Showtime Fan

Blogger buzz: This American Life

by jill on May 14th, 2008

Now that the second season of Ira Glass’ terrific series This American Life is in full swing on Showtime, the blogosphere has come alive with commentary. I’ve already raved about eps 1 and 2, but check out what others have to say:

Kiki at Cold Sake says the show might cure her aversion to all things NPR: “Ira Glass, the host, is my dream combination of Mark Cohen from Rent and Edward Norton – geeky cool (but a teeny bit old). And the stories were so captivating … It’s all so beautifully shot and edited. It’s getting a series recording on my DVR right now. … Can Garrison Keillor be too far off?”

Mark from The 19th Floor chimes in on the segment about Mike Phillips, whose disability leads to misunderstandings with his caretaker mother. For the record, Mark has the same condition, spinal muscular atrophy, as Mike. “Bravo,” he writes. … “The conflict between Mike and his mom over his desire for more independence mirrors the experiences of many of us with severe disabilities and it’s a conflict that is fraught with good intentions. Glass understands this and gives both Mike and his mom sympathetic portrayals. And I’m glad to see the media engage in honest discussions of disability and sexuality.”

Web producer Sean Tice comments on the fears NPR-ites had that the radio show wouldn’t translate to the screen: “I was apprehensive too, but the Glass team and series director Chris Wilcha have done a wonderful job a) matching the pace and balance of the radio program with equally tranquil cinematography, and b) mastering what I call “sync”, or the moments when the narrative or verbal discussion slightly align with what you’re looking at. Syncing is an art, and some of the most successful edits let the two elements criss cross over each other without seeming forced, while still fleshing out more meaning.”

Photo: Newscom

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POSTED IN: Ira Glass, Showtime Programming, Showtime Stars, This American Life