life as we know it
By: Matthew Romanada
There have been so many attempts to make a show that deals with high schools and teens. It seems the only successful ones are those provide teens with a dreamland where everyone is beautiful and rich. Most people from my generation will remember My So-Called Life and its short life despite critical acclaim. Shows like Beverly Hills 90210 and The O.C. have been able to capture the youth market with their bright colours, beautiful people and soapy storylines. The public does not seem willing or able to accept shows like life as we know it, Freaks and Geeks and My So-Called Life
This is supposed to be about why people should watch life as we know it sadly it is too late for that. ABC has decided in its ultimate wisdom to cancel the show. The show never really had a chance. It was put at 9PM against CSI and The Apprentice. It was later moved to 8PM against The O.C. But I will give the reasons why you SHOULD have watched the show.
The Premise
The show revolves around three high school boys, Dino, Ben and Jonathan. Like most teenage boys all they want to do in live is to get laid. However unlike most TV and movie depictions of this topic these characters are created realistically. There are no pie-sex scenes, no prostitutes or anything like that. These three guys are probable the closest actual depiction of a real teenage male.
The Characters
Dino Whitman played by Sean Farris has everything any guy would want. He is tall, good looking, athletic, popular and is dating the hottest girl in school. At first appearance it seems that Dino is just another jock looking to score. Oh yes he does want to have sex with his girlfriend Jackie and because of this focus he is often self-centered and does not really understand what she wants from their relationship. Everything goes awry for Dino when he catches his mom making out with his hockey coach. Dino’s big plans of sleeping with Jackie that night collapse as he is tormented by what he witnesses and the implications it has on his family. Dino and Jackie end up breaking up because he cannot communicate with her. Dino does his best to be a player by making out with any girl he can. Sadly Dino is unable to “perform” when the time comes for him to lose his virginity. This all relates back to what happened with his mom and his hockey coach. Dino’s image among is friends is a tough, sex-driven player but really he is just as scared as everyone else around him.
Ben Connor played by Jon Foster gets every high school boys dream. He hooks up with his hot teacher Ms. Young, played by Marguerite Moreau (Mighty Ducks, Runaway Jury). She is just as sex-driven as him and he soon is taught new lessons by Ms. Young. The thing is Ben can’t tell any of his friends what is going on. He is stuck living a lie. When his friends talk about their girlfriends he comes up with bad lies about some girl he made out with in a mall. The people around him start to suspect he is gay. Ben eventually starts to realize that while the sex is great with Ms. Young he wants more than just that. He wants someone he can connect with, someone he doesn’t have to hide from his friends and family. Ben eventually breaks this off with his teacher to try and make things work with someone his own age, Sue.
Everyone knew a person like Jonathan Fields, played by Chris Lowell, in high school. He is a nice guy but is socially awkward and bit dorky. Jonathan wants to get laid just like his two best friends but he lacks the looks, style and charm of his friends. What he lacks in those departments though he makes up for by being genuine. He eventually hooks up with his good friend, Deborah played by Kelly Osbourne (yes that one). Deborah is no looker. It takes Jonathan a while to admit to his friends that he has feeling for Deborah despite the fact his friends call her a cow.
These characters are not one-dimensional males like pretty much everything else depicted in the media. The writers were able to sketch characters that were both fun, interesting and yet had depth to them. It is sad the public will not be able to see how the characters in the show would have developed over the upcoming years.
Sadly after the continual failure of teen shows that actually have well written deep complex characters it seems likely that networks will not give a chance to shows like life as we know it. If it comes out in re-runs I advised everyone to catch it.
