LOOK No Further

Article first published as TV Review: LOOKING FOR ALASKA on Seat42F.

While John Green may be best known for The Fault in Our Stars, and Turtles All the Way Down seems to have caught on quite a lot, his debut novel, LOOKING FOR ALASKA, is good, too. More raw, less polished than the others, it is written in the familiar style of Green, creating interesting teen protagonists, but without the complexity or level of insight some of his later works feature. If anything, the book feels a bit more personal to the author than those others, and I myself found the main character of Pudge easier to identify with. It was with this perspective I took part in It’s All Been Done Presents’ Quarterly Book Club last winter to talk about the novel. (That video discussion is available on YouTube or iabdpresents.com)

Excitingly, Hulu premiered a miniseries adaptation of LOOKING FOR ALASKA last week. If you’re a John Green fan, or fan of the coming-of-age story at all, you should watch it. If you liked the book, as I did, you should definitely watch it. It is a faithful adaptation of the source material, and I daresay, in the hands of the great Josh Schwartz (Gossip Girl, Chuck), is even improved upon, adding complexity to minor characters and better building out the world.

The plot begins with Miles Halter (Charlie Plummer, Boardwalk Empire) going away to a boarding school in Alabama, Culver Creek Academy, seeking ‘the great perhaps.’ Quickly and ironically nicknamed ‘Pudge’ by his assigned roommate, Chip ‘The Colonel’ Martin (Denny Love), Miles finds kinship and perhaps his perhaps with the offbeat Alaska Young (Kristine Froseth, The Society). However, tragedy both big and small will shake all three.

I do think the television show telegraphs the climax a bit too obviously. The opening scene of the series is an unclear look at what will happen, but it seems relatively predictable. The book’s countdown, echoed in the miniseries, does something similar, but perhaps with a bit more ambiguity.

That aside, however, LOOKING FOR ALASKA is terrific. It has fine performers and tells a great tale that is both narrow and wide, relatable and specific. Some events are re-ordered or differently emphasized than in the novel, but only in the service of the larger story. Having viewed five hours in a row (unable to stop myself after the intended one or two to write this review), I haven’t found a single issue with the departures Schwartz and the writing team have made.

The characters are better formed than on the page. Yes, Alaska is still framed by and large by how Pudge thinks of her, surely a disappointment to many viewers who wish for more gender parity and anyone who can see what an awesome job Froseth does in the role. Yet, the focus is on Pudge, with all other characters shaped by how they relate to him, and some manage to stand out around him. Love does an absolutely stunning job as the complicated Colonel. Ron Cephas Jones (This Is Us) rounds out a great subplot as Dr. Hyde, an elderly teacher who understands the kids better than they think. Timothy Simons (Veep) makes a potentially one-note authority figure someone that is understandable to be sympathetic with a little distance the students don’t have. Sofia Vassilieva (Medium) is heartbreaking as Lara Buterskaya, Pudge’s more attainable love interest. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Jay Lee’s (American Vandal) performance as Takumi and the memorable guest turn by Deneen Tyler (Treme) as The Colonel’s mother, Dolores.

While now in my thirties, I am still a sucker for a well written version of adolescence, and LOOKING FOR ALASKA delivers that in spades. Many try to capture the spirit of the age, but few do it as well as John Green or Josh Schwartz, and their union delivers a near-perfect result.

I have to stop writing now because I can’t wait a minute longer to finish out this miniseries. I highly recommend it. All eight episodes are currently streaming on Hulu.

THIS IS US And We're Lovely

Article first published as THIS IS US Review on Seat42F.

Are you missing Parenthood? NBC must understand because, while the Bravermans are not slated to return any time soon, a new drama looking to fill that place in your heart is on its way. Called THIS IS US, it’s far from a clone of that wonderful, much-missed series, but it does tug at many of the same emotional heart strings as a number of stories play out.

At the onset, we are introduced to four individuals who share a birthday, all turning thirty-six. There’s: Kevin (Justin Hartley, Smallville, The Young and the Restless), an actor frustrated with a sitcom that has made him a star, but that he considers beneath him; Kate (Chrissy Metz, American Horror Story: Freak Show), an extremely overweight woman who is desperately trying to lose the pounds; Randall (Sterling K. Brown, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story), an adopted man seeking the druggie father who abandoned him (Ron Cephas Jones, Mr. Robot); and an expectant father, Jack (Milo Ventimiglia, Heroes, Gilmore Girls), whose wife, Rebecca (Mandy Moore, Tangled), is going into labor with triplets.

The above plot threads may seem carefully calculated to tug at the heart strings, and they probably are. After all, drama writers have to know how to write drama that will land with viewers. Yet, it doesn’t feel forced, the performances of all lending themselves to a very authentic-seeming story with a bunch of people you will quickly come to care about. Like the best of the primetime stuff, it can be a bit more than the normal person goes through, but it avoids the soapy ridiculousness of the more comedy-leaning programs.

There are supporting characters, too, as there must be to keep the stories going. In the core cast is Randall’s wife, Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson, Louie), and a love interest for Kate, fellow fat support group member Toby (Chris Sullivan, The Knick). The latter gets more development initially, and he has some rough edges, but I think both will be fine players in future installments, which will surely use them as more than just small, side parts.

Clearly present are strong themes of family and acceptance, the two main viewpoints expressed, and ones worth hanging a show on. There are bonds here that we will (hopefully) almost all relate to, and characters that are immediately sympathetic. It’s good stuff.

The closest THIS IS US comes to breaking new ground is probably in Kate’s story. We’re not used to seeing people quite so heavy on television, and especially not in a leading role like this. Yes, Mike and Molly existed, but it was by and large (no pun intended) a comedy that played with stereotypes, and its subversion of the norm was less blatant. THIS IS US goes head-on tackling the issues, motivations, and sorrows for someone who is struggling with body size, and it may do for the overweight what series like Will & Grace and Modern Family did for gays. Specifically, teach viewers to have more compassion for their fellow human beings, promoting understanding of the problems real people struggle with. I dig it.

Given the type of series this is and the way the first hour unfolds, if you’ve watched much of this type of television at all, you’ll begin to wonder where the connections between the characters are. Aside from the show Touch, one expects everyone to connect pretty solidly in an ensemble cast like this. And while I refuse to spoil anything, I will say that I called the ending “twist” by midway through the episode. However, I wasn’t completely sure I was right until it actually played out because it’s a bit of a tricky one, and it does something I didn’t expect a show like this to do. Kudos for some interesting writing.

THIS IS US premieres Tuesday, September 20th at 10/9c on NBC.