Couldn’t miss last night’s pilot of Aaron Sorkin’s “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.” All in all, I thought it was pretty good, and will probably tune it in again next Monday.
Most interesting is the inclusion of a devout Christian character, Harriet Hayes (who is reportedly patterned after Kristen Chenoweth, who once dated Sorkin). I’ll give Sorkin credit for making Hayes more believable than the usual Hollywood stereotype of the backward, repressed, whack-you-over-the-head-with-my-KJV Christian (with a Southern accent thrown in so you know they’re stupid.)
No, Harriet is smart, quick-witted and funny. She doesn’t back down when someone tries to mock her faith, nor does she pretend to speak for all Christians. In the course of the pilot, it comes out that Harriet and Matt (Matthew Perry) once dated, but he broke up with her because she appeared on “The 700 Club” to promote an album of spiritual songs. She doesn’t defend Pat Robertson when Matt calls him a bigot, but she insists that she was trying to reach the “700 Club” audience: “ … all some of these people have is faith, and I admire that,” she says. And when Matt says all they need are costumes to be the KKK, she slaps him. Hard.
It’s encouraging to see a Christian character who’s not a plastic saint or a screaming nutcase. Yes, it’ll be interesting to see if Harriet’s character is given a chance to develop without becoming caricature.
I agree...and we'll likewise continue watching because she was written and portrayed intelligently, not stereotypically or as a caricature.
Posted by: Bryan | September 22, 2006 at 02:43 PM
Oooo, would slapping work in the Senate? Would Hillary make a guest appearance so they could "have a discussion?"
Posted by: Across the Flow | September 26, 2006 at 07:01 PM