To Avid Television Flop Viewers : A Gift From Canada
It may very well be inspired in intent and high hope, but it has turned out to be uninspired in plot and content, in execution, in portrayals, in the need to succeed. Success being measured in actual comedic content in a purported comedy. The twofold purpose being to amuse while delivering a message and in the doing perhaps help to defuse the potential for societal confrontation.
While adding to the entertainment quorum of an otherwise-still-struggling national industry with the intent to add lustre to an occasionally-unworkable national pluralism.
Oh, what's the fuss? It's an attempt to make viewers chuckle, perhaps in recognition of their own subliminal reactions which, if they're the least bit fair-minded should make them blush, while at the same time, poking gentle fun, and coddling them toward a more accepting mind-set. We could all, after all is said and done, use a little nudge now and again to bring us to open-minded consideration for others, despite our social/cultural differences.
This being noted, it's really a pity the series has fallen so flat. So many Canadians tuned in to the introductory show prodded by curiosity after all the advertising in all the media, convincing us we'd really be missing out on something good if we didn't give it a try. So, dutifully, as Canadians are wont to be, particularly when it comes to our national broadcaster, we did give it a try. Really, we did. We wanted to like the show; its premise held such promise.
Wooden, exaggerated acting. Uncreative scenarios, bordering on condescension. If we laughed it wasn't often and barely convincingly. The first impression was one of disappointment. After all those public relations promises that this would be a belly-tickling blockbuster! What a led-down. But what do we know, after all, we're just the target audience. And a notoriously fickle one at that.
Does the international community of eager television series viewers know something we don't? Are they less difficult to please than we stolid, staid Canadians? The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is beside itself with delight that this latest of their little treasures, Little Mosque on the Prairies, has been optioned and in some instances already broadcast in countries like France, Switzerland and a few French-speaking African countries.
Oops, add Finland and Turkey. How about Israel, the West Bank and Gaza? There too. Just think how useful a comedy about xenophobic Canadian hicks - grudgingly accepting the controversial presence of an assortment of Muslim characters, slightly more cosmopolitan than their Canadian small-town counterparts, yet culturally and socially as closeted and puzzled at the clash of tradition - might prove to be in those last three combative environments.
Fact is, after viewing the initial segments the last two will come away with misconceptions about Canadians in general, and a deep intrigue of comprehension foiled with respect to their co-religionists' benighted interest in settling in Canada to begin with. The awkwardly amateurish production doesn't promise to heighten the international community's knowledge of this country, nor might it find inspiration in the interaction between clumsy, sometimes blandly racist, occasionally well-meaning Canadians and Muslim immigrants.
The fast-fading Canadian audience is testament to the fact that Canadians quickly began averting their gaze from the series, attested to by plummeting viewing statistics - and still falling. But then, who knows what the reaction abroad will ultimately be? Consider the situation of politicians - highly unpopular at home for their internal governance, yet receiving thunderous applause on the international stage.
Perhaps what we identify as too laboriously obvious - lacking the subtlety that makes for good comedic interactions - will be viewed with high praise in an audience less jaded. Less demanding, willing to settle for less? Um, don't think so; we've seen what the French, the Turks, Israel are capable of producing in high-quality cinema.
Bummer.
While adding to the entertainment quorum of an otherwise-still-struggling national industry with the intent to add lustre to an occasionally-unworkable national pluralism.
Oh, what's the fuss? It's an attempt to make viewers chuckle, perhaps in recognition of their own subliminal reactions which, if they're the least bit fair-minded should make them blush, while at the same time, poking gentle fun, and coddling them toward a more accepting mind-set. We could all, after all is said and done, use a little nudge now and again to bring us to open-minded consideration for others, despite our social/cultural differences.
This being noted, it's really a pity the series has fallen so flat. So many Canadians tuned in to the introductory show prodded by curiosity after all the advertising in all the media, convincing us we'd really be missing out on something good if we didn't give it a try. So, dutifully, as Canadians are wont to be, particularly when it comes to our national broadcaster, we did give it a try. Really, we did. We wanted to like the show; its premise held such promise.
Wooden, exaggerated acting. Uncreative scenarios, bordering on condescension. If we laughed it wasn't often and barely convincingly. The first impression was one of disappointment. After all those public relations promises that this would be a belly-tickling blockbuster! What a led-down. But what do we know, after all, we're just the target audience. And a notoriously fickle one at that.
Does the international community of eager television series viewers know something we don't? Are they less difficult to please than we stolid, staid Canadians? The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is beside itself with delight that this latest of their little treasures, Little Mosque on the Prairies, has been optioned and in some instances already broadcast in countries like France, Switzerland and a few French-speaking African countries.
Oops, add Finland and Turkey. How about Israel, the West Bank and Gaza? There too. Just think how useful a comedy about xenophobic Canadian hicks - grudgingly accepting the controversial presence of an assortment of Muslim characters, slightly more cosmopolitan than their Canadian small-town counterparts, yet culturally and socially as closeted and puzzled at the clash of tradition - might prove to be in those last three combative environments.
Fact is, after viewing the initial segments the last two will come away with misconceptions about Canadians in general, and a deep intrigue of comprehension foiled with respect to their co-religionists' benighted interest in settling in Canada to begin with. The awkwardly amateurish production doesn't promise to heighten the international community's knowledge of this country, nor might it find inspiration in the interaction between clumsy, sometimes blandly racist, occasionally well-meaning Canadians and Muslim immigrants.
The fast-fading Canadian audience is testament to the fact that Canadians quickly began averting their gaze from the series, attested to by plummeting viewing statistics - and still falling. But then, who knows what the reaction abroad will ultimately be? Consider the situation of politicians - highly unpopular at home for their internal governance, yet receiving thunderous applause on the international stage.
Perhaps what we identify as too laboriously obvious - lacking the subtlety that makes for good comedic interactions - will be viewed with high praise in an audience less jaded. Less demanding, willing to settle for less? Um, don't think so; we've seen what the French, the Turks, Israel are capable of producing in high-quality cinema.
Bummer.
Labels: Social-Cultural Deviations, Whoops
posted by Pieface @ 5:09 PM
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