TRH TV – Totally Out Of Control

Last night’s episode of Rescue Me on Showcase was so overwhelming that I’m not sure I can accurately reflect my thoughts, but I’ll try anyway. For months, I’d unwittingly read the spoilers about how Tommy rapes his wife during a particularly heated moment.

But knowing it’s coming and seeing it on the television are two totally different things. My RRHB likes Rescue Me a great deal, if only because, as he says, it reminds him of my family (personally, I don’t see the resemblance, but whatever); and I like it too. I mean, it’s right up there with Brotherhood, another show that hits me in the guts and pulls tight, especially this week’s episode, and The Wire as my one of my current favourites, but it’s a show that I find deeply conflicted.

Any maybe that’s what fuels the fire in terms of keeping the show current and in the public eye, this sense of pushing the boundaries in terms of a true ‘bad’ boy, one that you love to hate, in the Tommy character, but it always makes me question the idea of representing such violence against women (and he’s a violent person, don’t get me wrong, so you kind of expect it, but still…) on television.

Mainly, did he have to walk out of the house with a smirk on his face? What did that mean? How am I supposed to interpret that? And Janet sort of brushing the whole thing off as she holds her shirt together after seemingly enjoying it after Tommy got himself going, what does that mean? She actually liked being beaten up and the forced to have sex with her ex-husband? All in all I kind of think it went a bit too far but maybe I’m just being a prude.

But I think if you’re going to represent men in that way, in that stereotypical way, where they overpower the women in their lives with violence after they do something you don’t agree with, or sleep with someone you don’t want them to sleep with, you should at least pull together some sense of understanding on the part of the audience. Then again, maybe we’re not supposed to sympathize with Tommy at all, with his “crazy chick” ranting and wife-beating ways. I’ll still watch the show and perhaps in the end that’s all that matters.

Oh, and I’m loving The Wire. Aren’t you?

Right now my Faux-Vo is totally packed to the gills with TV I need to watch: the WB sign off, new Law and Orders, Men in Trees (I know, but it’s a girlie show, I kind of like it, even if I know it’s totally trite and manipulative), and too much more to mention. AND, a lot of the new shows haven’t even started yet.

I did, however, manage to watch Studio 60 and felt kind of meh about it. I adored Matthew Perry though. He rocked the small screen every moment he was there and you can’t deny Sorkin writes good, if a bit hefty, dialogue. But I was never a West Wing fan so I’m not sure how long I’ll hang on to that one.

So with all the TV, the two abridgings I have due, my page a day challenge that I’m keeping up and all the reading, not to mention dance class, my eyes are blurry and bloodshot on a good day.

Plus, I’m feeling totally discombobulated because usually the RRHB is away this time of year and I settle in for a good dose of band widowdom before the winter sets in. Does someone want to book them some gigs so I can catch up on all the TV I need to watch?