Chicago Fire - Curious, Anyone Else Not Bothering To Sample This One?

[jess stone]

Tonight I'm watching Survivor, Modern (recording), The Neighbors
(recording) and recording Nashville for Summer '13 viewing but have
zero interest in Fire.

[Jim T.]

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 08:14:42 -0700, jess stone <jess...@gmail.com>
wrote:

>Tonight I'm watching Survivor, Modern (recording), The Neighbors
>(recording) and recording Nashville for Summer '13 viewing but have
>zero interest in Fire.

But you'll be missing such brilliant original dialog like "Go Home".
"I am Home". And every fire fighter looks like a supermodel, just like
they do in real life! What more could you want? :)

[Ian J. Ball]

In article <814b78h1mll5n974v...@4ax.com>,

I will sample - I think this is the one in which Shiri Appleby comes on
later as a recurring character.

--
"Surf-crazed aliens... Of course." - Amber, "Alien Surf Girls",
Episode #1.1, "Wipeout".
Wait a minute... "Of course"?! "*Of course*"?!! Did I miss a step here??!!

[jess stone]

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 08:30:43 -0700, "Ian J. Ball"
<ijball-...@mac.invalid> wrote:

>I will sample - I think this is the one in which Shiri Appleby comes on
>later as a recurring character.

OMG! : ) I believe her participation was discussed here at another
time and I forgot. IMDB shows nothing yet. Kindly keep me posted if
you're still watching when she shows up.

[Steve Bartman]

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 08:14:42 -0700, jess stone <jess...@gmail.com>
wrote:

>Tonight I'm watching Survivor, Modern (recording), The Neighbors
>(recording) and recording Nashville for Summer '13 viewing but have
>zero interest in Fire.

No interest until they have five guys with beer guts and big
moustaches in the fire house. And a lot of farting. I've seen the
previews and there aren't that many pretty people in the Chicago
metroplex, let alone in one fire station.


Steve

[Obveeus]

You know, the same thing could be said about LAST RESORT with respect to
submarine crews.

[bermuda999]

I previewed the final episode.

Mrs. O'Leary's cow did it.

[jess stone]

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:24:21 GMT, anonymous
<VForVe...@portman.natalie.invalid> wrote:


>BUT.. the question I have...
>
>Why would you download a/o record shows to watch next summer,
>*especially* a /NEW/ show which may not make it a full season ? ?

I have much more disposable time in the Summer months to watch
television. Frankly if it does not make it past December or even next
week that is never an issue. There are so many choices for
entertainment these days. I just like to have options.

[David]

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 08:14:42 -0700, jess stone <jess...@gmail.com>
wrote:

>Tonight I'm watching Survivor, Modern (recording), The Neighbors
>(recording) and recording Nashville for Summer '13 viewing but have
>zero interest in Fire.

It doesn't look like there's anything more to it than "firefighters at
work." Not the type of show I care to make room in the schedule for.

"Nashville"s concept doesn't interest me but it's been getting
universally positive reviews so I'll try it.

[Mason Barge]

Are you saying that tv shows commonly hire people who are better-looking
than in real life?

[Obveeus]

They always do that, but some shows are worse than others. LAST RESORT
stands out most of all the new shows, IMO...though I did notice it in the
CHICAGO FIRE promos as well.

[One Eyed Jerry]

I got to watch CF on HULU+ and my reaction was "MEH". The show "TRAUMA",
which NBC canceled, was MUCH better.

[Tony Calguire]

jess stone <jess...@gmail.com> wrote in
news:814b78h1mll5n974v...@4ax.com:

> Tonight I'm watching Survivor, Modern (recording), The Neighbors
> (recording) and recording Nashville for Summer '13 viewing but have
> zero interest in Fire.
>

I'm always willing to at least sample any paramedic or firefighter drama
just to see if it might be a worthy successor to EMERGENCY!, my favorite
show when I was a little kid. So far, the WB's RESCUE 77 was merely OK, I
never really cared for THIRD WATCH, and TRAUMA was promising.

(According to the PR, the fire station on Chicago Fire is "Firehouse 51".
So that's a good start).

[David]

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 13:07:59 -0400, "Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:

>"Mason Barge" <mason...@gmail.com> wrote:

>> Are you saying that tv shows commonly hire people who are better-looking
>> than in real life?
>
>They always do that, but some shows are worse than others. LAST RESORT
>stands out most of all the new shows, IMO...though I did notice it in the
>CHICAGO FIRE promos as well.

