VeganThespian

This show is almost chillingly reminiscent of the movie Running Man, as well as the thumbs up / thumbs down imagery of Roman Emperors deciding the fate of gladiators at the coliseum in Rome.

Although this show has not reached the level of Running Man or Roman Emperors deciding life or death... the spirit is there.

While those images paint a negative hope, this show might just be below the threshold of influencing society in such a harmful way and actually provide insight to these things before our society is affected in such a way.

However, there is a sort of morbidity that creeps into the picture. While the survivors ostensibly need to work together, by the very nature of the name of the show, they still have to cannibalize one another by voting one another off the island so that only one person will get the prize. While this of course creates tense drama, perhaps in the vein of the sort of tension that soap operas create, but even more intense because of the reality that these people are living right before us, it has a the sort of anti loyalty that Americans tend to shun, as perhaps vaguely similarly exhibited in the spirit of Linda Tripp.

Also demonstrated is a sort of raw carnivory in the midst of the surviving. This seems to be part of the entertainment value, as many tend to take delight in the spectacle of eating animals other than the ones traditionally domesticated for slaughter.

The show could have been more gentile / less barbaric in spirit by not emphasizing the carnivory (especially through the fact that one of the challenges was eating live creatures [symbolically related to the act of holding tribal council?], and the challenge rewards included chickens to slaughter and tools to kill sea animals), as well as perhaps locating the survivors in a location more well stocked with edible flora.

The extinguishing of torches when a person is voted off the island is reminiscent of Roman emperors giving the thumbs down, especially as fire is often associated or symbolic of life.

While this show may allude to or be foreboding the kind of decay that we wish to avoid in society, I hope and believe that it is gentile enough to provide us insight to what is good and bad in survival situations and therefore be a benefit to our growth and transitions in life.

I believe that the ultimate positive act that could come of this show is that the final "survivor" will share at least some of their prize with all of the others with whom they shared residence on the island.

Barry Egan is an emotional dreamer who has 7 caring sisters that do not realize how poorly they treat him. He discovers in a difficult way that professional love is not really that. One sister's flawed caring inspires (albeit in a negative fashion) and helps him find what is missing in his life.

The acting, writing, cinematography, directing... all excellent.

This show portrays life in some very realistic ways, not the censor driven way that potrays people in fantasyland. The views, as harsh as they are, are very sensitive and caring to show people as they are, not as caricature. However, things are perhaps a bit over the top for the sake of excitement.

This show is about a police station in Los Angeles, not the Beverly Hills area though.

Essentially, the show is about unorthodox police methods, in the midst of street life, going head to head with a lieutenant that wants things clean.

This movie is old Shakespeare, but it is well written, and well executed.

There are many subtle points and commentary on society, relationships, and situations, such as guilt or innocence, and the value of human life.

Charlie Sheen is at his best with his patent dry wit... Kristy Swanson makes a good foil, neither overdoing nor underplaying her role.

Quite a few worthwhile cameos and supporting roles... notably Flea, Anthony Kiedis (of red hot chili peppers), Henry Rollins, Ron Jeremy, some real local L.A. newscasters, Cary Elwes, Josh Mostel.

The ending deftly makes the point that the movie "Falling Down" never quite made, but attempted just the same.

This show is almost chillingly reminiscent of the movie Running Man, as well as the thumbs up / thumbs down imagery of Roman Emperors deciding the fate of gladiators at the coliseum in Rome.

Although this show has not reached the level of Running Man or Roman Emperors deciding life or death... the spirit is there.

While those images paint a negative hope, this show might just be below the threshold of influencing society in such a harmful way and actually provide insight to these things before our society is affected in such a way.

However, there is a sort of morbidity that creeps into the picture. While the survivors ostensibly need to work together, by the very nature of the name of the show, they still have to cannibalize one another by voting one another off the island so that only one person will get the prize. While this of course creates tense drama, perhaps in the vein of the sort of tension that soap operas create, but even more intense because of the reality that these people are living right before us, it has a the sort of anti loyalty that Americans tend to shun, as perhaps vaguely similarly exhibited in the spirit of Linda Tripp.

Also demonstrated is a sort of raw carnivory in the midst of the surviving. This seems to be part of the entertainment value, as many tend to take delight in the spectacle of eating animals other than the ones traditionally domesticated for slaughter.

The show could have been more gentile / less barbaric in spirit by not emphasizing the carnivory (especially through the fact that one of the challenges was eating live creatures [symbolically related to the act of holding tribal council?], and the challenge rewards included chickens to slaughter and tools to kill sea animals), as well as perhaps locating the survivors in a location more well stocked with edible flora.

The extinguishing of torches when a person is voted off the island is reminiscent of Roman emperors giving the thumbs down, especially as fire is often associated or symbolic of life.

While this show may allude to or be foreboding the kind of decay that we wish to avoid in society, I hope and believe that it is gentile enough to provide us insight to what is good and bad in survival situations and therefore be a benefit to our growth and transitions in life.

I believe that the ultimate positive act that could come of this show is that the final "survivor" will share at least some of their prize with all of the others with whom they shared residence on the island.

This show is almost chillingly reminiscent of the movie Running Man, as well as the thumbs up / thumbs down imagery of Roman Emperors deciding the fate of gladiators at the coliseum in Rome.

Although this show has not reached the level of Running Man or Roman Emperors deciding life or death... the spirit is there.

