Saturday, November 04, 2006
147 Episodes: One Set of Clothes
(Written Tuesday, February 28, 2006)
I watch The Dukes of Hazzard from time to time. That might not seem noteworthy but I don't really watch many TV shows. I watch sports, Seinfeld, The Simpsons, The Daily Show and The Colbert report all semi-regularly. After those, it's probably The Dukes of Hazzard.
My friends all roll their eyes at me when I tell them that it's a cool show. There are obvious problems with it - outdated gender roles, exclusion of differing cultures and an exaggeratedly simple sense of good versus evil. But the show also offers a glimpse into a strangely exclusive and defensive culture that still exists (in a quite similar form some places) today.
The Dukes are an extremely noble family. I mean, they're the good ol' boys right? You know, the song by Waylon Jennings. Anyway, they work on the farm, protect people in need, sacrifice for the family and say "Dang!" instead of "God Fucking Dammit!" like I do. Daisy is even quite independent for a woman (just kidding, just kidding).
The mockery of the police is totally hilarious. I mean, Rosco P. Coletrane and that weird ass basset hound he's always kissing? Genius! Now granted, Boss Hogg is a pretty strange stereotype and his wife's character is a total mockery but there's still some room for personality. Boss Hogg and the police never actually kill the Dukes or even lock them up for very long. They just steal their money and the Dukes steal it back.
It's a great show to watch while hanging out with the internet. The narrator (who is very humorous himself) comes on to remind you why they just paused the action while the 132nd Dodge Charger they've smashed is ramping the 17th creek in town (none of which seem to have bridges). Then you can look up from the computer when the banjo comes on, see the car bottom out or a flaming arrow pierce a moving car's tire, laugh, and imagine how much fun it would have been to watch when you were 8-years-old living in southern Kentucky.
All I'm saying is that I find it interesting to watch and I have reason to believe that I actually enjoy it. (I have a fairly low tolerance for sitcoms, action shows and stereotypes in general.)
Maybe country folk just enjoy the same type of utopian scenarios that Grease fans long for. Ohhhhh!
I watch The Dukes of Hazzard from time to time. That might not seem noteworthy but I don't really watch many TV shows. I watch sports, Seinfeld, The Simpsons, The Daily Show and The Colbert report all semi-regularly. After those, it's probably The Dukes of Hazzard.
My friends all roll their eyes at me when I tell them that it's a cool show. There are obvious problems with it - outdated gender roles, exclusion of differing cultures and an exaggeratedly simple sense of good versus evil. But the show also offers a glimpse into a strangely exclusive and defensive culture that still exists (in a quite similar form some places) today.
The Dukes are an extremely noble family. I mean, they're the good ol' boys right? You know, the song by Waylon Jennings. Anyway, they work on the farm, protect people in need, sacrifice for the family and say "Dang!" instead of "God Fucking Dammit!" like I do. Daisy is even quite independent for a woman (just kidding, just kidding).
The mockery of the police is totally hilarious. I mean, Rosco P. Coletrane and that weird ass basset hound he's always kissing? Genius! Now granted, Boss Hogg is a pretty strange stereotype and his wife's character is a total mockery but there's still some room for personality. Boss Hogg and the police never actually kill the Dukes or even lock them up for very long. They just steal their money and the Dukes steal it back.
It's a great show to watch while hanging out with the internet. The narrator (who is very humorous himself) comes on to remind you why they just paused the action while the 132nd Dodge Charger they've smashed is ramping the 17th creek in town (none of which seem to have bridges). Then you can look up from the computer when the banjo comes on, see the car bottom out or a flaming arrow pierce a moving car's tire, laugh, and imagine how much fun it would have been to watch when you were 8-years-old living in southern Kentucky.
All I'm saying is that I find it interesting to watch and I have reason to believe that I actually enjoy it. (I have a fairly low tolerance for sitcoms, action shows and stereotypes in general.)
Maybe country folk just enjoy the same type of utopian scenarios that Grease fans long for. Ohhhhh!
# posted by PASStheTEA_B @ 3:49 PM 
