Heavy Meta

I'm not generally a fan of 'spoofs' or parodies. There are a few greats of course, like Young Frankenstein, but even the well-regarded ones like the Naked Gun series back in the day aren't ones I was ever crazy about. There are some funny jokes and good performances, but to sit through an entire one of those movies felt like a chore the last few times I've been around when someone's watching them.

And don't get me started on those 'Scary Movie', 'Meet the Spartans', etc parody flicks. Sweet mercy. Painful.

But I am a huge fan of, I guess you'd call it "meta" stuff…when it's done well. Like anything, it can be done badly or well.

I've been wondering if it's because I CARE about the characters, even when the piece is clearly mocking the conventions and structure of fiction. It's struck me twice, recently:

In the two series of "Wet Hot American Summer", (which none of my friends enjoy at all, sadly) I loved the very odd sensibility and sense of humor, and the 'turning upside down' of structure and playing with the fact that it's a series, and a screenplay. It's done in a clever way, and a quirky way, which I enjoyed a lot. There isn't a much more meta-series around that I know of.

Yet at the end of the last series, with the last character resolution or two (including the very last shot of the series - no spoilers; it would be meaningless to know anyway, unless you see the two series and maybe the movie - I actually cheered. It made me so happy, despite the way the series regularly reminded the viewer that this was a "fake series". I still had that attachment to the characters and their plight.

Don't get me wrong; SNL or Monty Python or Late-Night skits don't get to me. There is meta stuff that's just meta. I like it but it doesn't usually touch the emotional part of me. But some other stuff does.

Then again, teen girl squad does not affect me emotionally, other than making me laugh.

Hmm. This newspost is a bit scattered. Do you like "meta"? What are some of the shows/pieces you like? Can you explain Meta better than I have, here?


Happy Thursday!

Banes