More Than One Lesson

In my recent appearance on the More Than One Lesson podcast we spoke about a lot of movies, so I decided for my next article I would write about a few sort of under the radar TV comedies.

The first episode of VidAngel’s biblical television series The Chosen is a mostly dull approximation of a cable prestige drama. To the show’s credit, there is an attempt at production value but it doesn’t do much to draw us in over its first hour.

Three episodes into the new Disney+ series The Mandalorian, I wrote, “Given how divisive the films have become, Star Wars needs something that unites the fans in a positive way. Right now it looks like The Mandalorian could end up being just that.” Now that the first season of the series is complete and The Rise of Skywalker has been released, it appears that The Mandalorian is indeed the thing that has united the Star Wars fanbase more than anything else in this Disney era. There have been a few bumps here and there, but overall series creator Jon Favreau’s dive into the seedy underbelly of the Star Wars universe has focused on character while telling relatively small scale stories well. Compare that to the noisy, busy, and unfocused The Rise of Skywalker and it’s practically night and day. As much as J.J. Abrams’ film is an attempt to appeal to fans of the original trilogy, it’s Favreau who has made something that actually feels like those films in the ways that truly matter, which is in regards to character development, tone, and pacing.

The first time the Star Wars universe extended to the world of television was in November of 1978. The Star Wars Holiday Special remains one of the most baffling TV programs ever produced. Between several minutes of Wookiee growling, the bizarre and misguided scene with Diahann Carroll, and, “Stir, whip, stir, whip, whip, whip, stir,” it’s like watching a train crash into an orphanage that was already on fire. There is, however, one part of the show that those of us who have subjected ourselves to it must admit isn’t entirely a disaster. While the cartoon short that introduced Boba Fett a year and a half prior to The Empire Strikes Back has strange and unpleasant looking animation – what’s with the chins? – it’s not a bad story. It gave fans their first look at the Mandalorian armor of the bounty hunter who would go on to capture Han Solo before dying in the most embarrassing way possible. (Yes, I know that according to the extended universe he climbed out of the Sarlacc pit but, to anyone watching Return of the Jedi in 1983, Boba Fett was dead. In the most embarrassing way possible.)

In this episode, Tyler is joined by Jason Eaken to discuss whether or not it’s okay for a Christian to watch Game of Thrones.

Kevin DeYoung’s Gospel Coalition article
Matt Walsh’s article
Justin Hart’s Relevant article

In this episode, Reed discusses the classic sitcom Cheers.

What do you get when you cross a plane crash, polar bears, a monster made of black smoke, a moving island, an ancient statue, time-travel, an age-old battle of good versus evil and about 50 castaways with pasts as diverse as their ethnicities? You get a whole mess of questions, that’s what. You also get some of the most compelling, emotional and inspiring television in history.

It’s been 10 years since Lost first premiered on ABC, and binge watching was officially created. Fans were obsessed with the literary references, scientific theories, and endless clues to the shows seemingly countless mysteries. Fans were so obsessed that it isn’t uncommon to hear of red-eyed, bobble-headed insomniacs pressing on until 3 AM despite extreme weariness in order to fit in just one more episode.

[…]

Tyler was recently on the Televerse podcast to discuss the 1990s animated series The Tick.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

On Sunday, Breaking Bad comes to an end. The popular theory is that the series finale of the show will also mark the end of Walter White. With the flash forward teases that we’ve seen, it looks like Walt is going to be making a grand last stand in the tradition of Scarface and The Wild Bunch. I have no doubt that we will walk away from the show with a sense of closure, but I think that most people are more interested in emotional satisfaction. If Breaking Bad‘s history is any indicator, I think we’re in for a very visceral and polarizing climax. I think that each individual’s feelings about the conclusion will be heavily informed by their personal opinion of Walter White.

[…]

It’s rough to watch this season of Breaking Bad, at least that’s what I hear a lot of people saying. It’s either “too heartbreaking” or “unrelentingly tense”. However, I can’t name a single person who would deny that the show is entirely captivating. This isn’t something that our fascination should be drawn to, yet we can’t turn our eyes away from each enthralling episode. Reed’s comparison of the show to Greek Tragedy couldn’t be more correct. Things continue to spiral out of control for each of the characters, and as an avid viewer I couldn’t be more interested.

[…]