If you’re watching and enjoying television a lot more nowadays, you’re not alone, and there’s a chance you may not even need to feel guilty about it. The truth is, television has received a sudden and noteworthy increase in artistic talent, from the performances to the writing and directing. Even networks are more willing to take risks on television shows that don’t merely cater to the lowest-common-denominator. What does this mean for Christians? Also, we share our top five tv shows!
Every week, Richard Clark and Ben Bartlett acknowledge and respond to the big issues in popular culture. We love feedback! If you’d like to respond you can comment on the website, send an email to christandpopculture@gmail.com, or go to our contact page. We would love to respond to feedback on the show, so do it now! Subscribe to us in iTunes by clicking here. While you’re at it, review us in iTunes! We’ll love you forever!
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Pop Culture is everywhere. We just acknowledge it. Christ and Pop Culture is an attempt to discuss and think rightly about the common knowledge of our age. 
@Rich, that was the single worst thing I’ve ever heard in one of your podcasts. Gilmore Girls? The show is repellent.
@Ben, please. Rescue yourself by refraining from taking Rich up on any offer to introduce you to the show. If you get sucked in and make it to about the halfway point in Season 1 and think, “Hey, this isn’t so bad,” just wait. It turns into one of the worst shows ever devised.
I toughed it out maybe six episodes into Season 2. Because we had the season on hand, my wife felt compelled to push through to Season 2′s finale. We both regretted that decision. Me because I had to listen to an imbecilic program (while I played WoW in the same room). She because she actually watched the whole season. By the end of that trauma, we were one in our lament that a show that had potential (as hinted in the first handful of episodes in Season 1) was delivered into ruin by its two toxic leads. Toxic.
Please, rewatch M*A*S*H or Get Smart or I Dream of Jeanie of Gobots or anything*, but don’t touch the poison that is Gilmore Girls with a ten-foot pole. It may look like a cute and furry capybara at first, but before long you’ll realize that what you’ve got isn’t an adorable giant rodent but anthrax.
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*note: you could probably turn on MTV and watch 16 and Pregnant and come out ahead.
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Have either of you seen The Wire? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.
My Top 5 – This was ridiculously difficult as there really aren’t a lot of television shows that I adore. I mean, I liked Roswell fine and all but even if I only had four spots filled and it was next best, I wouldn’t feel comfortable putting it in a Top 5 list.
So here goes:
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Great choice, Ben. I was very pleasantly surprised when I Instant Watched this last fall. I was just looking for something mindless to suck up twenty minutes, but I ended up sucking in the whole series over the next three weeks. The finale felt a little rushed and there were times when I wanted to punch the kids for acting like kids, but really, it’s rare to find such a wonder-filled show. Both the characters and their arcs are fantastic and Avatar succeeds in doing something that most live-action shows fail at: creating truly indelible characters. Plus, its funny: “My last girlfriend turned into the moon.” “That’s rough buddy.”
The Office
Though it may be getting long in the tooth and I have to fast-forward any instances in which Michael Scott interacts with people outside of Dunder Miflin, I’m pretty much always happy to watch any episode after Season 1 (which I pretend doesn’t exist). Season Four was a little bit less fun because Dwight (one of the chief reasons to watch) was so mopey over Angela, but that was mostly temporary. The Office is just plain amusing.
Lost
The involvement of Brian K. Vaughan (of Y: The Last Man) in the planning for the final three seasons of Lost gives me reasonable hope that even if all questions are not answered, there will be a satisfying conclusion to the whole thing. If it fails to meet my expectations, I’ll still think it was an entertaining ride. I love some of the characters (Hurley, Eko, Sayid, Ben, Desmond, Faraday, Sawyer, and Miles) and find their stories worth the telling. Others I can’t wait to see killed off (though I know it won’t happen); I wish Jack and Kate would have quickly joined Boone and whatsherface (just awful characters).
Flying Circus
Just plain funny. And one of the most creative television shows ever devised.
Haibane Renmei
It’s only thirteen episodes long (by plan!) and it moves at a snail’s pace, but the story of a small pack of girls with halos and angel wings is just so well- and touchingly told that one can’t help but love it (unless patience isn’t listed among the viewer’s virtues).
@Rich The fact that you opened up the bit about Gilmore Girls by trying to revoke other people’s man cards, indicates to me that you are a little unsure about your affection for the show in relation to your own man card.