TVSquad

I find the Harriet character to be the most unlikeable part of that show. It's not because she's Christian, but because she spent the entire second episode taking Matt to task for some indiscretion that existed only her mind and was moot considering she broke up with him. They may feel free to drop the romantic tension between those two from the storyline at anytime (fat chance, I know).

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I fully agree. Love the show and the Christian angle. Would stipulate that Christianity is flawed NOT because it was *created* by humans (It wasn't.), but rather because it is practiced and, in its institutional manifestations, "operated" by humans. But your general point remains on-the-money.

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I really have to say that I would be a lot more impressed if this discussion were taking place over a "Crazy Muslim" sketch, rather than Christians. I say that because Christians on TV are easy to take potshots at. If you look at the reaction to something like that in the real world, there are people that get upset, but in general the media just ignores them.

On otherhand, if Muslims were substituted in the exact same situation, the media would fold like a house of cards, and pronounce that they're doing in in the name of "tolerance".

In this day and age, putting on a sketch like that would truly be brave.

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My wife got on the mailing list for the American Family Association so I see all the crap they mail out requesting boycotts of TV advertisers and such. While watching this weeks episode of Studio 60 I turned to my wife and said, "If the AFA doesn't come out and say that this is a positive show because of her (Harriet's) character then it proves they are full of $h!t."

Like the character or not they are presenting a Christian in a positive light and not making her the butt of the jokes.

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I dont disagree with the poking fun at religion cause it can be funny (see Dogma)..but the constant insults of the midwest and southern people of this country is so old from Sorkin. I live in L.A. but grew up in Oklahoma City and Im sorry but the midwest is the backbone of this country and are deserving of a little more respect. Sorkin is a liberal elitist and we all know this and TWW worked for him ,Studio 60 wont(i.e. ratings slip already) and I for one am happy about it.

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While I commend the show for this portrayal (even as a non-Christian), I think #3 also has a point. When it comes to religious characters in Western entertainment, they tend to be represented as a little "off," regardless of exactly which religion they are a part of. Christians may not be safe from this, but neither are Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, etc. They've all been mocked, misrepresented, or just plain insulted at one time or another.

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Thanks for writing about this. I will check out the show next time it is on.

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After the raving here, I've checked out the show on both airings, and both times I have no idea what the fuss is about. I've never been a fan of Sorkin's work, anyway, and find his dialog to be ponderous and eye-rolling.

There are parts of the show that have merit, but the absolute worst part of the show, in my opinion, is the poorly-drawn and horribly miscast Harriet Hayes character. There's absolutely no justification yet, on-screen, for the supposed "high-talent," in particular comedic, of the character. It's just a drama queen with a nice singing voice and charicatured religious stance.

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I totally agree - I love to see the hypocrisy and real meanness practiced in the name of Christianity skewered and shown up.

However, as a practicing Christian, their treatment of it is also my chief problem with the show so far - Harriet sounds like no evangelical Christian I know (her prayer was just stilted and strange to me) and even the protests (The Rapture?? SO not a universally held Christian belief) are a little one-note. It feels so far like someone without a real understanding of contemporary evangelical Christianity is writing; the whole thing has seemed a little tin-eared to me so far.

I adore Aaron Sorkin's writing, but I feel like he's set up a straw man here for some easy swings instead of really shading in real people and real issues, and so far his caricaturization is making me wince. I would love to see it razor sharp and on the money.

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I too am a Christian and I also love this show. You're right, we do need to realize that it's OK to laugh at ourselves when we take things too seriously, and God has created humor partly for our pleasure, and it should be enjoyed.
However, I have to take issue with one thing that you said. Christianity was not created by humans. It was given to us by God through Christ, and while it is populated by flawed humans, who are often mistaken and flawed in how they follow it, to attribute its flaws to its inseption is a mistake.
Thank you for your comments on this show, it really is a great program, even after only 2 episodes, and it's great to see another professing christian who admires it.

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The skit itself is a fake idea, and that's why we'll never see it. There's no way something with that name would actually be funny, especially if it was written four years ago. What, exactly would be the specific content of this completely generic concept?

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Yes, it is so very brave to bash Christians in Hollywood. I found the mock outrage and bravery of the episode to be beyond eye rolling. Just sad really.

The Harriet character - I get the impression that Sorkin is lecturing Christians on how to be...cool. Hollywood cool. The whole thing seems forced, fake, and oh, yeah - did in on West Wing already. Give it a rest.

The biggest problem for this show - a drama based on a comedy show. There is nothing worse than sitting and watching people on TV say "that is so cutting edge funny" when A) You can't see what they are laughing at, or b)What they are laughing at is not all that cutting edge or funny.

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You may be right, but it seems to me you've inferred way more about her character than is possible from two episodes.