The promos make me wonder how Jesse Spencer isn't bored yet.

[Steve Bartman]

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 12:24:57 -0400, "Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:

>

Nah. We're all gorgeous.

But there IS a lot of farting.

Steve

[Steve Bartman]

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:24:21 GMT, anonymous
<VForVe...@portman.natalie.invalid> wrote:

>Ok.. record and sample, and if its picked up OK.. but if it gets canceled
>during the season what then?? I could see if you did this with say Big
>Bang Theory or other established show which is likely to return Fall
>2013... but a BRAND NEW show?

I only finished watching "PanAm" six weeks ago.

Steve

[Obveeus]

"Steve Bartman" <sbar...@visi.com> wrote in message
news:rqhb78da8jl173jku...@4ax.com...

Inside a closed sardine can? Good thing you guys don't have matches.

[Steve Bartman]

The air was a lot cleaner than outside. Even with people smoking.

Steve

[jess stone]

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:10:18 -0500, Steve Bartman <sbar...@visi.com>
wrote:

>I only finished watching "PanAm" six weeks ago.

That's funny if you are kidding but on the oft chance you were serious
PanAm was one of the shows that I recorded for this past Summer's
viewing pleasure and I barely got through one ep before dumping the
remaining unwatched efforts.

[Obveeus]

"Steve Bartman" <sbar...@visi.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 15:28:37 -0400, "Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Steve Bartman" <sbar...@visi.com> wrote in message
>>news:rqhb78da8jl173jku...@4ax.com...
>>> On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 12:24:57 -0400, "Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>>"Steve Bartman" <sbar...@visi.com> wrote:
>>>>> On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 08:14:42 -0700, jess stone <jess...@gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>Tonight I'm watching Survivor, Modern (recording), The Neighbors
>>>>>>(recording) and recording Nashville for Summer '13 viewing but have
>>>>>>zero interest in Fire.
>>>>>
>>>>> No interest until they have five guys with beer guts and big
>>>>> moustaches in the fire house. And a lot of farting. I've seen the
>>>>> previews and there aren't that many pretty people in the Chicago
>>>>> metroplex, let alone in one fire station.
>>>>
>>>>You know, the same thing could be said about LAST RESORT with respect to
>>>>submarine crews.
>>>>
>>> Nah. We're all gorgeous.
>>>
>>> But there IS a lot of farting.
>>
>>Inside a closed sardine can? Good thing you guys don't have matches.
>>
> The air was a lot cleaner than outside. Even with people smoking.

Smoking? I thought they stopped allowing that on subs a long time ago.

[Steve Bartman]

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 15:39:13 -0400, "Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:

>
>"Steve Bartman" <sbar...@visi.com> wrote:
>> On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 15:28:37 -0400, "Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>"Steve Bartman" <sbar...@visi.com> wrote in message
>>>news:rqhb78da8jl173jku...@4ax.com...
>>>> On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 12:24:57 -0400, "Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>"Steve Bartman" <sbar...@visi.com> wrote:
>>>>>> On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 08:14:42 -0700, jess stone <jess...@gmail.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Tonight I'm watching Survivor, Modern (recording), The Neighbors
>>>>>>>(recording) and recording Nashville for Summer '13 viewing but have
>>>>>>>zero interest in Fire.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> No interest until they have five guys with beer guts and big
>>>>>> moustaches in the fire house. And a lot of farting. I've seen the
>>>>>> previews and there aren't that many pretty people in the Chicago
>>>>>> metroplex, let alone in one fire station.
>>>>>
>>>>>You know, the same thing could be said about LAST RESORT with respect to
>>>>>submarine crews.
>>>>>
>>>> Nah. We're all gorgeous.
>>>>
>>>> But there IS a lot of farting.
>>>
>>>Inside a closed sardine can? Good thing you guys don't have matches.
>>>
>> The air was a lot cleaner than outside. Even with people smoking.
>
>Smoking? I thought they stopped allowing that on subs a long time ago.
>

I was in subs a long time ago. :)

But the electrostatic precipitators could handle it just fine.

Steve

[Steve Bartman]

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 12:37:06 -0700, jess stone <jess...@gmail.com>
wrote:

Not kidding. I enjoyed the series a great deal, but then I was alive
in 1963.

Steve

[Obveeus]

Except for those non-smokers in the immediate vicinity.
Side note: Did the electrostatic precipitators clear out the gunk from the
air or just cause it to stick to the walls? Some of those home air cleaner
systems just seem to provide a static charge to the grime which then sticks
to everything near the device.

