• Topics▼
  Books Design / Art Events Misc. Movies Music Sunday Roundup Toyz TV Shows Video games Works / Projects

• Archive▼
  February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007

• Websites▼
  Max Dana, Official Site The Sama Gazette The World of Sama da-eYe

• Blog Anniversary Posts▼
  2010: Third anniversary 2009: 2nd time's a charm 2008: First anniversary 2007: Here we go!

It’s always a challenge for a writer to make the readers like a character they would hate in real life. Some time ago I watched two TV shows: Dexter and The Shield and I have to admit I wasn’t really interested to at first. Dexter (starring Michael C. Hall) is a serial killer but he’s not so bad after all, he only kills criminals. In The Shield, Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) is a detective, the leader of the Strike Team and he sometimes (not to say often…) uses illegal and brutal methods but then again, only against those who seem well deserving of such treatment. A serial killer and a brutal and corrupted cop, I was reluctant and now I’m addicted. It can be bewildering for some people but are they really that bad?

Some people would say killing serial killers or child molesters is OK, some others may think Mackey is doing right using the same methods the gangs use in the streets. I’m against death penalty and I don’t think corruption is good in any kind of way, so how can I enjoy watching Dexter and The Shield? These shows are definitely good entertainment. Both series succeed in getting you close to the personality of the main characters; Dexter might be a serial killer but he can emulates feelings (or he tries to) and have an apparent normal life, Vic Mackey might be violent but he truly loves his family.

I was talking about these shows with friends and some questions raised about the content of today’s TV shows. Are they a true reflection of our time? Does Dexter have the right to kill people on his own judgement? Does The Shield depict the reality of police corruption? Can entertainment be allowed to show any kind of content without any responsibilities only because it’s considered like entertainment and not a real thing?

The answers may differ a lot from one to another, I realized that during this discussion. Dexter and The Shield story lines are far from two other series I consider like my ‘vintage’ favorites: The Persuaders and The Prisoner but when shows are good, they’re good so we should appreciate them just for what they are.

See you in Portmeirion!