Well, the fall tv season is shaping up quite nicely despite my lower expectations. I don't know if The Roosevelts counts as new fall tv but it sure is a revelation.
I have only watched the first 2 hours and, well ,now I know why Teddy always looks so intense in his pictures with nary a smile in sight. Not only was he a sickly child with asthma (with recurring problems as he got older) but he also lost his wife and mother on the same day. And poor FDR the ultimate mama's boy....
Maybe the most fascinating aspect of The Roosevelts is understanding the true depth of their impact on history and America's role on the world stage. Really, until Teddy the US seemed pretty content to sit back and let the wars come to them. Then came the Rough Riders and the Spanish-American war. But even before that according to the PBS documentary, Teddy gave one of the most imperialist speeches in history (even through recent times). The crux of it was that decline of the British Empire had opened a door to world dominance for the U.S. And how that came to fruition. Given America's recent decades long intervention in world affairs, suffice it to say, America still likes to flex its muscles abroad even while parts of the US are on a ventilator. Peacekeeping I get, constant bombing in countries where the only real obvious American interest is oil and "democracy" is tougher to take. And maybe we have Teddy to thank for that to a degree. While there isn't much real video footage in The Roosevelts, Ken Burns and his crew sure do bring them alive. I am beyond excited for the next chapter.
I am also surprisingly excited for the next episode of Madam Secretary. Part of its allure comes from the comfort factor of knowing many of the actors including the man who is always a villian, Zeljko Ivanek - - seriously no one plays white collar evil better than this man (Exhibit A- Damages, Exhibit B - Suits). And, I hope Tim Daly doesn't turn out to be a bad guy (it was just a wee bit suspicious that he was the only person who heard George's conversation with Bess and then boom, bye bye George). It would be a shame to have to root against Daly because ever since Wings, he has had a special place in my tv watching heart. Either way, this show is going to live or die on Tea Leoni's shoulders - - whether she can strike that right balance between steely and compassionate. She hit the right notes in the pilot, and I have hope from here on out. Although, I have to say the show left me a bit nostalgic for the dysfunctional train wreck that was USA Network's Political Animals, the short-lived Sigourney Weaver's vehicle that left me wanting more of the strong female politician.
Cheers to more good fall tv!
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