Wednesday, February 20, 2008

McNeil Agonistes


Thanks to the efforts of the "blog," McNeil has been nudged right to the verge of watching THE WIRE (perhaps because his hero Phil is also on the fence). But it's tough. Without having seen even one tiny bit of one single episode, he's already complaining about it! In theory! On principle! He says, "I try to watch these TV shows everybody is talking about and I just can't." Remember when he was hating on GILMORE GIRLS and VERONICA MARS, which, like THE WIRE, he had never seen? Part of McNeil's problem is the editing used in TV shows, all TV shows, to hear McNeil tell it. "The scenes need to be longer," he insists. There's more to his argument, but I can't make it out. It seems as deep-rooted and knotty as - if somewhat oppositional to - his preference for the animated Spider-Man cartoon over the comic book. McNeil works in mysterious ways. (This "post" is accompanied by a classy illustration from "Samson Agonistes" by John Milton.)