... This is a great bit from Paul O'Brien's review of Uncanny X-Men #501:
'... the whole issue is shot through with that "Isn't this cool? Isn't it? Isn't it? No, isn't it? No, but really, isn't it? Isn't it, though? Isn't it?" vibe ...'
YES.
This is a good way to describe a lot of the pop culture that lately has left me cold, even though a lot of bright people seem to rave about it.
It's not always "cool" ... sometimes it's "Isn't this clever? Isn't it? No, isn't it?" Or "Isn't this funny? Isn't it? No, isn't it?" But the basic problem is the same -- a kind of underlying smugness and self-consciousness, combined with a tendency on the part of an artist (be he writer, actor, comedian) to oversell their work. It's why I can't, for example, get into stuff like "The Office" or "30 Rock" or "My Name Is Earl," because all of them make me constantly aware of how damn proud all the actors/writers seem to be of what they've created. "Isn't this smart? Isn't this witty? Isn't this a fresh, new approach to comedy that makes conventional sitcoms look antiquated and stodgy by comparison? Well, isn't it?"
The answer may well be, "Yes, it is." But as Paul O'Brien puts it later in the same blurb, "It's just trying too hard ... and it feels so excitably keen to be loved that I feel terribly guilty for not loving it."
(Edit: Guess I should mention, for the record, I haven't read Uncanny X-Men #502, the one Paul is reviewing in the quotes above. I just think it's a great observation, applicable to lots of stuff.)
'... the whole issue is shot through with that "Isn't this cool? Isn't it? Isn't it? No, isn't it? No, but really, isn't it? Isn't it, though? Isn't it?" vibe ...'
YES.
This is a good way to describe a lot of the pop culture that lately has left me cold, even though a lot of bright people seem to rave about it.
It's not always "cool" ... sometimes it's "Isn't this clever? Isn't it? No, isn't it?" Or "Isn't this funny? Isn't it? No, isn't it?" But the basic problem is the same -- a kind of underlying smugness and self-consciousness, combined with a tendency on the part of an artist (be he writer, actor, comedian) to oversell their work. It's why I can't, for example, get into stuff like "The Office" or "30 Rock" or "My Name Is Earl," because all of them make me constantly aware of how damn proud all the actors/writers seem to be of what they've created. "Isn't this smart? Isn't this witty? Isn't this a fresh, new approach to comedy that makes conventional sitcoms look antiquated and stodgy by comparison? Well, isn't it?"
The answer may well be, "Yes, it is." But as Paul O'Brien puts it later in the same blurb, "It's just trying too hard ... and it feels so excitably keen to be loved that I feel terribly guilty for not loving it."
(Edit: Guess I should mention, for the record, I haven't read Uncanny X-Men #502, the one Paul is reviewing in the quotes above. I just think it's a great observation, applicable to lots of stuff.)
