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Monday, April 19, 2010

The Pilot Blog

Pilots. I always enjoy watching the pilot episode of any new TV series. I get to meet new characters (hopefully ones that I like) and visit new places and lands. Of the pilot episodes that I’ve watched there are a few that stick out in my memory.

I remember the first time watching Dawson’s Creek. Little did I know it at the time but I would form a beautiful and unhealthy relationship with Joey Potter, Dawson Leery, and Pacey Witter. I was in my sophomore year of high school in a little town in East Texas and my high school best friend and I started watching DC together. We were immediately divided into two camps. She was totally into Dawson, the blonde, only child, emotional teenager that he is. On the other hand, I was rooting for Pacey, the handsomely cute, funny underachieving guy who sported a Julius Caesar haircut. I don’t want to spoil the show for you . . . but I’m pleased with how it all turned out.

Another particularly great pilot episode was the hilarious, clever first episode of Arrested Development. The Bluth family’s unbelievable trials and tribulations continue to entertain audiences years after the show ended. What’s up with the movie not being made? This particular pilot episode is one of my favorites which is weird to say actually, because pilots are usually so steeped in setting up the characters and world that they are often pretty boring. But right from the start we got to see Gob’s magician antics (or hidden secrets I guess), Lucille’s snarky comments to her daughter (The shirt looks better on him) and see the romantic tension between Maeby and George Michael. Awesome. All I’m saying is… there is money in the banana stand.

Last but definitely not least to highlight in over two decades of my history watching television is the very memorable pilot episode of Lost. This is important to note for several reasons. First, I began watching this series on a bet that I couldn’t finish seasons 1 – 5 by the time season 6 started last February. I owned that bet by the way! Two, I am completely and utterly addicted to this show and you should know this because if you are to walk with me on this web-log journey then you will read references to it often. I apologize in advance. And of course the episode was amazing and wonderful. One of the most expensive pilots in the history of ABC (somewhere between $10 and $14 million), the story of Lost begins when a “pilot” crashes a plane on a mysterious island in the middle of nowhere. We meet Jack... or rather his eyeball.... and then see him spring into action as he steps up and saves people from the wreckage. Hurley who assists Jack in all his needs for the rescue. Kate who helps Jack stitch up his wounds. The child Walt and his dog. And a slew of other characters who are both loveable and hateable faced with situations that make a viewer think existential things about life. Words cannot adequately describe the pilot episode or the show itself. I am consistently blown away and amazed by the show and what its creators cook up. If you haven’t seen it, go and watch it right now! No seriously… I’ll be waiting for you right here. It only takes 42 minutes and you’ll thank me afterwards. Trust me. The island isn’t done with you.

So I say all of this because in some small way I enjoy reading blogs like I enjoy watching TV. It’s fun, it’s episodic and when done right weaves a narrative together full of stories, people, locations and dreams. All too often though, pilots are very boring. Yawn . . .

As I don’t necessarily want to bore you, but tell you what’s going on. I will succinctly say my name is Judy Watts and I am a student at the Clinton School of Public Service. For the next 10 weeks I’ll be doing a service project with PCI—Media Impact to consult them on a radio show about Climate Change in St. Lucia.

Now that that’s out of the way… I promise you that I’m going to bring fun characters, stories and more action packed fun than any blog you’ve ever read before. And if I don’t… well then I’ll buy you an ice cream, because I always make good on my promises. I always win bets too. (Ok… well not always, but I like to think I do.)

So thanks for stopping by and reading! And please tune in for the next blog entry of No Woman is an Island, coming to a computer near you this summer. Dun dun dun.

1 comments:

Cory Biggs said...

So... I finally caught up on all of Sarah's posts. You're next on my list, St. Lucia cohort!

And I thought Sarah's was a lot of catching up to do...

This is going to be daunting, but read every post I will. I promise you, Judy.

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