It's Greek To Me

My blog partner wrote about her odd fascination with Greek shortly after its premiere, but even with her ringing endorsement I didn't tune in. Teen (and 20-something) dramedies require you to know the characters. It is not easy to come in without backstory.

But I finally watched the popular ABC Family show last night with the help of my friend Annie who caught me up on backstory as needed. It also helped that I watch a lot of ABC Family and see the commercials 5 or 6 times a day.

My first impressions? This show doesn't get enough credit. It's by no means extremely innovative and there were some bizzare casting choices (Geico Guy as Mr. Cartwright?) but it is entertaining, witty and the actors look age appropriate. That's something few teen+ dramas can boast (cough, cough, Dawson's Creek, cough, cough).

Few shows portray college well. It's a fragile time with lots of juxtaposition. You want new friends but want to cling to your old ones, you want independence but it's hard to deny funds from mom and pop, etc. Everyone is seeking this "perfect college experience," but in most cases it doesn't exist, and if it does, it's impossible to define.

For some reason, TV writers and producers can't seem to wrap there heads around the complex combination of emotion, material goods, alcohol, friends and family. While Greek isn't perfect, it's one of the better portrayals of this sentiment.