|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Why Save the Show?
Those who have seen the Lone Gunmen probably need no explanation for that question. But I'm sure some of you out there have got to be asking that question. Why try to save a show that only ran for 12 episodes--and got cancelled over six months ago?
It truly is unique. It isn't another cop show or courtroom drama or medical soap opera or celebrity-driven talk show or sudsy family saga or caffeinated quiz show or sports event (the biggest in history...until next week's game) or... I could go on and on about all the cliched crap that clutters the airwaves. THE LONE GUNMEN isn't easily definable. Comedy? Drama? Social commentary? It's all these things, and more. It's rare when a network takes the chance on something different--let's encourage it!
It stars ordinary people. Our heroes, Byers, Langly and Frohike, aren't exactly stylish supermodels or bland life-size Ken dolls. They're just ordinary people, just like you and me. I find that encouraging. It seems like society puts more and more value on appearance over talent, style over substance, beauty over brains...again, this show is different. It celebrates the value in ordinary people. (And before anybody says it, I know--Jimmy and Yves are pretty easy on the eyes. Well...it's a start. :^D )
It's creative. Let's face it, how many other shows would dare try ideas like water-powered cars, Matrix-style cons, super-intelligent chimps typing Shakespeare...and that's just in the first few episodes. Not only did THE LONE GUNMEN dare to try new things...they made them work!
It has values. Before September 11, it seemed like cynicism was "in" and idealism was "out." Most shows would have laughed at "truth, justice and the American way." This show embraced it. Despite "conventional wisdom" that said individuals couldn't make a difference, our heroes kept trying--and often succeeded, in their own odd way, because they truly believed in "truth, justice, and the American way"...and acted on it. The current pack of reality shows claim they showcase cooperation and healthy competition. I still sure don't see it. What I saw--and see--is a group of media-crazed people who utilize backstabbing, manipulation and greed to win so they can conquer the others...for money and a few minutes of fame. For heaven's sake, one of lastg season's shows used their players' pain and suffering as ratings-boosting ad hype! And this year, people are competing to get tortured! What kind of entertainment is THAT?!? (What's next--throwing people to the lions, live from the Roman coliseums?) The Gunmen work together. They believe in loyalty, teamwork, friendship--and they do it. Their goal is to defend the defenseless and help the helpless. That is what I call "family values." And that value, that patriotism and idealism, would be appreciated now even more than it was when the series first aired.
It's hilarious. I have laughed harder and longer during any one episode of this show than I have at all the so-called sit-coms last season and this season combined...the few I can stand to watch, that is. THE LONE GUNMEN's blend of slapstick and silliness keeps me coming back for more. And we all need some laughter right now, more than ever.
Good shows deserve a chance. How often in the last few years have networks killed shows after only one or two episodes air? (Or none?) Even the best shows need time to catch on. CHEERS did--it would have been cancelled on ratings alone, but one of the head honchos was fond of it, so they gave it a second chance...and it ran for how many years? These days, executives don't have the patience to let a show find its audience. As a result, campaigns like this have become commonplace. Without viewer support, THE LONE GUNMEN may disappear...especially since the ratings haven't been all that great so far.
It's never too late. Fans of THE SENTINEL on UPN got the show back for a brief concluding run after many months of effort. Hundreds of signatures have been compiled on various on-line petitions. We've already achieved a conclusion to the season-ending cliffhanger--it airs later this season on the X-FILES! And if we're really persistent, we might just manage a DVD package like the X-FILES, BUFFY, and TWIN PEAKS.
These are some of my reasons for watching. Try watching an episode or two--you may find more...
Like Golfballs for Gunmen
