I was curious about Selfie when I saw the teaser. Hadn't we seen this before? An unrefined Eliza Doolie seeks out the help of a dull, but polished Henry by appealing to his zest for a good challenge.
We all see where this is going. A show that has a dated title, relying on a single conflict that couldn't possibly carry a story over the course of seasons. One of two things will happen: you will either find Miss Doolie constantly making the same mistake over and over through seasons, such that no one could possibly tolerate watching a character that fails to grow. And the show will be cancelled. The second, and more likelier option is this: the charming leads will both grow. She, becoming more personable, he, becoming more fun, and the show (even with the greatest efforts to incorporate episodic challenges for the protagonists) will have exhausted all of their source material by the season's end, such that the title, Selfie, will no longer fully apply to our now-enlightened heroine. And the show will be cancelled.
Clearly, the creators identify strongly with the Henry "Higgins" character, as the pilot was an absolute essay on the state of social media, a critical judgment of modern, hi-tech- driven, narcissist culture. Any attempt to show a balance in the vulnerabilities of the two leads was poor, as one didn't leave the pilot believing Higgins had any true shortcomings, save being slightly "unfun". John Cho, sadly is too charming to truly feel sorry for. Selfie also subtly praises the hipster DIY community, but the show failed to address why the hipster neighbors would be so giving of their time and talents in an almost turn-the-other- cheek fashion. In attempt to show how easily friendship can be achieved, Selfie reveals the biggest reason it is doomed for cancellation. The premise is unsustainable. For whatever reason, the hipsters offer their friendship readily. So, either Eliza discovers friends and is happy or these hipsters are just pathetic and the show expresses the very judgment of others it is clearly reserving for those who judge others.
This story is better suited for that archaic vehicle, the television mini-series, where the writers won't have to manufacture what we all see coming: a slowdown in our heroine's personal development for the sake of stretching the show. Better yet, maybe this story could have been told in the format of a two and a half hour play... Or maybe a musical. That would have had me dancing all night.
We all see where this is going. A show that has a dated title, relying on a single conflict that couldn't possibly carry a story over the course of seasons. One of two things will happen: you will either find Miss Doolie constantly making the same mistake over and over through seasons, such that no one could possibly tolerate watching a character that fails to grow. And the show will be cancelled. The second, and more likelier option is this: the charming leads will both grow. She, becoming more personable, he, becoming more fun, and the show (even with the greatest efforts to incorporate episodic challenges for the protagonists) will have exhausted all of their source material by the season's end, such that the title, Selfie, will no longer fully apply to our now-enlightened heroine. And the show will be cancelled.
Clearly, the creators identify strongly with the Henry "Higgins" character, as the pilot was an absolute essay on the state of social media, a critical judgment of modern, hi-tech- driven, narcissist culture. Any attempt to show a balance in the vulnerabilities of the two leads was poor, as one didn't leave the pilot believing Higgins had any true shortcomings, save being slightly "unfun". John Cho, sadly is too charming to truly feel sorry for. Selfie also subtly praises the hipster DIY community, but the show failed to address why the hipster neighbors would be so giving of their time and talents in an almost turn-the-other- cheek fashion. In attempt to show how easily friendship can be achieved, Selfie reveals the biggest reason it is doomed for cancellation. The premise is unsustainable. For whatever reason, the hipsters offer their friendship readily. So, either Eliza discovers friends and is happy or these hipsters are just pathetic and the show expresses the very judgment of others it is clearly reserving for those who judge others.
This story is better suited for that archaic vehicle, the television mini-series, where the writers won't have to manufacture what we all see coming: a slowdown in our heroine's personal development for the sake of stretching the show. Better yet, maybe this story could have been told in the format of a two and a half hour play... Or maybe a musical. That would have had me dancing all night.