?

Yes, we can.

On Election Eve

Barb Sherrill — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:18:31 -0800

Tomorrow is the day.

And unless you’ve been living under a rock here in America, you know what I’m talking about.

On this Election Eve, I’ve been pondering a few things. No matter how the election turns out tomorrow…

…a lot of the country will be upset.

…we will have an unprecedented President-elect/Vice President-elect combo.

...most Americans will be glad, at least, that the election is over so our leaders can get down to the business of leading and perhaps move on to tackling some other, pressing issues.

…political commercial season will be done!

As an avid tv watcher, I say “amen” to that last one.

Happy Election Eve, Everyone. Be sure to vote tomorrow.

Halloween: "The Real Exorcist" arrives

Craig Detweiler — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:30:03 -0700

Halloween always stirs up interest in scary movies.   As a child, the mere mention of a ghost or goblin would cause me to cover my eyes.   Yet, I’d find myself sneaking a peek, trying to catch a glimpse of some frightening phantasm.   Why are we so fascinated with horror movies?    What attracts us to evil or at least calls us to confront our fears?

I remember watching Night of the Living Dead on TV as a kid. A thunderstorm arose in my hometown just as it arrived onscreen.   The verisimilitude caught my attention with each flash of lightning.   Zombies slowly descending upon a Pittsburgh home creeped me out for weeks.    The Exorcist became a cultural phenomenon by taking the devil seriously. (It also made headlines through some gruesome special effects). Suddenly, an ancient church rite entered into mainstream discussions.   I am still haunted by Max von Sydow as the priest shouting at the demon, “The power of Christ compels you!” The cast and crew played the horror straight, as something that could happen to your daughter or friend.   Plausibility made The Exorcist that much scarier.

While many Christians steer clear of horror, others have leaned into the genre, finding it rife with dramatic and spiritual possibililities.   Wes Craven, the creator of Freddy Krueger and Nightmare on Elm Street, is a graduate of the evangelical Wheaton College.   While he walked away from his religious roots, he still trafficked in the supernatural. He sees horror as a way to confront our fears, to unleash two hours of chaos before it is corralled and bound.   The Exorcism of Emily Rose points to the existence of evil as an argument for God.   Director Scott Derrickson developed the film from actual taped recordings of Anneliese Michel, a Catholic woman in Germany who underwent a grueling exorcism. Such historical cases suggest that the presence of this haunting force should draw us to the Light, to deliverance with even greater urgency.

Tonight, the Sci-Fi Channel wades into this scary season with a new series, The Real Exorcist. It builds upon their tradition of supernatural reality shows like “Ghosthunters” but crosses into the realm of televangelism. The Real Exorcist follows Bob Larson, a Christian talk show host who has become an expert on demons and the occult.   His traveling ministry offers deliverance from demon possession.   Bob is one of the most animated and captivating characters you’ll see on TV.   Like many televangelists, Larson has also been criticized for the extravagant salaries and riches that his ministry has generated. Sci-Fi Channel viewers will undoubtedly approach the series with a mix of skepticism and fascination.   You can see an eerie and powerful preview here.

While many may dismiss the series as mere entertainment, the mission of exorcists continues. This week, the LA Times featured an article on nuns who answer phone calls to the Vatican. In an ever-automated world, the nuns provide a personal, human response to those calling the Roman Catholic Church for help.

Sister Maria Grazia, 71, became an operator 14 years ago after serving as a missionary in Africa. The robust, jolly Italian speaks English, Spanish, French and Korean and gets by in other languages too. Most of her calls come from Asia, Africa and the Americas. And she talks to quite a few people who say they need an exorcist.

"It's hard to tell whether they are psychologically ill, whether they are in the grip of a sect or whether it is something else."

Evil remains a mysterious but palpable part of life. We have plenty of reasons to fear. I am thankful for filmmakers willing to wade into dark spaces. I am contemptuous of those who make evil look so attractive that it bewitches some viewers. I am grateful for those who literally wrestle with evil on a daily basis. Some do it in ecclesiastical settings. Others venture into the equally messy realms of politics, education, or entertainment.

I am eager to celebrate All Saints Day this Sunday, to provide a bracing alternative to Samhain and various pagan versions of harvest time. Our church will recite the names of all our members who have died in the past year, honoring the lives of our dearly departed saints. At least one day a year, the Christian church remembers those who’ve gone before us, who blazed a trail, who walked with courage and conviction through an often frightening world.

In the Land of No TV

Barb Sherrill — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:07:57 -0700

So, I spent a long weekend recently with my younger sister and her family in the Land of No TV.

