The Case for So-Called Lives

Last night, I took a stroll down memory lane to about 1994. This saunter was thanks to a visit to a Target in Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast, where I was fortunate enough to find a DVD not yet on sale in NZ, the complete series of My So Called Life.

That's right - this is the show that made Clare Danes cool, a status she quickly lost (at least in my book) when her departure from the show at the end of series one forced its cancellation. This is the show which used Kurt Cobain angst and fashion to show the relationships between some of the more ordinary denizens of an upper-middle non-zip coded high school somewhere in mainstream big city 1990s USA. The first review line on IMDB calls this the greatest show ever made. And I know I liked it a lot.

But looking back now, many moons later (scarily many), it's interesting how I view the show. While some people see it playing a pivotal role in their lives (see this person's blog, when I googled the image above), I know I enjoyed it for the quite realistic portrayal of life (though still a Hollywood, beautiful people one, to be sure), and I definitely do still appreciate the storylines, the acting, and the innovative use of camera cuts. But one thing I think I never quite appreciated back then was how much the show was about the parents as well.

I remember the father, Graham, had a really interesting story arc throughout the first series, but never did I realise how much of the first few episodes that I saw was actually focussed on both him and Patti. We never follow their internal monologue as we follow Angela Chase's, but now, as a... well, older person, I can kind of relate to their stories more. Scary, but true.

It's odd to compare this with a guilty pleasure I have only recently come to, the Gilmore Girls. This show, I have only ever known as I am now, and I find myself more in tune with the Lorelai stories, though of course the Rory stories are interesting too. But, with My So-Called Life, I remember how I felt then, and compare that with how I react now. It's a fascinating experience.

And considering the number of shows I once thought were great in my childhood that have not quite lived up to that expectation following the passing of years, I must admit, My So-Called Life has held up really well - thank goodness...

Verdict: I can foresee a few more intensely teen angst-ridden nights in my future, and I am going to savour them. My So-Called Life definitely deserves nine lives out of nine.