Mister Sterling

No, I don't work for NBC. I also don't watch a lot of television. Mr. Sterling is the first program in many, many years that I make it a point to NEVER miss. Where it could be very bland and formulaic, it transcends; where it could pander to popular opinion, it takes chances; where it could be "West Wing Part 2," it stands on its own...and IMO, it stands head and shoulders above West Wing. A senator with a conscience - whoda thunk it? The show pulls no punches, portraying a Senate that many of us in the US like to pretend doesn't exist; a senate of favors and political intrigue, where "doing the right thing" is measured in how you can get the most campaign contributions or 5-second soundbytes on CNN.

If you only watch an hour of television a week, make it Mister Sterling. You won't regret it. In a world where "The Real World" is anything but, and "reality television" is an oxymoron, this bit of creative fiction provides more "reality" than I can recall seeing in a television show in this century. Maybe I'm being a bit over-enthusiastic about it, but I don't think so. If this show is given a chance to succeed, I think it can become the sleeper hit of the 2003 season, and beyond. A truly amazing show.