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Reviews
Stump! (2012)
STUMP! Ready for the Next President?
What if the next president of the United States is chosen on a reality TV show? All the candidates live in one big house at "1600 Stump Street." The candidates have to undergo personal and grueling mental and physical challenges, compete as teams along party lines and demonstrate diplomatic bi-partisanship. Yeah, they wish. Eight ruthless (and sometimes clueless) back-biting political strangers fighting to the end, hoping to reach the coveted goal - President of the United States of America.
Had these people met on the sidewalk, they would have sneered, ignored each other and walked the other way. But in the STUMP! House, they are forced to try to be, well at least in theory, civilized.
Past president Amelia Worth, (The first woman astronaut AND president known to have Tourette Syndrome) played by Janet Wood (Young and the Restless, Foul Play) mentors the candidates, to be "At their '&*@&*%' best." Cedric and Fredrick (played by veteran actors Andy Forrest and Andrew Collins) provide the Dog News anchor desk commentary. News Babe Candi Cotton (played by Katharine Charbonnet) mediates the candidates in the STUMP! House. Frustrated field reporter Charlie Shankoff (played by Franklin J. Sterns) provides field reports, when he is not "drunk or sleeping it off." And then of course, there are the candidates. Catfights and surprises and massive comedy follow the candidates through their endeavors.
Watching STUMP! is a great relief from watching TV News, and following the November 2012 election. I vote for
..STUMP!
The Ten Commandments (2005)
I applaud the effort.....kind of.
It is difficult to compete against classic greatness, but once you make that choice and the decision is in play, you need find the best and brightest resources to keep your product top drawer, and on the cutting edge of quality. If your intention is to aim for second or third (or fourth) best, why even try? It is with that, I wonder why this version of the Ten Commandments was written, produced, and aired. I would ask the producers, "What were you thinking? Were you endeavoring to create a projected deficit?" If perhaps the producers were thinking, "We want to examine this biblical story from another point of view..." Then I would say "OK, I watched the show, now what's the point of view?" The premise of this "possible point of view theory" eludes me. I can generally watch programs, and (right or wrong) at least get a sense of what the creators were trying to accomplish. Not so, here. I recognize names such as "Robert Halmi" (the producer) and I can associate his work with some eye catching product; Tin Man, Earthsea, Flash Gordon, Jason and the Argonauts. Low budget entertainment based on myth, history and comic book entertainment. A perfect genre for Sci-Fi Channel. So I still have to ask Robert Halmi..."What was the point of THIS Ten Commandments, What WERE you thinking?"
FJS