tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4104012373258339565.post6505356307758547519..comments2023-10-31T12:10:39.067-04:00Comments on Ladder on Wheels: The Age of ReasonMichial Farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062071425935524922noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4104012373258339565.post-24330198648934791702008-08-26T20:19:00.000-04:002008-08-26T20:19:00.000-04:00Have you heard of Diana West's The Death of the Gr...Have you heard of Diana West's <I>The Death of the Grown Up</I>? While it sometimes careens into nostalgia, she makes a pretty strong case that nostalgia may not be so bad after all. Check it out if you have not already.Fordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00931092903743408537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4104012373258339565.post-17391484441001599152008-04-26T11:01:00.000-04:002008-04-26T11:01:00.000-04:00Somewhat on the other side of the coin, few mainst...Somewhat on the other side of the coin, few mainstream network TV shows feature children as major characters anymore, either. Shows like that appear aplenty on the Disney channel (then ABC on Saturday mornings) or other channels geared toward "family" (read: children), but the current trend for network programs is for major characters between 16-50. Children exist as foils, sidekicks, etc., but don't lead the plotlines. King of the Hill serves as an exception in this case, as well. However, in the shows you mention that primarily feature a male comedian clowning around as "Dear Old Dad," the kids essentially act as little straight characters or as pulling wacky students that give him fodder for hilarious one-liners and witty monologues. <BR/>A couple exceptions do toil away in obscurity. Everybody Hates Chris comes to mind, as does Heroes, since one of its major characters was a prepubescent. Weeds (on Showtime) also isn't afraid to explore stories featuring its younger characters, either.<BR/>It's not as if a few other shows haven't tried. "Jack and Bobby" on the WB. On the same network, shows like The Gilmore Girls and Seventh Heaven started out with younger protagonists, but the success of the show led to those characters aging into older teens and young adults. <BR/><BR/>I don't bring this up because I think it's terribly negative. I think American television's lack of senior citizens speaks a lot more negatively about our culture. Incidentally, some of the UK's most popular programmes do in fact feature older characters, and those shows often wind up on PBS stations for American consumption. If you want to see some fantastic older characters, definitely check out Last of the Summer Wine, As Time Goes By, Keeping Up Appearances, and The Vicar of Dibley.Joelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11776846406152759939noreply@blogger.com