The new reality TV show, “Grease: You’re the One that I Want,” has done something that I never would have thought possible: made me appreciate Paula Abdul. I’m not a huge “American Idol” fan – though I must admit to having caught a mild case of the McPheever last season. Generally, I have found “Idol” judges Paula and Randy to be insipid and repetitious when not downright moronic. Simon is the “bad guy” but most often, he’s just the most honest, occasionally with a brutality that adds entertainment value to the show.
However, as flawed as Simon’s cohorts are, at least they have personalities. “Grease” director Kathleen Marshall may be a great choreographer but she showed the vitality of a stone when judging during the show last night. And “Grease” author, Jim somebody or other, could barely get a coherent word out, let alone say something amusing or even mildly insightful. The tour of the haunts that inspired “Grease” basically insisted of him getting out of cars and pointing. Scintillating television.
Producer David Ian is a solid enough screen presence and he isn’t as brittle as Simon. But he’s also not nearly as entertaining. He also dominates the show in a way that Simon doesn’t dominate “Idol” so I fear he will grow tiresome soon. His “You’re…NOT Sandy” tagline grew tiresome after only one episode.
I have to respect “Grease” for using the real people whose careers and whose money are wrapped up in the Broadway production. If (when) Katharine McPhee’s first album tanks, it’ll barely distract the “Idol” judges. But putting their livelihoods on the line here has perhaps paralyzed the “Grease” team in a ‘deer-in-the-headlights’ kind of way that doesn’t play that well on the small screen.
The strongest aspect of the show so far is the potential Dannys and Sandys. Of course, the judges then didn’t do the show any favors by booting a few of the most interesting prospects (the plus-size dancing cupcake, the pharmaceutical rep who walked in from a convention, and the Danny who was doing it for his dead brother). I’ll probably give the show one more chance (overheating the DVR next weekend thanks to ‘24’s premiere) but, unless I see anything compelling next week, interest in theater alone won’t keep me squandering an hour a week of my life on this show.
What did you all think?
6 comments:
I'm pretty sure this is one of the signs of the American Theatre Apocalypse. Unfortunately, it's not one of the earlier signs...
It's on my Tivo but I haven't watched it yet. The promos were so "peppy" and "cute", I didn't have high hopes for it. Kind of like they were trying too hard. BUT a fellow alum from U-MW is on The Apprentice. I so didn't want to get sucked into it (haven't watched since the first season), but I may have to support Aaron. Also on Tivo and not watched, though.
You crazy kids and your Tivos...
Not even taking into account the fact that I hate Grease, the whole thing seems somehow disrespectful to the Broadway musical in general. I can't even watch the commercials.
I gotta say, I dismissed the notion of watching this show in about 1.3 seconds. Now, I'm no highbrow snob by any means, and I've been known to get hooked on a reality show or two (but the 12-step program IS working, and I'll be contacting some of you soon to start making amends!), yet the idea of this show just disgusted me from jump street (you know, where Johnny Depp got started!)
I guess my main issue is that so many people come to the reality TV auditions seeking NOTORIETY more than anything else, knowing their chance of winning on the show is so slim. There are too many hidden agendas; people whose greatest aspiration is to be the next William Hung try to grab some high impact on-camera face time, thinking THAT is their springboard to fame. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I prefer watching genuinely talented people instead of people who are just outrageous but fundamentally self-important and insipid.
Taking a jab at a completely different sentence in the post (mainly fueled by desire to show a bit of support of the blog that I read rather frequently):
Saw SPRING AWAKENING in NYC. What a breath of fresh air for Broadway. There may be hope yet. I'll let you Google all of the rave reviews and other comments and leave it at that.
Also, NO CHILD... which is phenomenal one-woman piece by a NYC teaching artist playing at the Barrow Street Theatre in the Village. Wow.
Thanks so much for all the work you put into the blog! It's invariably enlightening! ;)
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