The TV Series Thread

[little bongo]

Just finished watching all six episodes of The Chair, and I enjoyed it overall. I was a bit put off by the portrayal of the hot mess professor--as something of a professional hot mess myself, I'll just say that we don't all make Wile E. Coyote faces into the camera as we get a bad idea to steal airport carts and scooters and get into cartoon-style crashes. But a lot of the troubled-department political stuff elicited some understanding head-nods from me, and I recognized many of the faculty characters as pretty accurate, considering there's some exaggeration factor involved for comic purposes. The titular chair's family issues rang true for me as well.

The Chronicle has some pretty snappy commentary on the series episode-by-episode:

https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-chair-episode-6-the-department-chair-goes-back-to-the-classroom-finally

[lilyb]

I also just finished and enjoyed The Chair. The earlier episodes somehow were both hyperbolic/satirical, yet also cut too close to the bone (especially administrative pressures on chairs). It wasn't all doom and gloom, though. I found the season finale quite moving.

[dr_codex]

I also just finished and enjoyed The Chair. The earlier episodes somehow were both hyperbolic/satirical, yet also cut too close to the bone (especially administrative pressures on chairs). It wasn't all doom and gloom, though. I found the season finale quite moving.

My own Chair found that the series hit close to home. Too close to home, in some cases.

[mamselle]

I just read the New Yorker review, here:

   https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/08/30/sandra-ohs-masterly-performance-of-empathy-in-the-chair

Haven't watched it, though.

M.

[Parasaurolophus]

Well, I've been bingeing Heartland, so there.

[ergative]

I just read the New Yorker review, here:

   https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/08/30/sandra-ohs-masterly-performance-of-empathy-in-the-chair

Haven't watched it, though.

M.

We read that too. I definitely felt like the reviewer was watching the show from the position of one of the Old Guard, and missed the point in a couple of places.

[downer]

Well, I've been bingeing Heartland, so there.

I watched seasons 1-13. Must be close to 200 episodes. Great scenery and great acting by the horses.

[Hibush]

I just read the New Yorker review, here:

   https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/08/30/sandra-ohs-masterly-performance-of-empathy-in-the-chair

Haven't watched it, though.

M.

Two quotes from that New Yorker review that are worth copying:
"I don't know anyone who has gone through the trouble of becoming a professor with the express goal of ending up as a department chair. The role draws on organizational skills that many academics have made a career out of avoiding."

"One complication of institutional diversity is that diverse faces can now lead institutions that are in free fall. "

The former reminds us of why we have some of the ineffectiveness we have. The latter of the inequity of diversifying leadership just before the fall.

I have only seen the trailers. I'm in a department where we are really stressing about the aging of our faculty. But we are chipper youngsters compared to this bunch! Where are the vibrant faculty in their 30s and 40s?

[ciao_yall]

I have only seen the trailers. I'm in a department where we are really stressing about the aging of our faculty. But we are chipper youngsters compared to this bunch! Where are the vibrant faculty in their 30s and 40s?

Adjuncting, until they decide that there are no FT jobs around. Then, in new non-academic careers doing quite well.

[dr_codex]

I have only seen the trailers. I'm in a department where we are really stressing about the aging of our faculty. But we are chipper youngsters compared to this bunch! Where are the vibrant faculty in their 30s and 40s?

Adjuncting, until they decide that there are no FT jobs around. Then, in new non-academic careers doing quite well.

The grad students, covering the classes.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

We watched "The Chair" and thought it was pretty good. Relevant.

Currently, we are watching "Y: the Last Man." Probably not the thing to watch during a pandemic...

[mamselle]

Re-watching all the old 'Bergerac,' on Season 3 now.

M.

[hmaria1609]

Currently, we are watching "Y: the Last Man." Probably not the thing to watch during a pandemic...

We've got that adult graphic novels series (the basis for the show) in our library collection holdings.  It's also available in omnibus editions.

[ab_grp]

We finished Ugly Betty.  I thought I had seen the whole series before but didn't remember much of the final season happenstances.  I still enjoyed it as much as the first time.  Some of the antics are definitely over the top, but it's such a cute show with some good themes.  Now we're on Brooklyn Nine-Nine season 7 and are going through it way too quickly.  Still watching Jericho for the sci-fi/drama part of our viewing. 

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Currently, we are watching "Y: the Last Man." Probably not the thing to watch during a pandemic...

We've got that adult graphic novels series (the basis for the show) in our library collection holdings.  It's also available in omnibus editions.

I haven't read the comic, but I think SO has.