Messages for Bedford Falls?

[danguyf]

As Jason has referenced elsewhere, this Friday a crew is going out to Bedford Falls to interview the creative team behind "My So-Called Life" (among other quality television shows and feature films).

As a little token of our thanks to them for all the show has meant to us, we'd like to give them a collection of notes and letters from you, the fans. If you would like to send them any words of thanks and appreciation, you may reply in this thread or email me (<a href="mailto:dan@mscl.com">dan@mscl.com</a>).

Submissions must be made by Wednesday 4/24/02 to give us time to have them printed and bound. Time is short so tell all of your friends who might not check this forum regularly!

We reserve the right to edit your submissions for spelling, grammar, punctuation (I'll leave your captalization as if, but misplaced commas and contractions lacking apostophes are right out), and possibly length. Please do not use l33tspeak. Please do not send your screenplay. Please do not just say "I LUV JARED" ninety-nine times. ^_^

[Brainiac]

To the creative minds who graced the small screen with 'My So-Called Life',

Thank you for giving us such an insightful, thought-provoking, and evocative program. The lessons and stories from the series remain as relevant to me today as when I first viewed them in 1994-1995, during my own awkward adolescent stage as a sophomore in high school. Your creation of real characters that people can relate to, regardless of age or time removed from the original filming, is what keeps a special place in my heart for 'My So-Called Life.' Through the dialogue you were able to create a voice and a means of expression for countless viewers -- quotes I immediately jotted down in my journal the night I saw an episode still hit home. You captured thoughts that I myself felt but could not put into words or did not have the courage to admit, yet hearing the characters' frank statements spoke to my heart and helped me work through my own issues. Those words ring true to this day, even as I continue to grapple with similar dilemmas in different manifestations. In particular I want to commend you for your depictions of Angela Chase and Brian Krakow -- I relate wholeheartedly with the latter, and he gave intellectually astute yet socially clueless romantics such as myself a glimmer of hope and taught us about being true to oneself and realizing one's dreams. (I was basically a female version of Brian Krakow, right down to being the future valedictorian, the hopeless crush, not having the option of insanity, and pondering the fact that, 'I mean, people pairing off...into couples. It's like...I wasn't expecting it, or something, like, like, did we cover this, was I absent that day?' You captured brainiacs PERFECTLY!)

I never understood the idea that ratings were originally poor for the series because it was all anybody in my high school could talk about the next day after the previous night's episode. I, along with scores of others, was of course crushed when the series ended. Yet in some strange way I do feel that it was appropriate to leave so many things unresolved in that amazing final episode -- although we can vicariously live through the characters to a certain extent because we relate so keenly to them, we have to write our own endings. 'My So-Called Life' helped us to dream -- finding our own niche in the world, crushing after that special somebody with the hopes of reciprocation, and the overall quest of belonging -- and the continuation of that dream empowered us with the responsibility to realize those dreams.

Sincerely,
Leah A.
p.s. Question: notwithstanding what I wrote above, is there ANY chance of having a 'My So-Called Life' reunion episode? or some sort of continuation of the series? or at least hearing how you would have liked to resolve the program?

'There's something about my life. It's just automatically true that nothing actually happens.'

[Jason R]

If you are gonna have all of the creators in a room, I'd ask them where they think the show would have went. Where would characters be today?

[danguyf]

That's a post for the "Question for Bedford Falls." thread, not this one! =9

[Jason R]

Tell them that I am going to beat up the Nielsen families, then.

[kenickie]

You made me feel normal, you gave me strength through the hard times (of which there have been many), you changed my life. It is such a tragedy that shows like this one are taken off the air, but now, thanks to everyone involved we no longer have to watch dodgy tapes from the t.v. we can savour my so-called life on dvd forever. To the people who made/starred in the show : You helped me, alot. Thankyou.

Let's make the memories, that dreamers only claim,
But it's hard, when the world knows your name.

[RyeBlume]

Wow Brainiac! What an amazing letter. Kudos to you.

