If This is the Best Television Has to Offer, I'll Stick to Reading

I'm going to have to find a new favorite TV show.

For years, I glued myself to NYPD Blue every Tuesday night. I required complete silence from my Daredevil and Drama Princess, and His Nibs was the one who had to take the dog out during every episode. I refused to answer the telephone, even if it was my mother or my sister or Publisher's Clearinghouse calling. Tuesday nights became almost sacred.

Drama Princess got us hooked on Project Runway, so our Wednesday evenings have been devoted to dishing on the talents (or lack thereof) of the up-and-coming and wannabe designers. Wednesday evenings are almost sacred as well, and they're even better because the whole family is in on it.

But NYPD Blue was canceled and Project Runway's fifth season ended recently, so I had to find another show. Somehow, His Nibs and I glommed onto Boston Legal. We'd heard often about how entertaining Denny Crane was, and being childhood Star Trek fans, we decided we could do worse than watch a show starring William Shatner. At first I had trouble getting His Nibs interested. He doesn't like cop shows or lawyer shows, having been one and worked with the other, but since Boston Legal does a very respectable job of not worshiping lawyers (or cops), he's okay with it.

But last night's episode completely soured me on the show.

Today is Election Day. We are in the throes of a very heated, controversial, and highly emotional presidential campaign, which will very shortly end in one of two historically significant results: We will have either our first black President, or our first female Vice President. Either way, there will be celebrating and anger and rejoicing and complaining. Much like past elections. So what does this have to do with Boston Legal, you ask?

Simply put, it was a totally shameless plug for Barack Obama. I don't care about that. Really, I don't. I understand that most of Hollywood is in the Democratic camp, and I'm okay with that. Vote your conscience. It annoyed me that the writers of this episode shoved this into my face, but I also understand that I have power over the situation through my remote control. So it wasn't so much the political volatility that irritated me. It was the way the show portrayed supporters of John McCain. Or rather, the supporter. The only character on the show who was planning to vote for McCain was Denny Crane--or at least, he was the only one stupid enough to admit it.

Now, for those of you who don't follow the show, let me fill you in on a couple of things. Denny Crane has Alzheimer's. Another character, Jerry Espenson, has Asperger's Syndrome. Each character struggles with the outward signs and symptoms of his condition. Each has a close friend who sticks with him and helps him get through the tough episodes. The difference is that Jerry's little tics and nervous "pops" and use of "props" are endearing; we find ourselves admiring his perseverance and tenacity in getting through each day; we sympathize with him, we feel compassion for him. And we applaud his friend for seeing what a great guy he is and standing up for him.

Denny Crane's Alzheimer's, on the other hand, makes him ridiculous. He has a reputation as a womanizer; he's always had that. But now it is greatly exaggerated. Now he is a perverted skirt-chaser, a handsy pig with an addled brain, who also carries a gun (last night it was a paint gun, which he used to emphasize his point against Alan in an argument about politics) and who, in response to Alan's demand, gave two reasons why he would be voting for McCain: Salmon and women. Of course, since his brain is slowly wasting away, he gave the most inane explanations for his "reasons." And naturally, in his one moment of clarity (and people in the early stages of Alzheimer's do have those from time to time), he jumped the aisle and voted for the other candidate.

Salmon and women???

It was disgusting. It was blatantly insulting on two fronts: One, it made a mockery of one of the most insidious diseases known to modern man, turning this particular victim into a laughingstock, someone whose mind is so eroded that he is not to be taken seriously--until he casts the vote not for McCain, of course. Two, it implied that those who support John McCain in this election are idiots and fools who are incapable of presenting a cogent argument in their own defense (which begs the question of why these voters are being called upon to defend their choice at all). I noticed that not once did Denny Crane (or anyone else) demand that Alan Shore (or anyone else) give two good reasons for voting for Obama (whose name I don't remember as being actually mentioned in this episode at all, interestingly enough).

I know it's just a television show--one in its final season, from what I hear, so I'd have to find a new favorite anyway. But television is a powerful medium, and in a world where many people have a hard time separating fantasy from reality, last night's Boston Legal episode struck me as not just an irresponsible attack on John McCain and his supporters, but also a frankly inaccurate depiction of Alzheimer's victims. Ask anyone--including members of my family--who have in any way been touched by this nightmare of an illness.

The writers of this episode should be ashamed, but I doubt that they would see it that way. I think I'll just go back to books.