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DeanJ - I'm so with you about the Muslim religion. Everyone pokes fun at Christianity - yes, it's nice to have a character who doesn't freak out over it, because only fanatics aren't able to poke fun at themselves and see humor in traditionally serious things. That said, since MOST Christians have no problem poking that fun, it seems most likely that liberals will find the character amazing. I don't because I expect no less from mainstream Christians. Now, if it was a group trying out a Muslim skit, damn the terrorists, that would be groundbreaking, because right now no one is willing to go out on that limb because of the ensuing terror threats afterward.

I also agree with Faith that Sorkin tends to draw characters in a stereotypical box; also not groundbreaking. As if liberals don't need to see both sides of any situation because they are right, but when a Christian woman is willing to poke fun at herself, well, that's just amazing that a right wing girl is seeing the truth of the other side.

And, finally, Jeff - the midwestern stereotype is so overplayed in Hollywood. Movies still portray Denver as a mountainous, snow covered, evergreen filled throughback to westerns and country living. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Evergreens don't live in the dry climate, we see about 5 inches of snow PER YEAR in my neighborhood, rarely see a cowboy hat or hear a country song, can see for 75 miles it's so flat and every farm and ranch within 100 miles has been covered with suburban dwellings two feet apart.

Writers would be really cutting edge if they'd venture outside Hollyweird and into the real world.

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I agree with J-Spot (#1)--I also think Harriet is the most unlikeable character, and it has nothing to do with her Christianity. In addition to her episode-long tantrum over a misunderstanding, there's all that so-called "talent" we've yet to see. This is mostly a flaw of the writing, not the actress. She's the Mandy of Studio 60 (West Wing reference) -- a character who doesn't really click, and whom the viewer has no sympathy for. I'm hoping she ends up in Mandyville before the mid-season point.

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I love the fact she is So Christian, but had a relationship with a man, and obviusly slept with him before marriage. Not very christian if you ask 'them'

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If I remember correctly MadTV once did a 'Death to America' skit which poked fun at Al-Jazeera and in general Muslims. Being a Muslim I did find it somewhat funny but just because it was so over-the-top.

I do agree though that if someone created a 'Crazy Muslims' sketch on SNL they wouldn't air it. I personally don't mind it when someone makes fun of my religion.

I have never watched a Sorkin show before, but I did notice in the first 2 episodes that Sorkin comes off as a bit of an elitist.

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I have something in common with Aaron Sorkin here. I'm a stone-cold atheist who was in a long relationship with an evangelical Christian...and she was the wittiest and funniest person I've ever known. The character of Harriet is reportedly based on Sorkin's relationship with Kristin Chenoweth...and the idea of an evangelical cast member on a late-night comedy show is based on Victoria Jackson. Clearly, you Jesus types have some intelligent, funny, attractive women.

Now, I can imagine a comedy sketch called "Crazy Christians" of which my former girlfriend and Kristin Chenoweth and Victoria Jackson would all approve...and which would be smart and daring and irreverent. I wouldn't assume too much based on the title: it could well have been a satire of people's knee-jerk prejudices, and show real Christians in a more positive light. The issue for the show isn't whether the sketch was actually offensive, but how the network was unfairly *assuming* it would be offensive. Perhaps *they're* the ones guilty of pigeonholing and condescending and stereotyping Christians as humorless prigs. (And there are humorless prigs who are Christians, who never hesitate to picket and boycott and complain about things they've never seen in the blind assumption that they *ought* to be offended.)

The problem with the show in this case is that Harriet has not been shown being at all funny -- in fact, she's been nothing but grim and humorless and unprofessional so far -- and Aaron Sorkin simply can't write comedy. If I were him, I'd have invited Victoria Jackson to write a sketch by that name, and used that as the "cold open" for the new show.

Anyway: please don't assume that all us non-Christians are only mocking you, or engaged in some conspiracy to keep you from being depicted on tv. Don't stereotype us the way you wouldn't like to be stereotyped. Hmmm..."do unto us as you would have us do unto you"...sounds kinda catchy, don't it?

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In a shameless bit of self-promotion, some like-minded friends of mine have a blog where we try talking about religious/Christian issues without taking ourselves too seriously.

http://www.midwestmindset.com/

I don't know if we're exactly a "positive representation of our faith," but we do like taking each other down a notch when we need it.

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My problem with the character is that I don't find an evangelical Christian on an SNL-type show plausible. Victoria Jackson might be or might have been a Christian, but I don't remember her spirituality getting much press. And I doubt she was evangelical. SNL is the kind of show that the fundamentalists love to criticize. It's full of lewd jokes and profanity--not something Christians should be watching. I can't imagine an evangelical Christian cast member of SNL appearing on the 700 Club (as Harriet did--mentioned in episode one). The Christian community wouldn't accept it. When Amy Grant released her first "secular" album, which was squeaky clean but made no reference to God, Christians everywhere rejected her as a traitor. So the idea that Harriet could be a Christian who's accepted by, and identifies with, the larger Christian community in the US just doesn't make sense.

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