[jess stone]

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:19:56 -0500, Steve Bartman <sbar...@visi.com>

wrote:

>On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 12:37:06 -0700, jess stone <jess...@gmail.com>
>wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:10:18 -0500, Steve Bartman <sbar...@visi.com>

>...but then I was alive in 1963.

Is that you, Grandpa? : )

[Hunter]

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 10:51:06 -0500, Steve Bartman <sbar...@visi.com>
wrote:

-------
Damn, if that is your standard then I guess you will never watch tv.
In this case the closest you are describing is "Lou" on "Rescue Me".
Who wants to look at a bunch of guy's like that?

Plus I have seen plenty firemen in real life. Only a tiny minority are
like that. You have to be a really fit man to be on a job like that
despite what you apparently think.

Also who cares about the men? I like the georgeous Latina Paramedic
who was on "Lie To Me".

------>Hunter

"No man in the wrong can stand up against
a fellow that's in the right and keeps on acomin'."

-----William J. McDonald
Captain, Texas Rangers from 1891 to 1907

[Steve Bartman]

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 17:34:42 -0400, "Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:


>Except for those non-smokers in the immediate vicinity.

True, but in those days we weren't so grossed out by people smoking
nearby. It was just a background noise. You never would have
complained about someone smoking at a nearby table in a restaurant, at
least in the south.

These days I can smell a cig sixty feet away at an outdoor event, and
I'll move. But when I was a kid my folks smoked in the car with only
the wing-windows open and it was "normal."

>Side note: Did the electrostatic precipitators clear out the gunk from the
>air or just cause it to stick to the walls? Some of those home air cleaner
>systems just seem to provide a static charge to the grime which then sticks
>to everything near the device.

These were nuclear-powered precipitators. The concern was the
electronics, not the people. Those suckers blasted smoke, dust, and
especially grease droplets from the deep fat fryer into component
atoms. Air flows through them were a stiff, roaring wind, not the
gentle breeze of a household furnace fan. The residue was trapped and
cleaned by A-gangers during weekly field day.

Besides precipitators we had CO2 scrubbers, CO burners, pure O2 bleed,
and activated charcoal beds to eat organic odors from the heads and
galley. Also, a thousand miles at sea, ventilation at PD brought in
some sweet, sweet air. Partial pressures were also measured every hour
and when any gas component got out of whack it was fixed.

The air was very, very good. I remember coming out the hatch in Kings
Bay after one patrol, several months underwater. It was 95 degrees,
the humidity was about 85, and there was a stench of rotting organic
matter and diesel smoke. I literally gagged.


Steve

[Steve Bartman]

On Thu, 11 Oct 2012 06:25:50 GMT, Hunter <buffh...@my-deja.com>
(Hunter) wrote:

>On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 10:51:06 -0500, Steve Bartman <sbar...@visi.com>
>wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 08:14:42 -0700, jess stone <jess...@gmail.com>
>>wrote:
>>
>>>Tonight I'm watching Survivor, Modern (recording), The Neighbors
>>>(recording) and recording Nashville for Summer '13 viewing but have
>>>zero interest in Fire.
>>
>>No interest until they have five guys with beer guts and big
>>moustaches in the fire house. And a lot of farting. I've seen the
>>previews and there aren't that many pretty people in the Chicago
>>metroplex, let alone in one fire station.
>-------
>Damn, if that is your standard then I guess you will never watch tv.
>In this case the closest you are describing is "Lou" on "Rescue Me".
>Who wants to look at a bunch of guy's like that?
>
>Plus I have seen plenty firemen in real life. Only a tiny minority are
>like that. You have to be a really fit man to be on a job like that
>despite what you apparently think.
>
>Also who cares about the men? I like the georgeous Latina Paramedic
>who was on "Lie To Me".

To each his own. I can see fire fighters with my own lyin' eyes--the
firehouse is half a mile from the house--and they don't look like
House Boy.