They have a television set, mind you (three of them, actually), but they don’t subscribe to a cable service, and where they’re located in somewhat rural Illinois, tv by antenna doesn’t really exist.

They gave up cable service several years ago, for a variety of reasons (some of which I actually understand, though I’m not sure I could ever endorse a cable-free existence), and with tv on DVD (via a NetFlix subscription) and online options (unlike me, they DO have high-speed internet—which they started to lecture me about, but I was quick to point out that those with no cable should not throw internet connection stones), they feel they haven’t really missed much…and have gained a lot.

My recent visit to the Land of No TV lasted four days, and in that time, I discovered that while I missed watching my favorite shows when they aired, there were a couple of things I did NOT miss…

Commercials. And at this time of year, political commercials in particular. Honestly, if all commercials would be as mildly humorous and entertaining as the “Hi, I’m a Mac. And I’m a PC” variety, I wouldn’t mind so much. But for the most part, commercials are annoying time-wasters that have me worrying way too much about my body odor, my hair color, and my jeans size (and, I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but they’re taking up more time in network television than ever before). In the Land of No TV, my nephews are more than happy to inform me if I smell bad and my family gives me a lot of grace when it comes to my hair color and jeans size.

News. I realize I need to be informed. I realize I need to understand what’s going on in the world at large and in the country in which I live. But you know what else I realized? I do not need news 24 hours a day. I do not need CNN/MSNBC/FOX/etc. going over and over and over and over and over the same stories, the same talking heads, the same “breaking news” (which, I think, is a phrase that has lost all meaning in the 21^st century). In the Land of No TV, I read the local paper every morning (I can tell you who got arrested in Galesburg!) and I have the Internet to check every once in a while…and believe it or not, the world did not stop because Barb wasn’t up on (and worrying about!) every jot and tittle going on in the planet.

Like I say, I’m not ready for the cable-free lifestyle, but it is nice to visit the Land of No TV from time to time. My head clears for a little bit. I find some perspective.

Perhaps next time, I’ll make my visit to the Land of No TV a staycation and unplug my own set for a while. Could be good.

New Math

Barb Sherrill — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:30:19 -0700

I’ve done the math, and I’m not sure my tv-watching schedule is going to work this season.

When I calculate how many hours I have available to watch tv and subtract the hours taken by tv shows I already watch and am committed to and add in the new shows I want to watch and hopefully would commit to and factor in sleep, well, I’m in a mess. It looks something like this (where HA = hours available, AW = already watch, HW = hope to watch, S = sleep):

HA – (AW + HW) – (S x 8) = NOT ENOUGH HOURS!

I was on the Math Team in high school—not in the Math Club, but on the Math Team. We didn’t just get together because we liked math—we had to try out to make the team, we had daily math drills and practices to improve our skills, we competed in state and national events, we won honors, awards, and medals.

In other words, we were G-E-E-K-S.

But we were competitive geeks, and because we were good enough to bring honor to the school, we didn’t suffer the fates of other geeks on campus (in other words, people only made fun of us behind our backs, not to our faces).

I was never a superstar on the team. I was more like a utility player. I could fill in where we had gaps, add to the team’s overall score, provide back-up to the true superstars.

But I did personally medal…once.

It was a statewide invitational competition (I told you our team was good—we got invited!), and as our coach filled in the roster for the various events (placing the superstars where they were needed first, of course), he found a spot for me. In “Chalk Talk.”

And yes, the geek quotient just went up another notch.

“Chalk Talk” was an event where we were given the topic ahead of time (in this case, permutations and combinations), and we prepared a 10-minute speech on the topic. Trick is, though, you had to take a qualifying test at the event and score in the top percentage in order to earn a spot to give your speech. In previous years, our team had struggled in this area, not getting past the qualifying exam to give the speech they had prepared long and hard for.

So, coach put me in. And he put me in with specific instructions, “Pass that test, Sherrill. Whatever you do, pass that test.”

Math coaches are just like all other coaches.

I worked hard. I learned everything I could about combinations and permutations (the math that, among other things, can tell you how many different license plates can be made using three numbers and three letters—handy, isn’t it?). I wrote a speech. And I practiced giving that speech over and over and over.

When the day came, I passed the qualifying exam, I gave the speech, and I won a medal. It was cool.

And that’s when I realized something about myself: I could do math, but I loved words. I may have won a medal at a math competition for a math subject, but the recognition was ultimately for the speech I wrote and the presentation I gave.

It’s a lovely thing when you can make those kind of distinctions in your life—between what you can do (and might actually be pretty good at) and what you truly love to do. Absolutely nothing wrong with the things I can do (I need them!), but how much more passion and joy I find when I pursue the things I love to do.

