TV Eye
The Zen of 'Toons
By Belinda Acosta, Fri., Aug. 10, 2001
You know things are kind of screwy when cartoon characters begin to provide more inspiration than real-life public figures. When you start quoting Homer Simpson, Chef from South Park, or ask yourself, "What would Sponge Bob do?" it's cause for pause. But not for long, because, hey -- cartoons are not just for kids any more. I'm not sure they ever were. Case in point, a new animated action series that debuts tonight (Friday, Aug. 10) on the Cartoon Network, Samurai Jack.
Although series creator Genndy Tartakovsky (Dexter's Laboratory) says the 'toon is "for everybody," I predict it will attract a larger adult than child audience. The main character is Samurai Jack (voiced by Phil La Marr), a great warrior (presumably Japanese) catapulted to the future by an evil, shape-shifting wizard and Jack's nemesis, Aku (Mako). There is certainly a lot of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon-like action to hold a young person's interest, but Samurai Jack is different from other "hip" cartoons. There is not a whole lot of snappy dialogue -- in fact, there's very little dialogue at all, and the visual jokes are subtle. Samurai Jack is all look, feel, action, and sound.
Ordinarily, my appreciation of cartoons is for their assistance in decompressing after a day of adulthood. But because so much of Samurai Jack is revealed in evocative images and gestures, and especially sound, the 'toon invites you to sink into it and Zen out -- that is, become very conscious of the experience of watching Samurai Jack and absorbing the deeper currents of the story: What is honor? Why is there evil? And, wouldn't it be cool to have flamey eyebrows like Aku? You know, important things. Now if that's not a good excuse to watch a cartoon, I don't know what is.
Samurai Jack premieres on the Cartoon Network, Aug. 10, at 6pm with a 90-minute episode. Regular episodes air Mondays beginning Aug. 13 at 7pm. Check local listings to confirm air dates and times.
Fan-Addicts Unite!
It was a treat to match names to faces a couple of weeks ago when a motley collection of "fan-addicts" gathered to meet, nosh, and celebrate. The occasion? The return of UPN to Austin television. Cable subscribers will note that the netlet now appears on channel 23 (San Antonio affiliate KBEJ). And some credit for the return of UPN should be given to Roswell and Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans (along with Star Trek: Voyager fans), disgruntled when the WB drop-kicked BtVS and Roswell from its lineup at the end of last season. UPN picked up both shows for fall. All fine and good, except UPN was no longer carried in Austin. Thus began the barrage of e-mails to "TV Eye," and a banding together of fan-addicts of each of these shows. Soon, there was a small campaign to hammer home the message to Time Warner Cable: We want UPN!
Of the 20-plus people who gathered at a Sixth Street pub, each had either written or called Time Warner Cable, and many were responsible for getting several other people to do the same. Information was shared online about alternatives to TW cable, like satellite dishes -- which at least one Star Trek fan turned to when UPN first left town, leaving Trekkies in a lurch. In fact, the Star Trek fans in attendance (including Steve Martin, an organizer of the highly successful Star Trek: Voyager series finale screening held at the Alamo Drafthouse last June) were part of a "viewing club" that enabled Voyager enthusiasts to meet and view weekly episodes another club member had taped thanks to his satellite subscription. Although the mood of the group was celebratory, there was a dash of embarrassment by some about all the fuss over TV shows. But I think there is something to be said for the power of a few, organized people getting a behemoth like Time Warner Cable to move in response to viewer demand and the power of fans.
VCR Alert
HBO will air all three seasons of The Sopranos, back to back, beginning Aug. 12. The encore screenings will air Sundays until mid-2002 -- which should be just when the fourth season of the drama premieres, if not later in September. Yes, you read that right. (Side note: The late launch of season four means it will not be eligible for Emmy nominations next year.)
Other HBO news: After this Sunday, the last six episodes of Sex and the City will not be seen until January 2002. The schedule split is the result of preplanning in anticipation of the actors' strike, which didn't happen after all. Six Feet Under has been renewed for a second season and will debut in March 2002.
Well-Addressed
Colleague Stephen MacMillan Moser has some things to say about the fashion (non)sense on those TV courtroom shows (Judge Judy, Divorce Court, et al.). Read all about it in his "After a Fashion" column in the back of the book.
E-mail Belinda Acosta at [email protected]
