Popular

I remember early in the year 2000 listening to a local AM Talk Radio Station in Los Angeles (I believe it was Phil Hendrie). The topic of the hour was "What's your favorite TV Show currently on the air?" For the next hour I heard a lot of references to two shows: "Malcolm in the Middle" and this other show, "Popular." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I had already seen "Malcolm" and knew it was hilarious. But what about "Popular?"

The commercials made it look like a typical weekly teeny-bop High School show, a la "Saved By The Bell," but in Prime-Time (lest we forget Zach did go to college in the evenings though). The amount of praise I heard for "Popular" made me check it out.

The advertisements were wrong.

What I found in this show was a sleek, hilarious, dramatic, clever, filled to the brim with 80's references show not about kids in High School today (circa 1999-2000), but if kids from my generation were to go to High School today (yes, I went to High School in the 80's).

I think the failure of "Popular" was the advertising I referred to earlier for the show...it was going after kids in high school for ratings. But the show was made for (I feel) an entirely different generation. If only the ones it was made for had watched....it would probably still be on.

This is one of the few programs I have ever seen that managed to balance outright slapstick comedy with serious drama...and it did it so well in my opinion that I seriously mourned the loss of the show when it was canceled.

My favorite Season Two moments -

1) Mary Cherry's (Leslie Grossman) audition for judges, including Jim J. Bullock (way before "American Idol" became a household name). "Rock Me Amadeus, by FALCO!"

2) Nicole Julian's (Tammy Lynn Michaels) "rise" to Class President (one of the most clever and complex episodes ever written for television -- flat-out incredible comedy).

3) Every scene with Michelle Phillips ("Abra-abra-cadabra!!!!").

4) The "Gay" episode about Bobbi Glass (Diane Delano) - it gave me chills and again proved how the writers were almost magically able to juggle comedy and drama every week.

The casting of the show was simply brilliant. Everyone did an incredible job and I am pleased to see several of the cast riding other roads to fame as of 2008 (Christopher Gorham on "Jake 2.0" and then the successful "Ugly Betty").

The only thing I can pray for at this point are either reruns (Lifetime or Oxygen I'm guessing...but maybe Comedy Central?) or, *gasp* -- A DVD Release. Then a lot more people can have a chance to see a show that I firmly believe should have been "Popular."

*EDIT* Both Seasons are on DVD now. There really IS a God!

My personal thanks to the callers of that Los Angeles AM Talk Radio Program who touted the praises of this show. You got it right, and I'm glad I saw of it what I did.

'Popular' is one of the best shows on T.V. While "Friends" is one of my favorite shows, "Popular" is the ultimate comedy. "ER" is the top-rated drama, "Popular" can create drama you actually care about. This show has overcome many obstacles, bad ratings, some bad plot lines (Harrisons leukemia will always be the low-point in this shows running), and some rather unfriendly reviews. This show sports some of the hottest young talent today, Leslie Grossman is the best comedic actress on prime-time, nothing can top Mary Cherry, Sara Rue gives her character depth, and is the most realistic looking teen on T.V., I love Carmen, and Tammy Lynn Michaels plays Nicole (or as Mrs. Glass calls her "Satan's Child") with such priss and wit she is right up there with Megan Mullaly on "Will and Grace". The other actors are top-notch, too. Sometimes the drama dialogue sounds lifted from "Dawson's Creek", but it is usually something you can relate to and care about. Situations are exaggerated for comedic relief, and it almost always works. "Popular" is underappreciated greatness, just waiting for the attention it deserves. Watch now, I can not stress that enough.

I think this is one of the best shows on television today. Its fresh and smart, with great writing and terrific actors. The writers delve into deep topics concerning eating disorders, child abuse, cancer, and drug use. I'm amazed watching every week, that the writers manage to cram so much into just one hour of programing. They use comedy and drama, to make the show truly worth-while. And is what I'd truly call Must See Tv compared to NBC's lackluster Thursday lineup. However, this year its been moved to Fridays at 9 PM on the WB. If you must go out, make sure to set your VCRs for the best hour of programing on television today.

It was doomed from the start, I guess... Finally, a show with some intelligence, placed (unfortunately) in the prime time spot of what was it? Friday NIGHT?! Lucky for me, I was under 21 at the time the show was on, just barely too young to partake in the bar scene. So I looked forward to watching TV on Friday nights while my boyfriend (at the time) was whooping it up. I think Popular was directed toward what I call "the forgotten years," those people born between "gen. X" and "gen. Y". (or "gen. why?" ...if you will) I am a member of that demographic, Too young to remember the birth of MTV or the whole "Grunge" thing, yet too old for IPods, Rap-Rock, and vocational schools. But maybe the lack of marketing toward people in my age range has been beneficial to me. (I have very little credit card debt.) But at the same time I challenge network execs to try and entertain me again. And this time, don't cancel my favorite show prematurely. Or hell, sell me a DVD of 'Popular' or 'My So-Called Life' for God's sake! ---Christina B, Portland Oregon

"Popular" has to be one of the most clever series to be developed in recent years. To those who think it's an unrealistic depiction life, you need to look deeper. I highly doubt anyone in high school ever depended on constant popularity polls to the degree that the people on this show do, or had "ghettofabulous" limousines, or had former prom queens sabotage the prom votes, etc. This show exaggerates those petty aspects of high school life in order to expose them for what they are: petty! It exaggerates popularity contests, it exaggerates materialism. In doing so, one realizes how silly those things were. It's brilliant. Not to mention that the situations are well-written, the dialogue is crisp and fresh, and the acting is perfect. But aside from the exaggeration and the camp, the show also touches on some serious aspects with a refreshing sincerity that comes off much more realistic than on other, more "serious" shows. This is definitely not a teen series. It is an adult series dealing with teenage situations.