In the thick of it
Just a quick word on FX's latest show launch, Stephen Bochco's Over There. Last night was saw the launch of the series, as we meet and follow a group of recruits as they begin their tour of duty in Iraq. I was torn in my approach as a viewer, knowing on the one hand that when Bochco finds suitable collaborators the results, at least on the level of character-driven drama, are excellent, but on the other hand being distrustful of any series focusing on the war in/occupation of Iraq that would be appearing on a FOX station.
With the first episode down it's "so far, so good."
Bochco decided early on that he wasn't going to make a political statement, which still strikes me on some level as either gutless or displaying a lack of conviction on Bochco's part. However, once one gets past that objection we're given a blend of very human characters from different circumstances dealing with overwhelming circumstances. Based on the premier episode, Bochco and co. will be keeping the characters too busy surviving to step back and get an objective perspective on the situation. In that respect, they could be seen as a microcosm of most Americans in more ways than the intentional selection of characters from various backgrounds.
It'll take a few more episodes to see if it's something I'll stick with, but I'm still wary. I don't believe it's possible to do a series like this for long without taking a side, but perhaps they'll prove me wrong. The alternatives are either to be faced with an increasingly artificial structure or we'll see some strong, partisan arguments emerge.
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