Steve

[Steve Bartman]

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 15:00:52 -0700, jess stone <jess...@gmail.com>

wrote:

>On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:19:56 -0500, Steve Bartman <sbar...@visi.com>
>wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 12:37:06 -0700, jess stone <jess...@gmail.com>
>>wrote:
>>
>>>On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:10:18 -0500, Steve Bartman <sbar...@visi.com>
>
>>...but then I was alive in 1963.
>
>Is that you, Grandpa? : )

Yes, truly it is rare for one to be in his 50s. :)

Steve

[Steve Bartman]

On Thu, 11 Oct 2012 02:12:10 GMT, anonymous
<VForVe...@portman.natalie.invalid> wrote:

>On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 15:00:52 -0700, jess stone wrote:
>
>> Is that you, Grandpa? : )
>

>I was not alive in 1963 and enjoyed the show immensely and better than
>many of my other favorites

And delicious irony that its replacement is doing worse. "PanAm"
needed new writers, but it was a great platform to explore the world
in that era. Far more expansive than "Mad Men."

Steve

[Mason Barge]

On Thu, 11 Oct 2012 08:56:15 -0500, Steve Bartman <sbar...@visi.com>
wrote:

>On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 17:34:42 -0400, "Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
>
>
>>Except for those non-smokers in the immediate vicinity.
>
>True, but in those days we weren't so grossed out by people smoking
>nearby. It was just a background noise. You never would have
>complained about someone smoking at a nearby table in a restaurant, at
>least in the south.

Geez, when I started college, we'd walk into the classroom, slap down the
pack of Marlboros and the Zippo on the desk, and light up at will. Ashes
and butts went on the floor!

[Obveeus]

"Steve Bartman" <sbar...@visi.com> wrote:

> On Thu, 11 Oct 2012 06:25:50 GMT, Hunter <buffh...@my-deja.com>
> (Hunter) wrote:
>>Plus I have seen plenty firemen in real life. Only a tiny minority are
>>like that. You have to be a really fit man to be on a job like that
>>despite what you apparently think.

> To each his own. I can see fire fighters with my own lyin' eyes--the
> firehouse is half a mile from the house

Is there anyone living in non-rural America that doesn't have a firehouse
within a mile or so of their house? If there is any single place where
taxpayer money is most wasted, it is with local taxes paying for
firemen/firehicles/fire stations. All the laws were set up in the late
1800s when everything was build of wood and built inches apart from
everything else. Now, people are just continuing to pay for a huge amount
of 'wasted overhead'...though it has gotten a bit better now that they are
being cross-trained to EMT status.

>--and they don't look like House Boy.

Agreed, though I will say that the police and EMTs are far more
fat/old/weak/undersized/incapable of physical efforts compared with firemen.

[Obveeus]

I sure am glad this country offers people less individual freedom than 'the
good old days'.

> Ashes and butts went on the floor!

I have yet to meet a smoker that doesn't toss their butts to the
ground...even in their own back yard half the time.

[Steve Bartman]

On Thu, 11 Oct 2012 10:04:09 -0400, Mason Barge <mason...@gmail.com>
wrote:

Yep.

I remember being in a Food Lion in about 1995, in Winston-Salem, home
of RJ Reynolds, and seeing a woman bending over the meat case with a
two inch ash hanging off her Camel. When it bailed out it splashed all
over the meat, but she walked away, oblivious.

I'd say that smoking in public and commercial settings in those days
probably increased janitorial costs 30-50%. Every stoplight had piles
of butts in the gutter from where people emptied ashtrays in the
street as they waited for the light to change.

Steve

[Obveeus]

"Steve Bartman" <sbar...@visi.com> wrote:

> I'd say that smoking in public and commercial settings in those days
> probably increased janitorial costs 30-50%.

One of the big reasons for restaurants to go non-smoking is that it saves
them a ton of money on continual repainting/reapolstering/recarpetting
costs.

>Every stoplight had piles
> of butts in the gutter from where people emptied ashtrays in the
> street as they waited for the light to change.

How is that different from now? At best, the butt piles are more prevalent
at highway on/off-ramp intersections than at other intersections, but
smokers still litter everywhere.

[BTR1701]

"Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
> "Mason Barge" <mason...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Thu, 11 Oct 2012 08:56:15 -0500, Steve Bartman <sbar...@visi.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 17:34:42 -0400, "Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>> Except for those non-smokers in the immediate vicinity.
>>>
>>> True, but in those days we weren't so grossed out by people smoking
>>> nearby. It was just a background noise. You never would have
>>> complained about someone smoking at a nearby table in a restaurant, at
>>> least in the south.
>>
>> Geez, when I started college, we'd walk into the classroom, slap down the
>> pack of Marlboros and the Zippo on the desk, and light up at will.
>
> I sure am glad this country offers people less individual freedom than 'the
> good old days'.

