Xena vs. Sherlock - Stocking My DVD Shelf

Not all TV should be great.

Which isn't to say that I think all TV should be bad. But good television comes in many forms, and I don't really think that all of those forms are necessarily universal. It's like a really fantastic mystery novel. I have no doubt that the best of them are truly amazing, and that people who like that kind of thing have a moment of utter bliss upon the ultimate crime ever conceived of in fiction being solved by some brainy detective or bumbling buffoon.

But I don't like mystery novels, which has been a great source of self-loathing and rending of hair throughout the years. I mean, I've tried to read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes three times, have gotten through "A Scandal in Bohemia" on each occasion, and have then decided upon each conclusion that I couldn't be bothered with the rest of the book. I just felt that one story was all I really needed. It's not that I think the story wasn't good, or that other people shouldn't love the collection... It's just that I couldn't bring myself to enjoy it all that much.


I think TV works in the same way. A person doesn't like every type of TV show. I don't try to show all my bestest buds "Doctor Who" or "Glee," because god knows that they're campy, and not everyone can take how fabulous they are for long enough to get to the warmth at the heart of each of them. Those too sensitive about high school could never sit through "My So Called Life" or "Freaks and Geeks." And I don't recommend "Coupling" to anyone who can't take awkward sex-humor, or stand it when a comedy refuses to be funny for episodes at a time to further 'plot'. Those who don't like politics or melodrama wouldn't like "The West Wing," and I know people who hate mini-series, so they'll never watch "Jekyll" or "North and South." And on that note, I know people who won't even look at sci-fi shows (no "Battlestar Galactic" for them...) or period dramas (although I frankly don't know how I coped without "Rome" or "Deadwood in my life).

I'm no better. I tend to dislike procedural shows, with the exception of (canceled) odd-balls like "Pushing Daisies" (which was only a procedural in the loosest sense) and "Life," along with the first few seasons of "House" (which began my TV obsession so many years ago... *sniffle*). I'm okay with my prejudice, but it means that I haven't seen shows like "White Collar," or "Fringe" (which I hear has gotten better?), or (*gasp*) "The X-Files," or the new "Terriers" (which might get canceled anyway, which would be another TV crime of epic proportions). Etc, etc, etc.

Not all TV is for everyone. Not all TV is for me. But just because I don't like a show doesn't necessarily mean that it's bad. It's like Sherlock Holmes. It's great and amazing and for other people to read.

Let's take "My So Called Life." I showed it to one of my friends during a summer break and she couldn't stand it. I tried to get her to appreciate the dialogue, the complexity and humanity of the characters, the insights the show offered about coming of age and trying to find yourself at all stages and places in life... But she refused to listen to me, just on principle. 

So I, on principle, made her sit through two more episodes.

This, clearly, didn't help my cause all that much.

So, after wasting three hours of our lives and straining our friendship to a stupid degree considering how little we cared about the damn situation in the first place, we went out for coffee and watched "Legend of the Seeker" when we got back. (Which really is a bad show, but it's too good in its badness not to adore. Think "Xena." Oh yeah. It's that awesome.)

With a few notable exceptions ("The Wire." "Mad Men." Undoubtedly "Six Feet Under" when I finish the last season (!!!). "Xena."), I've stopped trying to bully people into liking shows that just aren't to their tastes. Similarly, while I've learned to appreciate shows I didn't enjoy all that much when I first saw them, I also know that I'll probably never watch "Castle," and (aside from wanting more Nathan Fillion in my life and not getting him) probably never be all that sad about it.

Because ultimately, TV doesn't always have to be a beautifully crafted piece of media ready for mass consumption or selective critical praise. In fact, I think only real requirement of the TV you find yourself watching is that you enjoy it. If you don't, then why the hell are you watching it? Why aren't you playing outside and wrestling with a puppy or something? Anything's better than being a miserable blob on a couch watching something just because it's on.

A few years ago, my good friend-for-forever gave me two seasons of "Xena" on DVD. If I had the space/more TV on DVD, these two seasons of perhaps the worst show ever created (with the exception of "Hercules") would be displayed proudly amongst the likes of "The Wire," "Dead Like Me," "Life on Mars," "Firefly" "Mad Men," "My So Called Life," "How I Met Your Mother" and "Doctor Who." (Etc.) No, these are not all (by any stretch of the imagination) the best shows known to man, but they're the best shows known to me. And on my damn shelf, that's more important.

Besides, Xena could chakram Sherlock's ass in a second.

In conclusion, this rambling mess has been a TV version of the old "live and let live" hippie crap from back in the day. (Minus a chakram. But come on. We all know it would happen.) Which may not be as interesting as I thought it would be when I started out...

Oh well. At least there's a picture of Xena on my blog now. (Goal = accomplished.)