Friday, March 21, 2008

It's All Greek To Me

And before I disappear for the long weekend, at least for us in Canada, I hear some of you don't get it off in the States? What? Aren't you guys supposed to be even MORE into the religious stuff than we are?

Well, you definitely are into the fraternities and sororities WAY more than we are in Canada. Where the Greek system is barely existent on Canadian campuses, it seems to be a huge thing in America, or at least in movies and what we hear about future politicians.

So I just have to mention that Greek will return on Monday for more new episodes and that this long weekend (for those of us that have it) is a perfect time to catch up on the Season 1 DVD's.

The new Season Premiere starts on Monday March. 24th at 8pm on ABCFamily although apparently it's billed as Season 1 Part 2, but Greek has been renewed for an actual season 2 as well!.

I didn't catch the first season last summer when it aired on ABCFamily (and sometimes ABC) but I finally watched it this winter and loved every frothy candy coated moment. It's not deep or anything but it does of Clark Duke (of Michael and Clark)! As a southern confederate bible thumping engineering nerd no less! Ah, and the stereotypes keep coming! (Seriously, I need to visit more of middle America to check it out, because personally in my case, I loved what I've visited (especially you guys Minesotans and Oregonians! I'd move there in a heartbeat if you had work in my industry!))

So yeah, maybe it's my rose-coloured view on typical "America" and the nostalgic look (even though I've never actually experienced it) at fraternities and sororities, but Disney's soapy but clean (yet somewhat progressive, aka, has gay content that doesn't fall into fey stereotypes) look at the Greek system just helps glorify everything I imagined living in (white) America would be (while it helps to ignore anything associated with words like Bush, Iraq, and religious ignorants).

It's a pretty simple premise. Rusty (an endearing wide-eyed Jacob Zachar) starts university and wants to join a frat to be cool. His sister Casey (Spencer Kelsey, daughter of Frasier, and totally delightful) is already cool and heading towards a probable presidency within her own sorority. She's dating the perfect guy with perfect breeding Evan (Jake McDormand) and fighting off her instincts against her slacker ex, Cappie (the charming Scott Michael Foster).

There's Rusty's new friend Calvin (Paul James), who together, try to rush, and fall in different houses, conveniently under rivals Evan and Cappie. The girls at Zeta Beta have their own politics, between weaving their way through the boys of rivals Omega Chi and Kappa Tau to getting the biggest room and the next leadership. It all becomes a surprisingly fresh, funny and entertaining soap that is both light in flavour without being stupid. Silly maybe, stupid, no. Greek likes to throw the stereotypes at you, and then twist it just enough to change your stereotypes.

In case you haven't seen the series I won't spill the spoilers for the ending of season 1, but it looks like Alan Rudd (Spin City, Ferris Bueller's Day Off) will be around for this next upcoming season and I can't wait to spend more time with the Greek boys and girls.

As someone that sort of laughed at the whole greek system during university, I can't believe I just said that!

1 comment:

The CineManiac said...

I love, Love, LOVE Greek and can't wait for Monday for a HIMYM/Greek night of fun! (plus Greek Marathon all day!!!!)