H E A R T (V)
I remembered that I used to be able to enjoy all the sitcoms on Star World and a very frequent dash of Channel 11, 50 and 52 (Travel and Living, Discovery and NGC). Those were the days when I don’t have to worry about my waistline and also money. Not that I have much to begin with. Those were the lazy college days.
Some of the shows that I’ve never missed were: Ally McBeal, The Practice, Law and Order, CSI and really butch stuff. I never really thought about the sheer amount of shows that I have watched – created by no other than David E. Kelley himself. A friend told me that he himself was a law graduate and used to practice as well. A search on wikipedia revealed that he did Chicago Hope, Doogie Howser MD, Boston Public, Picket Fences and my current fav Boston Legal.
That is about the only show that I watch these days. Even CSI tires me out these days with the usual over the top I-can-solve-a-case-in-15-sec shit, used to be smart and witty remarks and also since when CSI replaced the role of the police? Anyway back to the law programs, (oh did you know that I nearly took Law? Can you imagine me as the super flamboyant lawyer in his pink tie and shirt in front of the judge?), one of the many reasons why his show is so successful is that it is always new, refreshing and over the top – almost bordering ridiculous.
The thing with Boston Legal where it is so fun and captivating is the two main casts – James Spader & William Shatner. Mind you, these two guys are the ugliest bunch that I have ever seen to grace TV (remember Bobby Donnell?) but I felt that these two characters were written so interestingly that you can’t help to feel for them. You want to root for them. They are so bad and crazy but deep down inside you can relate to them. They are in fact doing everything that you wished you have the balls to do. Sort of like porn for the mind. I mean you gotta give credit to David E, William Shatner was for years a staple material for jokes and laughing stock of the entertainment scene. Who would have taken him seriously?
David of all people knows good material breaks or makes a show. He knows that he show, while sometimes pushing the envelope cannot rely on cheap shock tactics alone. I mean how long it can sustain the audience. The core of it is always the heart. Look at Ally McBeal – the romantic heart factor. The Practice – doing between what right or wrong, the definition of what is right or wrong, the differences between what is morally or legally right. This is of course practiced by our own Yasmin Ahmad. Remember all her Petronas ad? What is it all about? The heart. My ex-boss used to tell me at the end of the day all products out there are parity. All shampoos are the same. Same function – clean your hair. Why is Sunsilk so successful? Because of the heart. The heart of the product is, dear headscarved ladies – while other products are too snobbish to care about you – my product does. We understand that you are just like any other girl – with dreams, hope and aspiration. And we are there for you.
Another example, even if product A is better than product B, but because using product B reminds me of my ex bf, therefore I will still buy it. So I guess it’s the job of advertiser to give their product a heart – something that people can relate to. No one really thinks about all the long list of facts when they are buying something for RM12.90 at Tesco.
I must say, while the mind is a fascinating thing but the heart is more amazing. It doesn’t listen to sense and logic and can even overrule the mind. So, who your daddy now?
Some of the shows that I’ve never missed were: Ally McBeal, The Practice, Law and Order, CSI and really butch stuff. I never really thought about the sheer amount of shows that I have watched – created by no other than David E. Kelley himself. A friend told me that he himself was a law graduate and used to practice as well. A search on wikipedia revealed that he did Chicago Hope, Doogie Howser MD, Boston Public, Picket Fences and my current fav Boston Legal.
That is about the only show that I watch these days. Even CSI tires me out these days with the usual over the top I-can-solve-a-case-in-15-sec shit, used to be smart and witty remarks and also since when CSI replaced the role of the police? Anyway back to the law programs, (oh did you know that I nearly took Law? Can you imagine me as the super flamboyant lawyer in his pink tie and shirt in front of the judge?), one of the many reasons why his show is so successful is that it is always new, refreshing and over the top – almost bordering ridiculous.
The thing with Boston Legal where it is so fun and captivating is the two main casts – James Spader & William Shatner. Mind you, these two guys are the ugliest bunch that I have ever seen to grace TV (remember Bobby Donnell?) but I felt that these two characters were written so interestingly that you can’t help to feel for them. You want to root for them. They are so bad and crazy but deep down inside you can relate to them. They are in fact doing everything that you wished you have the balls to do. Sort of like porn for the mind. I mean you gotta give credit to David E, William Shatner was for years a staple material for jokes and laughing stock of the entertainment scene. Who would have taken him seriously?
David of all people knows good material breaks or makes a show. He knows that he show, while sometimes pushing the envelope cannot rely on cheap shock tactics alone. I mean how long it can sustain the audience. The core of it is always the heart. Look at Ally McBeal – the romantic heart factor. The Practice – doing between what right or wrong, the definition of what is right or wrong, the differences between what is morally or legally right. This is of course practiced by our own Yasmin Ahmad. Remember all her Petronas ad? What is it all about? The heart. My ex-boss used to tell me at the end of the day all products out there are parity. All shampoos are the same. Same function – clean your hair. Why is Sunsilk so successful? Because of the heart. The heart of the product is, dear headscarved ladies – while other products are too snobbish to care about you – my product does. We understand that you are just like any other girl – with dreams, hope and aspiration. And we are there for you.
Another example, even if product A is better than product B, but because using product B reminds me of my ex bf, therefore I will still buy it. So I guess it’s the job of advertiser to give their product a heart – something that people can relate to. No one really thinks about all the long list of facts when they are buying something for RM12.90 at Tesco.
I must say, while the mind is a fascinating thing but the heart is more amazing. It doesn’t listen to sense and logic and can even overrule the mind. So, who your daddy now?
Comments
William Shatner-> Star Trek, Rescue 911.
I'm so out of touch. Boston Legal? I watched Boston Public. Doogie Howser, check. Chicago Hope, check. Never liked CSI. Then there's this Medical Investigators on TV. Every week it's the same thing. Calista Flockheart I really can't stand. Her character's too giler. But then, there was Lucy Liu... Law & Order is very gritty.
I don't get the Sunsilk headscarf thing. But then, I don't wear a headscarf.
Hey, it's all about heart. No wonder you're in advertising!
Paul