The country doesn't offer freedom. Freedom is the natural state. If
anything, the country offers restriction on freedom.

[Obveeus]

That would be the natural state of freedom that allows you to shoot your
neighbor for his food supplies...ah, how you long for the day.

[BTR1701]

"Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
> "Steve Bartman" <sbar...@visi.com> wrote:
>
>> I'd say that smoking in public and commercial settings in those days
>> probably increased janitorial costs 30-50%.
>
> One of the big reasons for restaurants to go non-smoking is that it saves
> them a ton of money on continual repainting/reapolstering/recarpetting
> costs.

And one of the worst reasons to do it is because the government forced them
to.

[BTR1701]

Yep, you're a cartoon.

[Steve Bartman]

On Thu, 11 Oct 2012 10:53:42 -0400, "Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:

>>Every stoplight had piles
>> of butts in the gutter from where people emptied ashtrays in the
>> street as they waited for the light to change.
>
>How is that different from now? At best, the butt piles are more prevalent
>at highway on/off-ramp intersections than at other intersections, but
>smokers still litter everywhere.
>

It's a LOT better now, youngster. :)

Go back to 1965 and drive through the suburbs.

I do miss the days when you could get rid of excess beer and amuse
yourself by trying to disassemble the butts clogging the urinal drain.
Cue George Carlin joke about a Kent micronite filter and a keg of beer
. . .

Steve

[Nobody]

Thank goodness for that! Anarchy's not for me. (Yes, I'm aware of the
irony of posting that here on usenet.)

[chicagofan]

LOL... I don' think it is so rare, but "admitting" it, may be. ;)
bj

[Steve Bartman]

On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 16:33:08 -0400, chicagofan <m...@privacy.net>
wrote:

What I wouldn't give to spend a week in the 60s again.

Steve

[Hunter]

On Thu, 11 Oct 2012 08:57:48 -0500, Steve Bartman <sbar...@visi.com>

-----
They don't have to look like "houseboy" whomever that is, but just
look fit and seeing the FDNY firefighters here in NYC most of them
are very fit. You have to be to lug 40 pounds of Bunker gear and tools
up flights of stairs stairs.

About the ones you see: Are you in a major city or small town? Are
they professional firefighters or volunteers?

Besides it is a common thing that the actors playing roles of real
life professions look a lot better than the real people in those jobs,
so if it is going to be your attitude not to watch a program because
the actors and actresses are prettier than they would be generally in
real life you are going to stop watching, what, 80% of television that
aren't news and documentaries.

[Barry Margolin]

In article <507d56f1...@news.optonline.net>,

Hunter <buffh...@my-deja.com> (Hunter) wrote:

> They don't have to look like "houseboy" whomever that is, but just

Jesse Spencer just finished playing one of the doctors on "House".

--
Barry Margolin
Arlington, MA

[Dano]

My only contribution to this is to say that I really have no interest after
watching years of Rescue Me. To me that was one of the best portrayals I
can imagine...combining sometimes absurd but always hilarious comedy with
often moving and realistic moments of heroism and self sacrifice. Without
being maudlin and too melodramatic. Guys doing their jobs and having each
others backs while not taking themselves so seriously...except when they had
to. All the foibles and flaws on display...heartbreak one minute and
realistic humor combined with a dark edge and often absurdist philosophical
touch. Even a bit of fantasy thrown in with Dennis Leary's unbalanced,
crazed superhero of a firefighter. They found a way to blend all of it
rather nicely for me. Certainly not to everyone's taste. But it spoiled me
for any future firefighter shows.

[Steve Bartman]

On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:00:44 GMT, Hunter <buffh...@my-deja.com>

Not "houseboy", House Boy. From "House." Try to keep up, man.

but just
>look fit and seeing the FDNY firefighters here in NYC most of them
>are very fit. You have to be to lug 40 pounds of Bunker gear and tools
>up flights of stairs stairs.

Yes, yes. There never was a fireman with a gut and mutton chops. Nope.
Never happen.

>About the ones you see: Are you in a major city or small town? Are
>they professional firefighters or volunteers?

Professional. Suburb of the Twin Cities. But I've lived in many places
and everywhere I've seen fire fighters of all shapes and sizes. But
never have I seen a fire house full of GQ models and Playboy
centerfolds, all with perfect skin and $500 haircuts.

