Alternate Realities TV Style
I’ve been on a bit of a nostalgia-fest watching the first two seasons of The Greatest American Hero on DVD. Fuller reviews will be posted here and/or at the LogBook some time soon, but as I was enjoying the show’s goofy charm, I also realized I do not have nearly enough suspension of disbelief to accept some plot developments. But it did make me ponder a question.
What would the world be like if it were like the world in Stephen J. Cannell shows?
I mean, we’re talking about a world where gun runners trying to supply anti-American insurgents in South America want to finance their purchase by winning a large bet on who wins the National League pennant and try to injure various players on the California Stars in order to ensure the bet goes their way. And at no point in this procession does the baseball team hire bodyguards for their players or even a car service that will prevent them from having to park their cars in underlit garages where the yare easy prey for hired muscle.
And that’s just oen episode of Hero. I have not even begun to ponder The A-Team yet.
About Dave Thomer
Born and raised in Philadelphia. Studied philosophy at Fordham University in the Bronx, where I made many great friends and met my wonderful wife. We moved back to Philadelphia, where I studied philosophy some more and became a teacher. Online and off, I'm looking for ways that we can be better citizens and build stronger communities.