ABC Family's new teen dramady Huge is an interesting commentary on the usual teen sitcom. You've got all the usual characters: The rebel, the shy one, the popular one, the nerd, the cool black guy. . .It's almost like The Breakfast Club. If John Hughes set it at a fat camp.
Ever heard of fat camp? My boyfriend thought I was kidding, but they are real, Virginia. I've watched the fat camp documentaries on MTV. Combine that sensitive element with My So Called Life creator Winnie Holtzman (I mean she wrote the book for the musical Wicked, c'mon!) and you have a show that can either be a catalyst for acceptance or a big fat joke.
I'd like it to be successful. There is a winning lead character in Nikki Blonsky who plays Will, a tough as nails fat girl who doesn't want to have to change her size to gain acceptance from her family. You know she is rebellious because she wears Converse and has blue streaks in her hair. There is a pretty blond in Hayley Hasselhoff, who is Will's sometimes nemesis Amber. There is a guy who looks like Seth Rogen- strike while the iron's hot, dude! You could actually have a career in Hollywood as is!
The story line of the first episode dealt with binge eating, bulimia, body loathing and acceptance, and of course liking boys and makeup, all that jazz. If handled correctly, this show could be a great way for families to talk about these issues with their heavy and not heavy kids. They could learn about body issues and the right way to treat others.
I'm worried that the show may promote an "I love my unhealthy body" message. When the head of the camp assured a camper that the purpose of the camp wasn't to have them hate their bodies but to make their bodies healthy, it was scoffed at. I am all about loving yourself, love handles and all, but I am about living a full and healthy life. Showing kids buying Twinkies on the black market to snub their noses at their parents for "making" them lose weight is kind of an F U to the food revolution, you know?
I will keep watching to see what happens- will Will decide that fat camp is for her? Will the campers hook up? Will they lose the weight and keep it off? Or will that mean the show only lasts 8 episodes?
It is summer. I guess I'll have to. My job is so HARD!
Ever heard of fat camp? My boyfriend thought I was kidding, but they are real, Virginia. I've watched the fat camp documentaries on MTV. Combine that sensitive element with My So Called Life creator Winnie Holtzman (I mean she wrote the book for the musical Wicked, c'mon!) and you have a show that can either be a catalyst for acceptance or a big fat joke.
I'd like it to be successful. There is a winning lead character in Nikki Blonsky who plays Will, a tough as nails fat girl who doesn't want to have to change her size to gain acceptance from her family. You know she is rebellious because she wears Converse and has blue streaks in her hair. There is a pretty blond in Hayley Hasselhoff, who is Will's sometimes nemesis Amber. There is a guy who looks like Seth Rogen- strike while the iron's hot, dude! You could actually have a career in Hollywood as is!
The story line of the first episode dealt with binge eating, bulimia, body loathing and acceptance, and of course liking boys and makeup, all that jazz. If handled correctly, this show could be a great way for families to talk about these issues with their heavy and not heavy kids. They could learn about body issues and the right way to treat others.
I'm worried that the show may promote an "I love my unhealthy body" message. When the head of the camp assured a camper that the purpose of the camp wasn't to have them hate their bodies but to make their bodies healthy, it was scoffed at. I am all about loving yourself, love handles and all, but I am about living a full and healthy life. Showing kids buying Twinkies on the black market to snub their noses at their parents for "making" them lose weight is kind of an F U to the food revolution, you know?
I will keep watching to see what happens- will Will decide that fat camp is for her? Will the campers hook up? Will they lose the weight and keep it off? Or will that mean the show only lasts 8 episodes?
It is summer. I guess I'll have to. My job is so HARD!
Posts
It's a fine line between "I love my fat body" and "I don't love my fat body, so I therefore need to lose weight." I'm curious to see where they go with it. I enjoyed the first episode, and I loved Will's character. The perfect, believable blend of teen rebellion with unhappiness and angst with a healthy dose of self-confidence.
ReplyDelete