Since your journal is titled Storytelling, this show is a good example to analyze.

Without Mr. Minear's open letter showing up on the Net, I wouldn't have known that the Wonderfalls first episode was being rebroadcast.

I admired his work on Angel, which is one of the three shows I watch, so I tuned in.

At it's "What-if" premise level, Wonderfalls is Angel without vampires. A broody loner is giving cryptic messages from non-human messengers. The messages sound like commands to interact with other people. The loner responds, correctly interpreting the information or not, and change or confrontation occurs.

The magic connection doesn't make sense to me. The show directed our attention to the over-hyped local legend about the Maid Of The Mist surrendering to destiny in her canoe over the Falls, and then didn't show the supernatural messages originating from anything connected to indigenous culture.

Later, it hit me: Of course. The leading lady is a drunk. There is no magic, it's all hallucinations.

I think "surrendering to destiny" is for fantasy novels where the stable boy learns he is the prophesied one who must save the throne/kindom/world. I'd rather watch drama where the characters exercise free will, even if they fail. "Destiny" and "prophecy" sound like a writer writing.

Later, it hit me: Of course. The leading lady is a drunk. There is no magic, it's all hallucinations.

Oooh, you really are a professional critic. Lovely jab. As I haven't seen this show yet I can't weigh in, but I'll try to catch it this week and come back with something substantive to say. And, what are the other two shows you watch?

I watch Alias and Gilmore Girls. Can't bring myself to get cable; if I multiply that monthly fee times twelve...I get airfare to Europe, or a subscription to the opera.

And I am a critic; I review opera for small circulation publications (Wagner Societies, a Schubert society).

I did realize that you were a professional opera critic, you must have mentioned it someplace else. And I completely undertand about your priorities when it comes to cable. Although it seems to me an opera subscription must cost less than I thought it did, if cable costs more.