Like my tv-watching schedule would indicate, I can’t do it all. I have to make choices about where I spend my time and put my energy. And I hope, whenever I’m able, to pick the things I love to do over the things I can do.

What I Saw in PDX

Barb Sherrill — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:26:35 -0700

And here I thought the automatic toilet seat covers in Chicago’s O’Hare Airport took the cake.

I was in the Portland International Airport (PDX) last night on yet another business trip, making a visit to the restroom, where I saw this sign on the back of the stall door:

Water-Saving Dual-Function Handle

Up for # 1 (liquid waste)

Down for # 2 (solid waste)

Now, I’m all for saving water with each flush. I celebrated Earth Day and recycled long before it became green and cool. Depending on God’s plan, people may have to use this earth for hundreds, if not thousands, of years after I’m gone, so I really shouldn’t be squandering its resources. So, good for PDX for installing water-saving dual-function handles on their public toilets!

No, what almost made me burst out laughing right there in the women’s restroom on Concourse E was the use of # 1 and # 2—and their beautifully succinct parenthetical descriptions.

All over the country, I can hear 9- and 10-year old boys snickering. They said # 1 and # 2!

Really, “Up for liquid waste” and “Down for solid waste” would have sufficed.

My apologies. This entry has nothing to do with television. A writing prof once gave me the immortal advice, “Write what you know,” and what I know at the moment, with three business trips in three weeks, is airports.

I have managed to catch a few shows now that we’re returning to what I fondly call “real tv.” I’m not sure I’m enamored yet with J.J. Abram’s overly-hyped Fringe. Sure, there’s a creep factor of 11 (on a scale of 1 to 10), and I do like the leads (although Mulder and Scully did that a decade ago…and did it much better), but am I ready to commit to yet another government/corporate convoluted conspiracy creation? Can’t quite say. But because it’s J.J. and he gave us Alias and Lost, I think I’m going to hang in there a few more episodes and see if I get hooked.

I do have to say I like the look of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles so far this season—and I mean that literally. John Connor cut his hair, thank goodness! Now he’s ready to save us all. That show floundered in its early goings last year, but the arrival of Brian Austin Green’s Derek Reese turned it around. First off, they were wise to bring in a character so closely tied to Kyle Reese (the deceased father of John Connor)—Derek is Kyle’s brother. Female fans of the Terminator franchise love, love, love Kyle Reese—he’s the guy who came back through time to save the woman he loved, for heaven’s sake! Sigh. I bet you didn’t realize Terminator was such a romantic movie. Second, Brian Austin Green has knocked it out of the park in portraying the war-weary uncle of John. Who knew 90210’s David had it in him?

I am looking forward to the return of Smallville (tonight!), Heroes, Chuck, Pushing Daisies, and Eli Stone, to name a few. I’m also looking forward to checking out some new shows, like The Mentalist and that one with Christian Slater (the title of which I can’t remember at the moment, although I’ve seen the ads for it a zillion times). In a matter of just a few more weeks, I will be off the road, out of airports, and my tv-viewing life will be completely back to normal (okay, except for Lost and 24…so it’s going to be as normal as is humanly possible under the current programming timeline).

Happy day.

PROMISE RINGS AND MTV

Craig Detweiler — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 22:30:41 -0700

MTV’s Video Music Awards celebrated their 25^th anniversary. While the network has long since abandoned music videos as their primary programming, performers still covet the Moonmen statues that are handed out. The VMA’s remain a crash course in disposable pop culture, providing cultural touchstones like Britney Spears’ failed comeback in 2007. So Britney’s appearance at the 2008 VMA’s was designed to correct her prior flameout. She wisely refrained from performing. Perhaps as a penance for exploiting her weakness, MTV lavished three awards upon a shockingly unsurprised Britney. Like many of the performers throughout the night, she thanked God for the opportunity and the award. Perhaps much to even God’s surprise, the Almighty got credit from The Pussycat Dolls and Lil Wayne (enroute to his latest court appearance).

With Sarah Palin’s vice presidential candidacy restarting the culture wars, the MTV show blended politics, promise rings and promiscuity. Snarky British host Russell Brand made his presidential preference abundantly clear, pleading with America to vote for Obama. He even called President George W. Bush “a retarded cowboy.” After mocking the unprotected sexual activity of Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston (the most famous teen parents in America!), Brand set his sights on abstinent teen idols, The Jonas Brothers. Given the Jo Brothers’ rabid female fans, Brand considered their promise rings a wasted opportunity. “Shouldn’t they enjoy the benefits of rock stardom rather than carrying out their Christian convictions by abstaining from sex until marriage?” After enduring embarrassing photos from their starlets Vanessa Hudgens and Miley Cyrus, execs at the Disney Channel undoubtedly shivered at the thought of another teen scandal undermining their family brand.

