Boston Public

After watching the first episode of BOSTON PUBLIC, I am hooked. The cast is great, and the writers have really captured what it's like to be a student in high school- as well as a teacher. Now, the first episode had its problems (do you really believe Senate wouldn't have been fired for firing that gun, or that Harper won't be for slamming that kid into the locker), but it is still a very intelligent show. We have to look past these mistakes at the show as a whole. This show captures high school in a bad neighborhood perfectly. I hope this show stays around for a while (unlikely the even more brillant FREAKS AND GEEKS that got axed after only one stellar year) and with a debut episode like that, it'll only get better.

When I tuned into Boston Public for the first episode, I wasn't expecting much. Though I was a fan of David E. Kelley, the ads for the show looked rather bland and/or unintelligent. And after the first five minutes, I found myself pleasantly wrong.

I have since watched every episode, and "Boston Public" is one of the few shows I think is really worth my time. With good acting, that week-in, week-out off some very exceptional writing. Though you hate some of the things that some of these characters do, like Fyvish Finkel's 'Harvey Lipschitz' is very racist, you are drawn to all ten members of the cast and love each and everyone one of them.

Chi McBride and Jessalyn Gilsig stand out among the cast as the much-beleaguered principal and the social studies teacher with a passion, respectively, and I foresee a great career for both during and after the series' run.

If you're wondering the television channel one night, and you're in the mood for a comedy/drama with substance, check out "Boston Public," and you'll be hooked.

This series takes a pro-teacher attitude, showing us as we are: diverse, flawed, passionate about learning, student-centered and student-stymied. Challenges to teachers, administrators and students are true-to-life. A strong ensemble cast demonstrates the joys and frustrations of a career in education. I know each one of these teachers and have worked with them. At times I have been each one: discouraged, uplifted, supported, disappointed, competent, unable to cope, in control, self-doubting, on top of it, ground under it all. I know these kids and their parents. The show where Michael Rappaport's character tries to deal with feelings aroused in students by use of the "N" word was the finest television drama I have ever seen. I miss Boston Public.

This is the best Drama ever to come to FOX. They have had others, but this one stands out most completely! The story-lines are original, the characters are special, and the writing is great. Around the time of its beginning, FOX needed a good hit, and Boston Public came and surprised viewers.

You'll hear a lot of people complain about Boston Public, calling it stupid or contrived or even sappy. But the sad fact is, it's main failing is that it addresses serious topics for an audience that would rather watch Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. People don't want socially relevant television ... they want South Park entertainment.

Well, it IS a great show. The character development is done with finely tuned precision, making one often forget that they are watching and not actually "there". The people on the show meld into their roles so well that it makes me shudder to think back to High School.

But one thing this show does NOT do is make me want to be a teacher.