What was on TV? Thurs, Jan 27, 2005

20 years ago, the whole Terri Schiavo situation went to the US supreme court. Remember that? Let's see what was on TV.

8:00 The OC on Fox

2x10 "The Accomplice"

Available on Hulu and Max

A very good episode. Great needle drops from top to bottom lay the foundation. The Seth and Summer stuff with the comic book is so, so, cute. Her big note being that her character's boobs are too big is a perfect touch, and the whole scene of her and Seth developing her "character" is perfection. And Seth doesn't make any stupid decisions! He listens to Ryan, displays real tact, and respects people's boundaries. Look at him go!

The Marissa and Alex storyline is also off to a nice start. I will unpack this storyline more as it heats up (just in time for February sweeps!) but Alex being an emancipated minor is a very nice touch. You can see why Marissa would be drawn to that. And I like that her emancipation is explicitly tied to her queerness. It shows that queerness change everything, even for bisexuals, which is a concept that a lot of people did not grasp in 2004.

There are criticisms to be made of this storyline, and of the tropes it played into. But I think it's important to remember the context in which it aired. Bush had just been reelected on an explicitly homophobic platform. It has been a year since the Janet Jackson Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction, and the FCC and the Parents Television Council were cracking down on whatever they decided was "indecent" that week. Fox's affiliates complained about the storyline, preferring that the network avoid "controversial" topics. So when the biggest teen show in the world did a queer romance storyline with a major character (not with a side character, not just very special episode or a titillating kiss soon to be forgotten) that really did mean something.

9:00 The West Wing (recorded)

6x13 "King Corn"

Available for digital purchase and rental

A whole generation of democratic politicians were raised on The West Wing, and you can feel it in this episode. All the candidates go to Iowa for the caucuses and are pressured to endorse ethanol fuel, which is basically supporting farm subsidies and agribusiness disguised as supporting renewable energy. But Iowa grows corn, so you've gotta dance the dance. All sides of the issue are explored as the three main candidates (Gary Cole, Jimmy Smits, and Alan Alda) and their campaign staffers (Josh, Donna, Stephen Root and other character actors) each debate what to do about the issue. Republican Alan Alda proves himself the cool candidate when he refuses to endorse the Ethanol subsidies. And tucked into all this is an argument about how the Iowa caucuses exert way too much power simply because they're up first.

The arguments about agribusiness, the fantasy of the cool Republican, the "the primary calendar needs to be changed!" argument, it's all terribly familiar, like so much of The West Wing, pre and post-Sorkin. And yet...I still like this episode. They finally split Josh and Donna up (professionally, anyway) so their relationship is no longer a total bore; it's even kind of interesting. And the episode looks great, it has a cool color palate that sets it apart from the rest of the series. The actors are all so good (Miriam Shor is here!). It's an especially great showcase for Alab Alda, who was having quite the week: he was nominated for an Oscar on Tuesday, and this episode, which eventually carried him to an Emmy win, aired the following night. And the framing device, in which a member of each campaign recieve a wake-up call at the crack of dawn at the beginning of each act, is so effective. And the show sprinkles in details of life on the campaign trail (the terrible vending machine food, the drone of cable news, the endless door knocking) that give the whole episode a real sense of place and atmosphere. The conventional wisdom is that post-Sorkin West Wing found a new groove when it started focusing more on the campaign to replace Bartlett. And the conventional wisdom is correct.

10:00 ER on NBC

11x13 "The Providers"

Available on Hulu and Max

The common criticism of latter stage ER is that it was miserable and melodramatic to the point of parody.

Well. In this episode, a girl with a neurological condition arrives in the ER with kidney failure. Turns out, the miracle drug her doctor recommended ruined the kidney her dad gave her. Of course the doctor also received compensation for recommending the drug and "monitoring her progress." Eventually, dad threatens to shoot the doctors, then shoots himself in the mouth, and the daughter gets his kidney. There are lots of loud arguments about the ethics of the pharmaceutical industry and the compromises doctors and hospitals make. It's a bad time.

In better news, I thought Neela was going to be paired with Shane West. But she just has a harmless crush on Luka, and she's smart enough to know it will go nowhere. Much better. I'm not ruling out a Shane West romance though. thye could totally pivot to that, and this inappropriate crush would make him seem like a "better" choice. I'm staying vigilant.

Late Night

Let's check in with brand new late-night host Craig Ferguson! This episode isn't quite as good as his first one. The jokes and bits are all just a little lackluster. But even in a sup-par episode, Ferguson's charm goes a long way, and he's a good interviewer, which makes a big difference. The conversation with Ice Cube is engaging and feels natural, and his conversation with Sex Pistols legend Steve Jones makes use of Ferguson's punk rocker past. No can we get some punk rockers to actually play music on this show? Tonight's musical guest was...less than inspiring.

TiVo Status

The Masterpiece Theater miniseries He Knew He Was Right and The Lost Prince, and two episodes of Carnivale. 10 hours total.