I was perusing the Internet the other day when I came across a reference to a long-canceled TV series called The Tribe. It was a post-apocalyptic drama set in New Zealand after a virus kills off all adults. I discovered it as a high school sophomore, soon after my parents finally broke down and installed cable, and was hooked. The Tribe also was the gateway to my unrequited love of small-scale series on cable network The N.
After The Tribe, I fell for Radio Free Roscoe, a quirky Canadian show created for and aired on The N. I connected instantly with the rebellious teens who operate their own underground radio station and try to navigate interpersonal relationships in high school. Then came Instant Star, another The N creation based on American Idol. But apparently I was the only one watching, because both were canceled.
The N is the main source of my continuous TV heartbreak. Home to mostly Canadian-produced fare, notably Degrassi: The Next Generation, The N derives great pleasure from dangling a show in front of my face and then punching me in the stomach while I'm distracted. It cancels original programming and adds an ever-escalating number of bland sitcoms like Summerland and Zoey 101. Note to network executives: there's no point in creating a channel if it's only going to air reruns that can be easily found online.
Yet, I keep coming back. The N apparently has the power to wipe my memory clean. Recently, I became attached to Beyond the Break, a show about a group of young female surfers in Hawaii. Actually, my interest had nothing to do with the show itself and everything to do with surfer Bailey (Ross Thomas). The show has been on hiatus for over a year now, and most of its second season episodes aren't available in the United States. With no resolution in sight, I'll (sniff) never get to see if Bailey and Dawn stay together and if David Chokachi, actor extraordinaire, stops grimacing in every scene.
I can now clearly see the writing on the wall. Canadian TV has broken up with me, and I'm despondent. But instead of crying and eating pans of brownies, I'm going to get revenge. Now I'll start getting my daily dose of angst and family drama from Telemundo instead.
-Stephanie Hummel is a senior studying journalism. Support or oppose her switch to telenovelas at sh213005@ohiou.edu.
3 Culture
Stephanie Hummel
