I watched something that made me cry and I loved every tear

6 May

Let me start off by saying that over the last few years I have become someone who prefers cartoons and comic book based programs over most anything else. Sure, I know there is a ton of amazing TV out there and I have a vague interest in a lot of it but I also work 13 hour days at a prison. I don’t want to deal with cop shows, medical dramas, or real life. I want to watch superheroes save the day. My mom calls it “popcorn for the mind” and I’m totally OK with that.

BUT… every now and then I have to broaden my horizons.

Usually I give something a try because I like someone involved. Joss Whedon could create a show about the graffiti on bathroom walls and I would tune in. Paul Blackthorne pops up on a show and I am there. You get the idea.

And J. August Richards fits that bill. I always check out his stuff. I may not always stay for the series (sorry, J.), but I ALWAYS give it a try.

You can probably figure out where this is going… I had to check out Council of Dads when it premiered and catch the second episode when the pilot re-aired.

Remember what I said above- I do not watch real life, medical, or dramas.

Dude, I was bawling in the first five minutes.

Dammit.

And the second episode had a twist ending that will probably have big ramifications for the rest of the season/series.

Dammit.

And there was so much representation of minority groups; but not in a way that made you feel like it was being shoved down your throat. Pretty sure it even passed the Bechdel Test. By the hair on its chinny chin chin, but still.

The other thing that’s important is that at this time- Coronapocalypse, as I lovingly refer to our pandemic quarantine life- we need emotional releases because we are all dealing with an overwhelming amount of stress. My life continues mostly as normal (work is work, but only working 2 instead of 3 days) minus family and friends (though I do have 1 friend that I could actually spend time with because of how much time we spend together at work… we don’t though). I’m lucky, but it’s still rough. Others have lost their jobs, had their kids change to going to homeschool suddenly, and are even fighting for their lives through this illness. Stress and depression are rampant. I have seen a lot of people talk about how they aren’t showering, aren’t doing anything but watching TV in bed… while fun, that’s not good stuff. I previously made a post with some suggestions for surviving this situation… I probably should’ve included taking a shower because it is the smallest thing that you can do, but it can be really powerful in fighting depression.

I mentioned having an emotional release. I think I went through half a box of Kleenex. I was a mess. But it was good.

Each tear, each giggle, each time I yelled at the TV, a little bit of that stress and depression lifted. A little bit of the crap that’s been overwhelming everything for too long washed away.

Look- I know you aren’t here for a review of the show (that’s Stewarts forte, not mine) so don’t expect me to tell you about how the show now centers around a single mother of 5 and the men who are charged with helping those kids become functional members of society. I’m not going to tell you about how the relationships of those men to those children, though not exactly what one would want or plan for, is actually a pretty powerful display of fatherhood and honestly made me a little jealous. And I am not going to tell you that seeing J. August Richards play a doctor in a healthy marriage (that better stay healthy or I will go through the other half of that Kleenex box!) and family made me giddy and I may have squee’d a little. Maybe.

Who are we kidding- we know I did. There may have even been a dance of giddy joy on my couch.

You were expecting me to make a big deal about it being a gay marriage between two African American men, weren’t you? That’s where the representation I mentioned earlier comes in. That, and a trans child and an Asian adopted daughter. I shouldn’t have to make a big deal about these things. They are part of life, so they should be on TV. But guess what? This is the first time that I can think of this type of marriage being presented on television. It’s 2020. That’s just sad.

But it pleases me to no end that one half of that marriage is being played by J.

He’s a good guy and sometimes the good guys deserve to win.

So look… whether you love J. (as you should), you want to check out something new, or you could use a good cry… come join me on Thursdays at 8pm, on NBC.

Oh and for all the local central valley/RSA/GCP folks that follow us… the second episode introduced Sharon Leal (and she had something to do with that twist I mentioned). Always fun when she pops up places.