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December 1994, Week 3

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Subject:
From:
Jeremy Butler <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 16 Dec 1994 17:03:14 CST
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Author:  "Melissa Battaglia" <[log in to unmask]
Date: 12/16/94 1:25 PM
 
[Editor's note: This message was submitted to SCREEN-L by the "Author" noted
above, and not by Jeremy Butler ([log in to unmask]).]
 
        Reply to: RE>PICKET FENCES
 
 
On 12/15 Don Larsson wrote:
 
>In dramatic terms, there seems to be a delibeate decision to shift
>the show's emphasis from the Brocks to other, more peripheral
>characters,including the black DA, who's starting to evolve in interesting
>ways. At any rate, I've found it typical of the show that just when you
>think a character is safely slotted into a predictable type (a la Bochco
>shows), a new dimension is revealed. Even Carter Pike may become a >serious
person after all.
 
The multitude of character dimentions is one of the many strengths of Picket
Fences. This show keeps going because it doesn't let you get comfortable for
too long with a particular aspect of a particular character. One recent
episode has been haunting my memory. The middle son (his name escapes me)
was dancing around in his room with his friend. This 5 minute scene was very
complex. The first level was that the friend acted tough and cool by talking
like he thinks a black person talks. He was also putting down white people.
The middle son went along with this act because he thought it would make him
cool. This action further divides the issue of race; the conflict is not
only between whites who do not like blacks, blacks who do not like whites,
whites who have black friends (and vice versa) and now, whites who think they
are acting black. On a different level, the two kids were wearing white
t-shirts with a big picture of a gun in the center. This t-shirt is equated
with coolness. Guns are cool to these boys. This scene is even more
chilling because the middle son was shot in a previous episode. He seems to
forget the pain and fear he felt, and now uses this as a popularity enhancer.
 
 
Anyone else catch this scene? Are there scenes, in your opinions, that went
beyond the typical (or completely changed your thoughts) on a particular
character?
 
Melissa Battaglia
The American Indian Program
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