The award-winning NPR radio show, This American Life, is headed for the small screen next month on Showtime. Their six-episode run begins March 22.
In this week's The Phoenix, Boston's alternative newsweekly, seems disappointed at the demystification that comes with seeing:
Given Glass's obsessive standards, you might assume the television show is exactly what he promised us at the Opera House: a unique entity that "looks and feels like nothing else on TV." Not only does it fall short of delivering that, it lacks the magical quality that makes the radio program such a joy to listen to each week.
The Wizard of Oz knew what he was doing when he hid himself away in a tiny room with a big microphone. Some things are far grander when they're heard and never seen.
"This American Life" on TV achieves the same contemplative mood as the radio show. And it has a striking spareness of imagery, much as "Life" on radio has a spareness of sound.
And in New York? Well, a year ago, they were setting the bar low:
If Glass can lure even half of his radio show's 1.7 million weekly listeners to TV, Showtime will consider it a hit.
I've recommended the main trailer here; other videos are linked at the official site referenced above.
