TAL on TV

I mentioned before that NPR's This American Life program was taking its everyday observations to visual format. I was so excited. And then I watched the first episode. It wasn't bad... at all really. The shots were interesting and well executived. The stories were, of-course-good, but I can't say that they benefited from the visual accomidation. I should now mention that I had already heard those particular stories on the radio. This may have caused some interference between my imagination and the reality of this everyday situation.
It seem to have the affect of the movie that is based on a great book. Nine times out of ten that movie doesn't hold a candle to the book for millions a different reason.
So, I didn't make effort to see episodes two and three.

And TV posed another problem according to Glass himself: “The default position for radio is empathy,” says Glass. “But the default position for shooting a person with a camera, we realized, is mocking.” For example, when Sylvia unfurls Chance’s skinned hide, the story veers toward Daily Show–style ridicule. “The thought that she could come off as ridiculous, that horrifies me,” says Glass. “That makes me feel like we did her wrong.”

And I guess the couple with the cloned cow did seem a little ridiculous, but that is the way we all are. This is also what makes the show interesting . And the empathy is what separates TAL from every other show using alcohol, editing and their total lack of talent to portray a reality that makes us feel better for making such little effort.