[aderack]

Has anyone here seen this? It's still produced by Ira Glass, who it turns out looks like the son of Jarvis Cocker and Elvis Costello. It's shorter than the radio show, by far -- only about half an hour. The format suits the visual approach, though.

Really, I think it's a swell adaptation. As great as the radio show is, I'm maybe more intrigued by this version. In place of the intimacy there's a certain objective distance that puts a neat spin on the stories. The surreal narrative framework and editing adds to the effect, almost coming out the other side and making the stories more intimate.

He was on Fresh Air today, talking about his approach to adapting the show and the changes he had to make; I'd forgotten it was happening, and it sent me running to Demonoid. Two episodes so far; it seems to air on Saturdays, on Showtime.

It's curious that this was produced for a pay channel rather than PBS. That certainly should explain how expensive and tight it looks. It also ties into some observations a while ago that what HBO and Showtime have been doing with original programming -- The Sopranos, that cowboy thing -- is pretty similar to what the BBC has been up to. Similar style; similar kind of expressive freedom.

Free of the limitations of commercial sponsorship and ratings -- since the channel is paid for directly, in one way or another -- the producers are allowed freedom to make whatever they want, so long as it's a good product in the end. A nice perk and reason for people to subscribe, and something that maybe the channel can turn into a retail product down the road, as DVD sets. Thus there's a certain maturity, a security to the approach. They can assume a certain level of understanding and interest without necessarily catering.

So, I mean. I was thinking about that already, making those parallels, and thinking how interesting it would be if PBS were to get the same kind of funding. Then a few days ago HBO annoucned it was cooperating with the BBC (oh?) to produce a show about Einstein's formulation of the theory of relativity (oho!), starring Andy Serkis (huh) and David Tennant (huh!). And... what the hell, I thought, is HBO turning into the new WGBH?

And now there's this, an NPR staple turned into a quirky Showtime experiment. So it seems there's... at least something to this analogy. Is this kind of funding a piece of the future of television? I wonder.

So, hey. Go check out Demonoid. Again, there are two episodes. The second one is broken into a bunch of weird .rar hunks, for no reason I understand. Don't freak out; just unRAR it as usual, then you can delete the clutter.

Then talk.

[another coma]

Yeah, I had totally forgotten that these were going to be airing now. Great show, interested to see how it makes the transition.
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[another coma]

I just watched the first episode. I liked it, though I actually sort of disliked the intro to the whole thing (didn't care for presentation I guess. the subject matter was pretty normal for the show, though I thought it was an odd way to kick off the TV version). But from there it was pretty well done! both acts.

I can see what you meant by "objective distance". Makes me wonder how the TV show will fare when it begins to tackle stories attached to some of the more volatile national/global political issues.
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[boojiboy7]

Is Sarah Vowell on the TV version? God, I can't stand that woman.

[aderack]

[another coma]

The desk was pretty neat actually.
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[another god]

Watching it for free off Showtime's website made it feel like NPR. A little.

Also, cowboys.
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interdimensional

[sawtooth]

[Corinth]

Oh, hey, I forgot about this! I acquired both episodes and should get a chance to watch them tomorrow. I have high expectations!

[boojiboy7]

[duomo]

Eric-Jon Rössel Waugh, This American Life is produced by Chicago Public Radio and distributed by PRI, not NPR.

[aderack]

Which is a difference of a mountain.

[duomo]

Well, it could be to employees of PRI and are constantly annoyed when people refer to "NPR's Ira Glass" or "NPR's This American Life."

[Predator Goose]

[aderack]

[sync-swim]

You can now download TAL for free on iTunes.

Never my favorite public broadcasting program anyways. I mean, it's very good, but it's no In Our Time with Melvyn Bragg.

[Laurel Soup]

I don't know how so many people with terrible voices got on the radio.

I imagine they're all ugly now too.

Seriously, I don't feel too cool with the public radio to premium cable jump. I hope the radio show doesn't suffer. I need an excuse to wake up before noon at least once a week.
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[another coma]

You know, I was really put off by Ira's voice in the beginning (or I should say, the strange intonation he uses in everything he says) but that generally faded the more I listened. I've just heard too many college radio DJ's like that I suppose, although I am always grateful whenever someone doesn't use EXTREMELY LONG PAUSES in between each of their statements.
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[sawtooth]

I know you're being facetious, Laurel Soup, but I know I'll take any old voice speaking clearly and naturally over any sort of stretch-voiced "radio personality" yuking all over my airwaves any day. I don't know how people stand the announcers on regular commercial FM radio, or people like Howard Stern.
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(  (  

[boojiboy7]

[Wilkes]

[Corinth]

He looks exactly as I pictured him from radio, just a smidge older and a tad skinnier. Endearing, and perfectly shaped and personalitied to coax these stories out of people. This is a very well done show - I appreciate the videography, which is almost always composed well with pleasing colors and wide angles. It doesn't exude quite the same sense of character, yet, as the radio show, but I don't have enough to elaborate with yet. I'm going to watch episode two and see if that helps me sort it out.

[Wilkes]

Ira Glass is doing an interview on some show on PBS right now.

He explained the desk-anywhere idea and I find it acceptable now.

I like how earnest he is talking about himself on camera. His earnestness in general is so refreshing. Talking about rejecting people's incredibly dramatic stories that would be boring in broadcast while still seeming genuinely exasperated. What a cool guy.