While those images paint a negative hope, this show might just be below the threshold of influencing society in such a harmful way and actually provide insight to these things before our society is affected in such a way.

However, there is a sort of morbidity that creeps into the picture. While the survivors ostensibly need to work together, by the very nature of the name of the show, they still have to cannibalize one another by voting one another off the island so that only one person will get the prize. While this of course creates tense drama, perhaps in the vein of the sort of tension that soap operas create, but even more intense because of the reality that these people are living right before us, it has a the sort of anti loyalty that Americans tend to shun, as perhaps vaguely similarly exhibited in the spirit of Linda Tripp.

Also demonstrated is a sort of raw carnivory in the midst of the surviving. This seems to be part of the entertainment value, as many tend to take delight in the spectacle of eating animals other than the ones traditionally domesticated for slaughter.

The show could have been more gentile / less barbaric in spirit by not emphasizing the carnivory (especially through the fact that one of the challenges was eating live creatures [symbolically related to the act of holding tribal council?], and the challenge rewards included chickens to slaughter and tools to kill sea animals), as well as perhaps locating the survivors in a location more well stocked with edible flora.

The extinguishing of torches when a person is voted off the island is reminiscent of Roman emperors giving the thumbs down, especially as fire is often associated or symbolic of life.

While this show may allude to or be foreboding the kind of decay that we wish to avoid in society, I hope and believe that it is gentile enough to provide us insight to what is good and bad in survival situations and therefore be a benefit to our growth and transitions in life.

I believe that the ultimate positive act that could come of this show is that the final "survivor" will share at least some of their prize with all of the others with whom they shared residence on the island.

This personally is one of the funniest shows i have ever seen, hands down, perhaps the funniest.

Christopher Titus is a genius. His insight is deep and sharp.

Also this show is reminiscent of the sharp comedy of the past, not the syrupy formulaic laugh track comedy of modern times which is really not that funny.

Titus deals with real harsh issues in a very humorous way. Dysfunction has never been so clear or healthfully humorous. It does not hurt as much when it reminds me of my own family.

The whole cast is brilliant.

This show was a show of realism, it captured something about the san fernando valley and at least what i perceived as realistic about the police there (having lived in that area). It showed the sharp contrast from life in the densely populated, gritty, harsh personality northeast (where i grew up), from the life in the suburban, wealthy, always sunny, windswept style, wide open, cheery yet serious, san fernando valley.

This is one of my favorite shows of all time and it always upsets me not only that the series ended, but that towards the end of the series it appeared the show veered from its manner and did stunts and the usual hollywood tricks to get ratings and save a show that seems headed to the chopping block.

One thing that bothered me about the series was that the character of marsh took the fall for the sexual harassment complaint (which i believe may have been part of the reason the show failed), when it seemed almost certain that he was the victim of an officer who knew she was about to get a justified bad review, seduced him and knew just when to kick him out of the house so that the regular police patrol would find him there - it may have made a nice episode for him to figure out that she set him up.

It seems a pity that such talented actors, especially David Keith in his element, Matt Craven and the rest, and writing and cinematography did not pan out into a long running fruitful series.

I believe that the strength of the tv show Providence is that it demonstrates real "family values" and not the traditional "family values". The "family values" i refer to are that members of the family accept one another no matter what they do "wrong" (one is a schemer and gets into trouble, another is a goody goody with excessive pride, and another is a klutz who also has a child out of wedlock... also the Dr. hires a worker who is a klutz and is accepting and nurturing of her - how symbolic that maybe the central theme of the show is the prototypical country veterinarian, taking in wounded animals and nurturing them to health), and they love one another no less when the day is through. They meet their challenges with seriousness and humor, when the situations can allow, and almost always kindness.

The show does not moralize so much as it shows people dealing with real situations (already, 2 major characters have perished)and they are lead by the strong but extremely gentle and understanding character that Mike Farrell portrays, "Dr. James Hansen". He provides an almost unnoticed moral center, strong but gentle.

One daughter forgoes a successful career in los angeles as a plastic surgeon to go home and live with her family and work in a charitable clinic. The other daughter forgoes a fortune if she had gone to Japan and promoted her accidentally invented recipe, to take care of her baby and be with her family. She nurtures a mentally ill man who happened to be the ideal employee for her, and helps him escape when the authorities are after him, the morality being that she cannot harbor him, but she cannot let him be incarcerated either. The son gets into trouble, but works on being good.

We see progressive ideas shown in a viable light. The show accepts gays, it loves people who make mistakes, have accidents, they take in runaways, work at a clinic, find the good in mobsters, mentally ill, take in stray animals, have no negative judgments on ethnic groups. There is very little against a single mother, other than she needs to take responsibilty. And so on... what will be next ? These are all strengths in my opinion, and i think the country and society in general has been waiting for something to show them about this, what i believe to be, inherent unconditional love that exists in all of us, but somehow gets lost at times within the scope of the hustle and bustle of society.

Of note, I also believe that while some people say providence is not really about providence, i believe that it does capture different elements of the area. I think it more pulls together the strengths of the community than focussing on a particular group, providing an amalgam of local people. The parents are suspiciously like my grandparents (who are real life providence lifetime natives), even their bedroom is almost exactly like the television set bedroom. Also, personally i had lived in los angeles ginally went there to be in medical / grad school], working as an actor, and returned to rhode island because a family member was on deaths door.