>Besides it is a common thing that the actors playing roles of real
>life professions look a lot better than the real people in those jobs,

Sure, but there's a limit. Usually there's at least a few trolls. Even
our beloved "Revolution" has Google Guy. Take this cast and put them
in "NYPD Blue." Still a hit show? Nah. You need some butt crack.

>so if it is going to be your attitude not to watch a program because
>the actors and actresses are prettier than they would be generally in
>real life you are going to stop watching, what, 80% of television that
>aren't news and documentaries.

That's a ratio I'm approaching. Look at TV from 30, 20, and 10 years
ago. Look at the casts. Look at the dreck being served up now. See the
diff? They really do think we're that stupid.


Steve

[Micky DuPree]

Steve Bartman <sbar...@visi.com> writes:

> On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:00:44 GMT, Hunter <buffh...@my-deja.com>
> (Hunter) wrote:

>> On Thu, 11 Oct 2012 08:57:48 -0500, Steve Bartman <sbar...@visi.com>
>> wrote:

>>> On Thu, 11 Oct 2012 06:25:50 GMT, Hunter <buffh...@my-deja.com>
>>> (Hunter) wrote:

>>>> On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 10:51:06 -0500, Steve Bartman
>>>> <sbar...@visi.com> wrote:

>>>>> No interest [in _Chicago Fire_] until they have five guys with

>>>>> beer guts and big moustaches in the fire house. And a lot of
>>>>> farting. I've seen the previews and there aren't that many pretty
>>>>> people in the Chicago metroplex, let alone in one fire station.
>>>>

>>>> Damn, if that is your standard then I guess you will never watch
>>>> tv. In this case the closest you are describing is "Lou" on "Rescue
>>>> Me". Who wants to look at a bunch of guy's like that?
>>>>
>>>> Plus I have seen plenty firemen in real life. Only a tiny minority
>>>> are like that. You have to be a really fit man to be on a job like
>>>> that despite what you apparently think.
>>>>
>>>> Also who cares about the men? I like the georgeous Latina Paramedic
>>>> who was on "Lie To Me".
>>>
>>> To each his own. I can see fire fighters with my own lyin' eyes--the
>>> firehouse is half a mile from the house--and they don't look like
>>> House Boy.
>>

>> They don't have to look like "houseboy" whomever that is ...

>
> Not "houseboy", House Boy. From "House." Try to keep up, man.
>

>> ... but just look fit and seeing the FDNY firefighters here in NYC

>> most of them are very fit. You have to be to lug 40 pounds of Bunker
>> gear and tools up flights of stairs stairs.
>
> Yes, yes. There never was a fireman with a gut and mutton chops. Nope.
> Never happen.

There are plenty, but in the first place, not all the males on _Chicago
Fire_ are good-looking. Some are even allowed to be middle-aged. In the
second place, even Jesse Spencer isn't as young and pretty as he was when
he started on _House_. In the third place, it's typically true of TV
casts that the males are allowed to run the gamut from ordinary to
handsome, but the females all have to be young and good-looking unless
they're a major character's mother or grandmother, and this is true of
_Chicago Fire_.

It's also easier also for me to buy that an individual good-looking male
might nevertheless decide to become a firefighter because of previous
males in his family having been firefighters. He thinks he has
something to live up to, and he'll get major respect from key males in
his life for doing it. It's a lot harder for me to buy that an
individual good-looking female would try to become a firefighter, and
then having tried, would stick with it as a career, simply because the
social incentive structure is so dead set against it for pretty females.
She wouldn't get the same respect for it, whereas she'd get huge social
approval just for being decorative.

Finally, true of all TV, especially broadcast TV, there's been a
right-shift in the curve towards prettier performers as the technical
quality of the image has improved. Once you could see every single
facial pore on a 60" HDTV, casting directors got more nervous about the
quality of those pores. I don't think we'll ever see a return of the
days when character actors like Richard Boone, Peter Falk, Telly
Savalas, and William Conrad will be go-to guys for headlining their own
drama series (with the possible exception of original series on premium
channels). They may be sought out for comedies,, but not for heroic
over-the-air dramas. They are still allowed to be supporting players,
though, and they're always allowed to be villains. For character
actresses, though, the choices are pretty much mothers, grandmothers,
and butts of jokes.

As for _Chicago Fire_ on its actual merits, it moves along and I've
learned some things about firefighting I didn't know before, so it's
above the average for the new shows, although that isn't setting the bar
high. It's definitely better than _Revolution_, which is the big
attention-getter so far and even more implausibly suffers from pretty
catalog-people syndrome.

-Micky