One reason I decided to watch this show in the first place was because of the extremely high ratings it got on IMDb, and the praise lauded upon it. Some of the praise is beyond much debate. For instance, the acting is superb, with a realism that at times is almost eerie in it's precision. Being at least partially written by Dennis Leary, there's a fair amount of humor (albeit often very adolescent humor) which certainly helps one catch a breath between all the bleakness. For at least the first half of the first season, I was quite impressed with the show, and the way in which it took time to develop compelling characters; and I appreciated that despite the firefighting premise, the firefighting was not overdone, and is actually somewhat in the background of the series, which really focuses on the characters.
And so why the low rating? Because the show is so poorly written --- by which I mean, the writers don't have good ideas. It's actually kind of interesting, in a sense, to see a show that's so well executed but which is so directionless and uses deliberately gut-wrenching scenes to provoke concern in an audience until really, you just can't take it seriously; because, put simply, it's a really, really, really, sad and depressing show. And it relies too heavily on exploiting our concern for characters, until it's become so exhausting and unrewarding that you just don't like the world that the show presents.
I have no issue with violence, or any of the other 'adult' themes that the show deals with. The fact that many of the characters are lousy human beings doesn't bother me. But watching self-destruction isn't all that interesting, after a while. At various points throughout the show, when any character seems to have made any sort of progress, or anything good may have happened, the character goes through a painful loss of some sort. Sometimes they've been lied to or deceived, sometimes they've brought about their own destruction, and sometimes it's just plain dumb luck. But the Universe seems to be conspiring quite avidly against one particular New York firehouse.
It's as if in trying to provide realism, the writers forgot that occasionally good things happen, too.
For me, at least, watching this show became an ordeal. I desperately wanted to see things turn around for characters, and I suppose on that level, the writing sort of worked. But there is a certain point of diminishing returns, which the show has certainly passed. Just consider: If you watch a movie where someone has to see everyone they love die so as to learn the value of friendship, at what point is the lesson not worth the cost? If you're convinced that a character 'realizing' something can justify such prolonged pain for all those around them, then this show will appeal to you. But for those who like a bit of reality with their gritty realism, this show just seems sadistic. And for anyone who watches television for an escape from reality, I can't imagine this being an appealing alternative. It's just too painful to watch.
After a while, even the acting becomes hackneyed. There are fantastic actors in this show. But when the only emotion anyone shows is a brooding anger, an abusive rage, or a tight-lipped sadness as they hold back tears to affirm their manly masculinity--- it just feels like nobody is being utilized as well as they could be. The majority of the comic relief comes from the only 'non-angry' characters, who are all portrayed as borderline retarded (seriously). In short, this is a show where you feel loss along with the characters, but not necessarily for them. And you are expected to laugh at characters, instead of with them. It's all a bit cruel.
If this show could have delivered on it's promises within the first couple seasons, it could have been truly great TV. But for being such a 'provocative' show, it actually played things far too safe, never letting any characters develop past adolescence. It's just the same pain, over and over again, a bunch of lives circling the drain and occasionally bumping each other in somewhat comical ways; before someone lies, cheats, dies, or kills.
All in all, quite a downer.
And so why the low rating? Because the show is so poorly written --- by which I mean, the writers don't have good ideas. It's actually kind of interesting, in a sense, to see a show that's so well executed but which is so directionless and uses deliberately gut-wrenching scenes to provoke concern in an audience until really, you just can't take it seriously; because, put simply, it's a really, really, really, sad and depressing show. And it relies too heavily on exploiting our concern for characters, until it's become so exhausting and unrewarding that you just don't like the world that the show presents.
I have no issue with violence, or any of the other 'adult' themes that the show deals with. The fact that many of the characters are lousy human beings doesn't bother me. But watching self-destruction isn't all that interesting, after a while. At various points throughout the show, when any character seems to have made any sort of progress, or anything good may have happened, the character goes through a painful loss of some sort. Sometimes they've been lied to or deceived, sometimes they've brought about their own destruction, and sometimes it's just plain dumb luck. But the Universe seems to be conspiring quite avidly against one particular New York firehouse.
It's as if in trying to provide realism, the writers forgot that occasionally good things happen, too.
For me, at least, watching this show became an ordeal. I desperately wanted to see things turn around for characters, and I suppose on that level, the writing sort of worked. But there is a certain point of diminishing returns, which the show has certainly passed. Just consider: If you watch a movie where someone has to see everyone they love die so as to learn the value of friendship, at what point is the lesson not worth the cost? If you're convinced that a character 'realizing' something can justify such prolonged pain for all those around them, then this show will appeal to you. But for those who like a bit of reality with their gritty realism, this show just seems sadistic. And for anyone who watches television for an escape from reality, I can't imagine this being an appealing alternative. It's just too painful to watch.
After a while, even the acting becomes hackneyed. There are fantastic actors in this show. But when the only emotion anyone shows is a brooding anger, an abusive rage, or a tight-lipped sadness as they hold back tears to affirm their manly masculinity--- it just feels like nobody is being utilized as well as they could be. The majority of the comic relief comes from the only 'non-angry' characters, who are all portrayed as borderline retarded (seriously). In short, this is a show where you feel loss along with the characters, but not necessarily for them. And you are expected to laugh at characters, instead of with them. It's all a bit cruel.
If this show could have delivered on it's promises within the first couple seasons, it could have been truly great TV. But for being such a 'provocative' show, it actually played things far too safe, never letting any characters develop past adolescence. It's just the same pain, over and over again, a bunch of lives circling the drain and occasionally bumping each other in somewhat comical ways; before someone lies, cheats, dies, or kills.
All in all, quite a downer.
