My other half started watching “Suits” recently - the legal drama that launched several actors towards stardom - most notably Megan Markle, I suppose.
I watched a couple of episodes with her, and while it was interesting enough, something began to eat away at me. I couldn’t put my finger on it at first, but finally the penny dropped.
There’s a bit of back-story here, that you have to understand first.
I watched an “audience with” thing a while ago, where Stephen Fry was talking about comedy. While answering a question he started picking apart the difference in humour between America and Britain - the things that endear us, or make us laugh.
In his example he cited countless US television shows where the protagonists are invariably the most popular, smartest people in the room - with the best wise-cracks, the best put-downs, and the propensity to unleash insightful speeches at the drop of a hat.
In contrast the most endearing British protagonists tend to be neither popular, smart, or successful - but they had perhaps always hoped to be. They never quite make it - or if they do, it’s as a result of an enormous story arc filled with hardship and despair.
Suits is filled with so many successful, perfect, smart people who seem completely driven. And that’s why I don’t like it.
There was a TV show in the UK years ago called “This Life” about a group of twenty-something’s starting out in the city - most of them working in law in one way or another. The thing that made it so appealing was their imperfections - their failings - their flaws - their insecurities.
I suppose Suits isn’t all bad though - it does have broken characters - but they are often used as comic counter-point to the impossibly chiselled, manicured, brilliant orators that surround them.
While talking to a friend earlier this evening I happily admitted that I identify far more with the likes of William Thacker (of Horse and Hound) than Larry Seinfeld, Jeff Winger, Chandler Bing, or Joey Tribiani.
I tend to find solace in the truth that we’re all a bit broken - not quite sure if we’re doing the right thing, or making the right decision. We beat ourselves up over that thing we said, or didn’t say. We daydream about what might have been.