Grid Effect

Since debuting its first original series The Shield several years ago, FX has been known for infuriating parental concern groups with its lack of concern for FCC regulations. Typically, though, the decision to push the envelope has always been beneficial for the development a series characters and themes, with their most recent original series, Dirt, this is simply not the case.

I have only seen the pilot, but given its content, I can honestly say it is the most misguided show I have ever watched. Everyone involved in this series treats tabloid news junkets like an evil slightly below genocide and just above a school shooting. When in the pilot episode, a girl dies, another one ends up in the hospital on life support, our anti-heroine has tasered a fuck buddy in the genitals and her sidekick is a schizophranic photographer who got his ass-kicked by a struggling actor (judging by the preview montage for the rest of the season, this will be a reoccurring theme), things need too be a little toned down.

Structurally, this show is a mess. Apparently the photographer (Don Kinney) was supposed too be the central figure, but the network objected, saying they needed a more relatable character to develop an audience. So they threw Courtney Cox into the lead role as Lucy Spiller, the head editor of two magazines. One, a sleazy tabloid rag akin too “Star”, the other, a cushy celebrity worship magazine of the “Entertainment Weekly” ilk. The episode hopped back and forth between Spiller and Kinney, with the latter essentially doing all of the work while hallucinating due too a lack of proper medication (he selectively takes the pills prescribed too him) and worrying about his cancer stricken cat, who eventually dies.

But the crux of the problem is a lack of cohesion. Other than the fact the two characters work together, their stories have nothing too do with each other. Don’s story is like horrendous Paul Thomas Anderson, and Spiller’s reminds me of some extended generic party scene from a CSI episode. Too be honest, it would be preferable if the photographer were the focus. Ian Hart is simply a better actor than Courtney Cox, and it is evident that the writers valued his character arc, more so than Spiller’s.

The writers also have a little something too learn about patience. As previously mentioned, the episode was entirely too eventful. That might sound preposterous, because most would probably be of the mindset that eventfulness is one of the main reasons to watch a television series, maybe the only reason. But when a series is trying too illustrate the immoralities of paparazzi and confront the absurdity of celebrity worship, it makes it impossible too suspend disbelief when bodies are dropping like flies as the result of a few magazine articles.

Anyway, our protagonist (I guess? I hate her guts so she is not really a protagonist) is already suffering a moral crisis over her job. I am certain that by next week, she will have already inoculated herself of all responsibility for her role in everyone dying.

I’ll give it one more viewing next Tuesday, but if there isn’t any improvement, I’ll have to jump ship.

Plenty too come tomorrow, including thoughts on tonight’s Firday Night Lights and the season premieres of Knights of Prosperity and In Case of Emergency. Until then…