What was on TV? Sat, April 16, 2005

20 years ago, people thought Tom Brady was cool. Let's see what was on TV.

Earlier Their Eyes Were Watching God (recorded)

Most people hate this one. It's carnage on Letterboxd. People argue that the movie ignores the novel's thorny themes of race and gender. They're right. In her New York Times review, Virginia Heffernan argued "[T]he film is less a literary tribute than a visual fix of Harlequin Romance: Black Southern Series— all sensual soft-core scenes and contemporary, accessible language."

But I must ask, is that so bad? This movie reminded me a lot of the Thomas Vinterberg version of Far From the Madding Crowd starring Carey Mulligan. That movie also declined to explore the finer complexities of Hardy's novel, opting for a simpler and more romantic story. And I love that movie! Faithful adaptations are overrated (see yesterday's post for more on that). This is very much the Oprah Winfrey version of Their Eyes Were Watching God: accessible, glossy, romantic. But it's the best possible Oprah version. For one, this is a shockingly gorgeous TV movie. Florida has rarely looked this good. Trees in bloom, crystal clear rivers, the sunlight on Halle Berry's skin, it all looks spectacular. It's been years since I read Their Eyes Were Watching God, but I remember it being a very sensual and lush novel. Director Darnell Martin didn't translate the novel's more complex themes to the screen, but she absolutely captured its sensuality. Sure, this movie is melodramatic; it's definitely Harlequin-adjacent. But melodrama rocks, and so do Harlequin romances (lest we forget, TV show of the moment Heated Rivalry is based on a Harlequin series!).

And I am not alone in this opinion! This movie earned a place in the Slate/NPR Black Film canon not as an adaptation of Hurston's work, but as a glorious and gorgeous piece of melodrama all its own.

11:30 Saturday Night Live on NBC

30x17 host Tom Brady with musical guest Beck

Tom Brady is the second "bad host" of the season after Paris Hilton, and they present an interesting contrast. Brady is at least trying, Hilton was not. But watching someone try and suck is a lot more uncomfortable than watching someone decline to try at all. Furthermore, Hilton had a very clear public persona that was super easy to slot into sketches. Her whole thing was being an airhead and not trying, just cast her as a Barbie and work around her, you're good. Whereas in 2005, Tom Brady's image was just "throws the ball real good." A lot harder to build sketches around. The most interesting sketch is a Dr. Phil parody in which Brady plays the worst husband in the world, hilariously prophetic.

What Else Was On

Showtime premiered Reefer Madness, a movie adaptation of a cult musical itself adapted from a ridiculous anti-Marijuana PSA from the 1930s. I watched about 20 minutes of it, and I fear that an expensive TV movie was the worst possible avenue for this adaptation. You lose the communal experience that made the stage show so successful. Meanwhile, the higher budget doesn't suit the material or subject matter. It looks so antiseptic and clean and digital, I'm certain it would have played better as a grody VHS transfer on YouTube.

TiVo Status

The TV movie Sucker Free City. 2 hours.

Music, 20 years ago

I didn't even mention that Your Eyes Were Watching God features music by the great Terrence Blanchard. Here's a taste of his great 2004 jazz album Flow.