I have to admit that when one of you said you didn't know who Angela Chase was, I was surprised. But when several of you admitted this...my mouth may or may not have dropped open because My So Called Life was the best tv show around ever! EVER!
If you did not watch it...and you do not understand the tragedy that is Angela's pimple, or the horrors of the poll, or the truth behind the gun that murdered a soda can, or....or...Jordan Catalano!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Um, please go to Hulu now and remedy this---don't worry, there's only 19 episodes, it won't take you that long.
And now I will tell you the Top 10 Reasons Why My So Called Life was the BEST SHOW EVER! And absolutely essential viewing for all YA Writers.
10) Because contrary to popular belief, it was Jordan Catalano, not McDreamy who perfected the art of leaning...leaning against doorways, leaning against lockers, leaning against cars, leaning with his eyes painfully closed, leaning with his eyes beautifully open. Just trust me on this, you can't appreciate the tortured soul of a hot guy who leans until you see Jordan Catalano do it.
9) Because a zit CAN become the entire focus of your universe and determine every decision you make and determine your mood and the way you feel and the way your hair looks and whether or not you pass your geometry test or not. No really! It can! And if you've forgotten how this feels and you write YA go watch the zit episode now!
8) Because Angela is your average girl, she's not a freak, she's not popular, she's not in the band, or on the school paper or anything outstanding. She's just Angela and I dare you to find someone who can't relate to her. Claire Danes was brilliant, portraying her, and she was pretty, but not too pretty, yet so not a Mary Sue, and she'll make you nostalgic for Seattle grunge style flannel t-shirts.
7) Because her love for Jordan is EPIC, and just as consuming and tantalizing as say...Twilight...but, we're reminded that love amongst just humans can be epic and sometimes the social lines drawn in high school can be more heart wrenching and difficult to maneuver than treaties and ancient wars between different races. Sometimes, nothing more than a silly rumor can tear people apart. This show captures those feelings perfectly and shows things like they really are.
6) Because every single line that Rayanne says cracks me up! And because she's real, and very heavily flawed and does horrible things, but you still root for her anyway. And because...ok come on, she spent an entire episode handcuffed to Angela's parents bed. Seriously, they don't make tv shows like this anymore.
5) Because every girl knows that the color of her hair, or the style, or the length, or the way it falls can make or break your day. True story. Ok not really. But you know how that feels.
4) Because sometimes we just hate our parents for no reason at all. Angela's feelings toward her mom and dad are epic and so true to life--they aren't absent parents, or overprotective, or pushy, or abusive or anything. They're normal, and fairly innocent (minus the little affair storyline with her dad toward the end of the series) but you don't need to have any big reason to dislike your parents or to feel alienated from them. When you're a teen sometimes, you just do.
3) Because you're so beautiful, it hurts to look at you.
2) Because Angela doubts herself on everything. She has insecurities everywhere--that we all do. And because even though Jordan Catalono might be the love of her life/soul mate/destiny (thanks for cancelling the show ABC now we'll never KNOW!) not every kiss with Jordan is perfect, sometimes its really awkward. Sometimes he says the wrong thing. Sometimes he says the jerky thing. And even though she loves him, she refuses to have sex with him. Just because... What she felt and decided were so real. And yet, she came to her own decisions and didn't allow some guy to change her or pressure her.
1) Because I'm doing this dance at my wedding.
Because this scene HAS to make you swoon!
Because ok, I can't really come up with a number 1 reason, but seriously, this show was made of win! Have I convinced you to watch it if you haven't? And if you did watch it, what was your favorite scene? Or episode? Or storyline?
GOD I miss this show, NOTHING is like it on TV now...for ALL the reason's you mentioned but most of all because Angela was SOOO VERY REAL - each and EVERY thing about her was real...and Well I just loved Jordan and her BFF!
ReplyDeleteOh man, the handholding scene. Oh man, My So Called Life! SO AWESOME!!!!! I recently just rewatched it start to finish, and I totally totally totally can not get enough of Jordan Catalano. Another awesome reason to watch it-- the characterization of Tino who is NEVER SEEN! But always felt as a presence through discussion! I'm so glad you wrote this post to share the greatness of My So-Called Life with the world.
ReplyDeleteActually, I thought that the closest show to this in depicting High school drama stuff, and family pressures and parent-hate, was Joan of Arcadia. You should check that out, if you haven't seen it!
Ha ha ha! Oh, Frankie - you are so dang adorable! :-)
ReplyDeleteThis was my absolute favorite show when I was a teen. The fact that it ended so abruptly without any closure has left me lost...forever. Jordan Catalano is EPIC. I'll never forget him singing that night at the bar when he was so nervous. Oh Jordan
ReplyDeleteI had forgotten how great this show was...
ReplyDeleteShe was real. There is not a female living that could not relate to her at some point.
Thanks Frankie...fun post! ;o)
I haven't watched the show since the original run (gulp!), so I now need to sit down and watch everything again. I've forgotten a lot of the specifics.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely loved your list of reasons, though.
Okay I can't watch the videos here at work but I still have to comment.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I do remember this show, and I had a crush on Claire Danes for a while but I don't remember the show very well.
When I first saw the post I was like huh? But then I read it and I have to say you really spelled it out well and I think you are absolutlety right. Sometimes in life it's the little subtle things that matter.
Shameless self promotion:
If you have time please stop by, read and comment on my guest post for today over at Justine Dell's blog:
http://justine-dell.blogspot.com/
It's an interesting topic that will hopefully spark some discussion.
Thanks!
Yes yes yes yes yes. This was a character-driven show with these quiet episodes that just captured people and life and flaws so perfectly that I fell in love. It's quality quality TV.
ReplyDeleteOh my god. Best. Show. Ever. I have the series on dvd. I watch it regularly!
ReplyDeleteIts one of the best shows I watched in my teen years.
ReplyDeleteWow, these are very convincing reasons! I guess I *do* have to watch the show now. Thanks for filling in the gaps in my telly education! :)
ReplyDeleteThey really should bring this show back. I would record every episode. Soo miss it.!
ReplyDeleteOkay - you've convinced me - I'll check it out - but it'll have to wait until the summer when I have some time :)
ReplyDeleteAhh yes. The good old days. :)
ReplyDeleteI used to love My So Called Life! Glad to know it is on Hulu! Off to rewatch it!
ReplyDeleteooooh, I just rewatched My So-Called Life last summer for the first time in YEARS! It was even better than the first few times. GAWD, that show is so EPIC! It's sad that there are teens out there that grew up without its brilliance.
ReplyDeleteGirl, I am with you. I LOVED this show. A few months ago, I rented it from Netflix to relive its greatness. I remember being so devastated when it was cancelled.
ReplyDeleteI now feed the hole left behind by going to 30 Seconds to Mars concerts to see Jordan Catalano, I mean, Jared Leto in action. (He's only gotten better with age *sigh*)
I'd never seen or even heard of this show. (I was a "Saved by the Bell" girl.) I had to go and watch it on Hulu. It's so dramatic! I love it! This is like the grandma of shows like "One Tree Hill."
ReplyDeleteOMG that last scene with Jordan and Angela in the hallway, then when he grabs her hand *ahhhh* it doesn't get much better than that. LOVE that show. And yeah, why the cancellation!!
ReplyDeleteOh and love that you highlighted his lean, he did do that a lot. My stomach always fluttered... ah those were the days.
Thanks for sharing Frankie ;o)
Frankieeee of COURSE they don't know Angela Chase - we're old now! ::cries on the inside::
ReplyDeleteYou have to say something like "Naomi and Liam". (Am I the only one who watched the new 90210 just to see the OLD 90210ers?)