First things first, what exactly IS Cupertino? Besides making a ratings splash it its debut season, Cupertino is a city in California. I would’ve probably already known that if I didn’t miss the first episode of the show. Shhh, don’t tell CBS. But besides S1E1, my dad and I have watched every episode since. We’re part of the ratings boost that comes from people watching the DVR recording of each episode. Sorry, 10pm is just too late! Although, in CBS’s defense of airing great shows late at night, I absolutely will make a point of watching NCIS: Origins in its initial airing… also 10pm. Call me an unc or an old X-generation or whatever for this, but I LOVE NCIS: Origins with all of its 1990s dressing: The music, cultural references, lack of internet and cell phones. It’s the best show on TV. In fact, I’m daring enough to say the entire world of NCIS is the best on TV (the original, Origins, New York, New Orleans- although I watch that through streaming because I think the series ended). But I’m quickly adding Cupertino to my favorites. It’s got humor, drama, twists, action. Everything I love in a show.
The twist for this post is happening now. Wouldn’t it be nice if all of our hurdles, setbacks, problems, could be solved in one episode? If I had to make one complaint about any show on TV (besides soap operas, maybe?), it would be this: Life isn’t that clean. For instance, in every episode of NCIS: New Orleans, the entire episode features the team working towards the resolution of one case. In the real world, isn’t life more like spaghetti? Everything overlaps everything. I realize this is impossible to recreate in a show and lots of shows will have a secondary story that arcs through the season, which I appreciate. But this quick resolution of every disaster might be why we escape through the wonders of made-up stories to begin with. We want to see how the story ends and then do it all over again next week. If shows reflected real life too closely, as viewers we’d get lost in the details. Certainly government agencies like NCIS (or FBI and SWAT, which are also TV shows) have agents juggling a thousand cases at the same time. While one is making quick progress, another is dragging on because of legal setbacks or someone gets ill or paperwork wasn’t filed correctly. All of that to say that I wish all the bad things in our lives could be settled in one episode.
Instead, we’re left putting out fires at the very same time we’re celebrating milestones. Or attending weddings on the same weekend others attend funerals. Praying for a loved one who’s battling cancer and in that same prayer rejoicing about a friend’s new job. Life is complicated and complex. Maybe that’s why shows like Cupertino and NCIS and others are successful. They give us a chance to escape our own story to tell another one we can relate to and enjoy with an ending that solves all (or at least most of) the mysteries.
-Out of the Wilderness
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