Friday, May 21, 2004

Having some minor experience as a critic I don't like to pick others who do so. However, there are times when I feel online critics will take a particular point just to "be controversial". Such is the feeling I get from an article on Slate.com.

http://entertainment.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=158612

I realize criticism is a subjective art; you're reading one person's opinion and, as I have argued many times with a friend of mine who can be almost as anal retentive when it comes to criticism, some people will like chocolate and some will like vanilla. There is no pleasing everyone.

This one just irked me. These are some series finales which were picked as "flops". OK, I'll agree with "Seinfeld" but the twist at the end of "St Elsewhere" has got to be one of the finest moments in TV. It reminded us that it was "just a TV show". The twist of the entire run of the show being from the mind of an autistic child was a slap to the back of the heads of viewers who sometimes take TV shows just a little too seriously. The originality, intelligence and wit of that finale was a perfect cap on a top notch drama.

And MASH?!!!! What is Kat Giantis thinking. It's been more than 20 years since "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" aired and I can still get choked up when Hawkeye and BJ salute Col. Potter. Hawkeye's breakdown was almost inevitable. I will agree they tried to cram allot into the final episode; the entire last season was a little below par, but the finale was fantastic. Maybe the fact that the world's record for most watched episode still stands after all these years.

Kat Giantis is more on target with her picks of the best finales. Her (I'm guessing "Kat" is a her) only one I disagree with is Cheers. For me, that had the same flat feeling Seinfeld did.

I have noticed this with Slate in the past. At first I enjoyed their irreverent take on things but it now seems as if the editorial philosophy is being irreverent just because. Slate is a good source for collections of editorial cartoons. If I want good criticism I'll stay with Shales, Ebert and John Leonard on the CBS Sunday Morning show.

If you know me well enough you're either laughing or shaking your head. I make such sport out of criticism when it's my own. And now, I'm criticizing critics.....will it ever end?!

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