what’s on my mind grapes?

2007 Space Awards ~ People of The Year: Part V

5. Al Gore: This series of blogs has mentioned the importance of having a sense of humor about oneself, and the Nobel Prize winner who could have been president certainly lived up to that standard. As well as his self-parodying appearance on “30 Rock,” Gore made a hilarious Oscar speech where his “big announcement” was stopped as the orchestra played him off. Sadly, he still appears to be the Best Candidate Not Running for President.
4. Senator Barbara Boxer: The junior senator from California has long been a favorite of mine, and this year’s scolding of Senator James Inhofe means she stays very much in my favor. And, at the risk of being creepier than usual, that sort of thing makes her the Best Feisty Sexagenarian (”More like Barbara Foxer!”) on the list.
3. Tom Morello: Where this list cites music artists, it’s not just about the quality of an album – something that will comprise my next and final list for the year – but about the quality of the idea behind the music. Former Rage Against the Machine guitarist Morello had the most distinct creative genius when he created The Nightwatchman, an acoustic-rocking alter ego that explored the same sort of lyrical themes (with the same extreme outlook) as his old band, but with a much quieter musical feel. It seemed like the Best Audience-Expanding Idea of the year, but the lack of album sales and commercial success sadly indicate that I am in the minority on that opinion.
2. Tina Fey: It seems like I could go on and on, but what is there to say? She’s the Best Comic Mind Working In Television right now, and “30 Rock”’s worst episodes are better than almost anything else on television.
1. Aaron Sorkin: I haven’t seen “Charlie Wilson’s War” yet, but “Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip” – and the degree to which I miss it – single-handedly puts its creator in this spot. While it was a collaborative effort – not an achievement of but one man – I found it meaningful enough that the most responsible individual defaults to being my favorite person of the year.

I believe that television has the potential to be the best visual medium for powerful, humanistic storytelling; the episodic, long-term nature affords greater opportunity for character development than film, and watching at a regular time in the comfort of one’s home gives the audience more opportunity to “connect” with a show. “Studio 60″ capitalized fully on these advantages and created a compelling, sympathetic cast of smart characters with whom one could relate, while also infusing the show with quirky humor to prevent it from becoming too serious or preachy.

While this level of character development and entertainment is seldom achieved, the subject matter elevated it to another level altogether. It was television’s Best Ideological Love Story – the individuals portrayed were a group loyally committed not just to one another, but also to something greater than any of them: the belief that television and the media may be used for good. Sadly, the ratings seemed to disagree; the public was not ready for television of this high a caliber, and I believe the medium has fallen greatly since the show’s death.