An American Idol defended the Jonas Brothers’ virtue. Jordin Sparks departed from her assigned script to blurt out “It’s not bad to wear a promise ring because not everybody, guy or girl, wants to be a slut.” This took a fair amount of chutzpah (even if a less judgmental term than slut might have been preferable). Jordin and the Jonas Brothers represented Christian chastity without apology. In stark contrast, former contemporary Christian singer Katy Perry celebrated the virtues of sexual experimentation. She performed Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” and her flirtatious hit, “I Kissed a Girl (and I Liked It).” Katy’s successful pandering to the pop marketplace failed to crossover to the gay community. They saw through her brazen attempt to titillate.

The entire evening left me more ambivalent than ever about Christian celebrities navigating pop culture. While some make high profile pledges, others are sending decidedly conflicting signals. Perhaps no messages are more mixed than the Palin family’s, serving as standard bearers for abstinence and pro-life positions via an unplanned, unmarried teen pregnancy. The lines between promises and promiscuity get more confusing every single awards season (or election cycle). It is easy to see why today’s teen don’t know where to stand amidst such shifting sands. Leave it to Paris Hilton to provide level-headed commentary on the absurd evening. She hopes they’ll hold onto their virginity, telling US Magazine, “That’s something cool for a kid to keep, so don’t pick on them for that.”

My Hero in the Pool

Barb Sherrill — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:54:44 -0700

Dear Dara Torres,

Thank you.

While I realize Michael Phelps dominated the swimming headlines last week (and I can’t imagine you would begrudge him one minute of his coverage—what he did was extraordinary), you were the person in the pool who inspired me the most.

You’re probably tired of hearing that you are the oldest swimmer ever in Olympic history…but there’s no getting around that fact. You’re 41. In a culture that worships youth, you are a startling reminder that life doesn’t end at 35. Your lively personality, your grace under pressure, your perspective on what it means to compete (how many other swimmers would have asked the referees to hold up the heat because a fellow competitor had torn her swimsuit?), and your passion to go after something even though, at first glance, it probably looked ridiculous (a 41-year-old competitive swimmer!) personified the Olympic spirit.

I’ll never be an Olympic athlete (wouldn’t matter if I were 21, 41, or 101!), but I do have dreams and hopes and things I’d very much like to do still. And there’s no getting around the fact that every day I’m getting a little bit older. But now when I wonder if it’s too late for some of this, you come to mind, along with the words you shared in interview after interview (and always with a smile on your face), “Don’t let your age discourage you from pursuing your dreams.”

So, thank you, Dara Torres, for a great week. And congratulations on your silver medal. You are a beautiful reminder to all of us that it isn’t over until it’s over.

Up Close and Personal

Barb Sherrill — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:07:12 -0700

I miss the “Up Close and Personal” segments on the Olympic broadcasts.

Remember those? Where we’d be told the story behind the athlete—who they were, how they got there, what made them tick. Sometimes the stories were sad. Sometimes they were funny. Sometimes they were beautifully unique. Sometimes they told the story of a lot of us (well, except for the fact that we didn’t make it to the Olympics).

And they were always inspiring.

NBC doesn’t seem to be investing in these kinds of pieces this time around. Although, as one friend pointed out, with 3600 broadcast hours, it is quite possible the “Up Close and Personal” segments are being broadcast—on the USA network at 3 a.m. I’ve probably not looked hard enough. And yes, yes, yes, I imagine I could find something at NBCOlympics.com like this, but it’s not the same as watching it during the evening broadcast.

Don’t get me wrong—I have been loving the Olympics! I can’t wait to see if Michael Phelps goes 8 for 8. The one-two punch last night of our female gymnasts was a wonder. I love being courtside for the May/Walsh matches. I totally got into the biking road races.

Heck, I even watched the gold-medal round of the women’s saber event…and I didn’t even really know that was an official Olympic sport!

But I miss the stories. I miss getting to know a little bit about the people. Everyone got to Beijing somehow, and it’s good for us as fellow human beings to hear the tale of that “somehow” every once in a while. These talented, amazing, go-for-broke athletes are more than the event they’re in or the hardware they’ve earned. They’re people with lives and joys and hardships, just like we’re people with lives and joys and hardships.

I like to be reminded of that from time to time—and not at 3 a.m. or on the website, but when I'm actually paying attention.