in

The Fault in Our Stars comes to TV

Photo provided by en.wikipedia.org
Photo provided by en.wikipedia.org

Fox’s newest primetime show, Red Band Society, aims to break tv norms this fall. This dramedy centers around a group of teenagers confined to a hospital and their various medical conditions.
James Hibberd, a reviewer from Entertainment Weekly, compared the idea of the show to the New York Times bestseller, The Fault in Our Stars.
“Industry insiders have been skeptical that the concept would be a reliable draw, despite the topicality of the similarly themed book and film The Fault in Our Stars,” Hibberd said. “Nobody wants to be watching sick, dying kids on primetime television.”
I think that the idea of a group of sick kids who live their lives in a long-term pediatric ward will likely have some initial difficulty attracting viewership. However, once viewers become emotionally attached to each of the characters, the show will become an immediate sensation. Grey’s Anatomy, a mid-season replacement for ABC’s 2004-2005 fall season faced similar skepticism, but is still running after ten years with decent viewership.
Steven Spielberg, executive producer for Red Band Society, attempted to ease the concerns of losing main characters to their illnesses this early into the show, but nonetheless the idea remains unnerving.
“No body count will accompany the first season,” Spielberg said.
This dramedy will show teenagers who have fatal illnesses and some very deep emotions on sadness and anger, but Red Band Society is also about the liberation and understanding what fatal illnesses do, especially to teens. To accompany the unique perspective sure to come of this series, this new show boasts a cast of strong actors, such as Octavia Spencer, Dave Annable, Charlie Rowe, and Nolan Sotillo.
You may not recognize the name Octavia Spencer immediately, but you may remember her character Minnie from The Help.
In this role, however, she portrays the lead nurse of the pediatric ward – and with the sass she’s dealt in the past, she’ll no doubt be a harsh yet loving character in the lives of the children spending time in the hospital.
Red Band Society has also attracted many positive reviews and despite skepticism among critics, I personally believe that this show will capture the demographics of teenagers and liberal adults.

Written by Vivek Monteiro

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *