> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 1997 11:13:41 -0700
> From: "Adams, Ernest" <eadams@ea.com>
> To: "'sandbaggers@skylee.com'" <sandbaggers@skylee.com>
> Subject: Moral ambiguity in drama
>
>
> I heartily agree about the value of moral ambiguity in drama. In fact, I
> gave a lecture at last year's Computer Game Developers' Conference on
> the subject.
>
> I strongly recommend the NBC TV series Law and Order as an example of
> how American television *can* present morally complex problems when it
> puts its mind to it. The "good guys" don't always win; the "good guys"
> aren't always even that good. The current Assistant District Attorney on
> the show bends the rules and tries more dodges to get a conviction than
> I'm entirely comfortable with -- but it's very good stuff.
>
> (Defense attorney to Assistant District Attorney: "What's next, McCoy?
> Drag a suspect over the border to Mexico, beat a confession out of him
> there, then come back and use it in New York?"
>
> ADA McCoy: "Works for me!")
>
> Past episodes of Law and Order are also rebroadcast by the Arts and
> Entertainment Network every night at 8 pm and 12 pm Pacific time
>
> Another mass-media product that discusses this in an interesting way is
> the comic book (OK, "graphic novel" for you purists) Batman: The Dark
> Knight Returns. In this the question is asked whether Batman is really a
> public-spirited citizen, or an out-of-control vigilante; and do we
> really want such a person running around our town?
>
Let's not forget Homicide: Life on the Street, and NYPD Blue - both of
which are rife with moral ambiguity as well.
Since those two and Law & Order are the only ones I regularly watch, I
can't comment on any of the others except for a couple of Openers I've
seen lately. I was disappointed with the new Caruso show, and could not
bear to watch more than 20 minutes of Cracker, the US version. Cracker
without Coltrane just doesn't do it for me. Brooklyn South, while full of
moral ambiguitites, is in my opinion not a well-acted, cast, or directed
show. Dellaventura was entertaining but way too cute.
I'm sticking to the three I've been watching for years, plus the British
Cracker. Those 4 shows serve my neurons well, but nothing does it like
The Sandbaggers did. Only Law & Order comes close. Nex