[danguyf]

I've written about my love for "My So-Called Life" in many places on-line. If I were lazy, I would track one of them down and just paste it here. If I was ambitious, I would track all of them down and paste them here in chronological order, so that you might see my love for the show as it changed and shifted over time. I would rather write something new to you, though, something current.

There are many things that could be praised about "My So-Called Life", but I will concentrate on one. When I first began watching the show, from the very first episode and quickly increasing, I loathed Patty. She made me so upset. And somewhere between "Strangers In the House" and "Other People's Daughters", I finally gave in to loving her. I understood her. That, to me, is the greatness of the show in a nutshell. You took radically diverse characters and then, slowly, began to show us how ultimately similar they all were. Angela and Patty, Rayanne and Sharon, Brian and Rickie, Danielle and Sharon, Angela and Rickie, Rayanne and Patty, Angela and Sharon, Brian and Graham -- it goes on and on. I started the show identifying with Angela and Brian; I ended the show identifying with every major character.

I was a sophomore in high school during the run of the show. It was the highlight of my Thursday nights. Thursday was the day I had my violin/viola lesson, and knowledge that I would soon be watching MSCL was the only thing that got me through it some nights. (Love to play, hated my manipulative instructor.)

Your characters were more real to me than those of any show I'd seen previous. It made me feel that I was understood. It was tangible proof of a sort that I was not the only one thinking these thoughts, going through these trials -- and, what's more, that those I perceived as trying me were, themselves, going through such things. It gave me a new sense of empathy and understanding for the world around me. It humanized my parents for me.

I'm a parent now. My son is ten and a half months old. I hope that, when he is a sophomore in high school, he will have a show that impacts him, and brings him closer to his parents, as "My So-Called Life" did for me. (And, should the 2014 television season not present such a show, well, I'll have MSCL on DVD.)

[danguyf]

leave your email address with your message (or email it to me with your username here) and i'll append that to your message.

[Guest]

Thank you so much for making My So-Called Life. It seems a little strange to say a tv show changed my life, but it's the flat-out truth. As much as any friend, or family member, or event, could have touched me, and challenged me, and made me grow, My So-Called Life did. You guys created a tremendous television series, which I think as time goes on, will be recognized as far more than that. What you accomplished with My So-Called Life is something usually reserved for novels, or paintings, or plays- things referred to as "art". Thank you for showing us that television can be elevated to such an inspiring level. Thank you for letting us know the world you created. Thank you for changing my life.

showell@saffire.com

[Guest]

It's too rare to find a show that will take the world by the scruff of its neck, make it think about itself, shake it up a bit, then leave, and all within six months.<P>Such was MY SO-CALLED LIFE, a show that challenged stereotypes, questioned uncritical thinking, proved that the "in" crowd and the "out" crowd are interchangable -- and lost its network slot because it did all these things so well it hurt.<P>The Greatest Serial Drama In The World, Ever.
<P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;-- iain weaver

[K-man]

To everyone who brought us My So Called Life:
Thank you eternally for giving us 19 magical episodes of absolute perfection! 19 episodes which set the standard that all other shows before and since can only hope to begin to emulate. I was 30 years old and far removed from high-school the first time I watched My So Called Life but it influenced me immediately and hasn't let go since. My So Called Life has meant nothing but happiness to me since the first time I watched it. You took a group of not-so-well-known actors and actresses and turned them into our friends, our teachers, our parents and someone we could all relate to. While most television strives for the "Larger Than Life" story lines and the unbelievable, you tore everything down to the bare nuts-and-bolts. Boys, girls, Moms, Dads, sisters, school, relationships, and the result was a masterpiece. No other show has ever even come close. This is the best show ever!


So my feeling is, whatever happens, happens. K-man

[dTheater]

Brainiac, you nailed it. About how we lived vicariously through the characters because they were so relatable and we loved them so much, they didn't seem like actors playing characters but actual people we knew, and we couldn't bear them leaving us so we had to "write our own endings."

- jim

Kaytee Bodle: Girl With Guitar
http://girlwithguitar.0catch.com/

[Guest]

This show has been a big deal for a lot of people for a long time (me included) so I just want to acknowledge that. Thank you.