Our society puts incredible pressure on people to conform. Parents often inflate our culture's expectations with their own sky-high ambitions. Even if we are not naturally attracted to some predetermined notion of "normalcy", we often find ourselves embracing our civilization's ambitions as our own. And is there anything more awkward or than seeing extremely unconventional friends straining to a conventional life?
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Creating and maintaining our individual identities might possibly be the single most attractive force of daily life. Defining who we are is not only the central challenge of individuality, it is also a continuous trial following us by every mirror we pass, every relationship we form and every decision we make, from the cradle to the grave.
Somewhat counter intuitively, however, personal identity can also be forged through an association with a specific organization...
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Send questions to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com and follow me on Twitter!
Question: I absolutely love The Closer! It's one of my favorite shows and I am always so eager to watch that I usually don't even wait for my DVR to get ahead enough to allow me to skip commercials. This season started off with a bang and I've loved it, but I'm a little concerned. What will happen if Brenda does become chief? On one hand, as a woman, I think it would be great for the character to be a female Chief of Police in Los Angeles. On the other hand, I am afraid for what that would mean for her position as a "closer." If she gets some distance from the cases, how can she possibly get all of those confessions that have the audience on the edge of their seats? Plus, I have not enjoyed the rather jerk-like qualities this whole process has brought out in Pope. I know he's got his heart set on being chief, but it seems a little uncharacteristic for him to be such a jerk now when he has not gone completely into that territory before. Please tell me that whatever is in the works is going to maintain the same quality of scripts and keep Brenda right in the middle of the action! Do you have any insight into the rest of the season or what impact this whole development would have for the future of the show? — Beth
Matt Roush: Now that's a true sign of devotion, watching a show in real time, not DVR time. I'm very fond of The Closer as well....
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Huge
9/8c ABC Family
Summer reaches its halfway point (at least on Camp Victory's calendar) during this freshman series' midseason finale. This episode is the conclusion of last week's two-parter, and the drama intensifies as parents' weekend continues. Not only do the campers face challenges with their parents, but Dr. Rand does, too. Yet the major turmoil comes from the revelation of an unexpected romance that leaves some stunned and others heartbroken. It's a cruel summer indeed...
Read on for previews of The Closer, Bachelor Pad, the U.S. Open, Dance Your Ass Off, Real Housewives of New Jersey and Weeds.
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Nothing moves things along like a song. It always works for double Emmy winner Glee, and it worked for Late Night host Jimmy Fallon as he hosted a light, fast-moving Emmys. Deft comic turns from Stephen Colbert, Will Arnett and Ricky Gervais kept the proceedings lively — as did a few surprises on the winners list. Welcome to Top Moments, Emmys Edition.
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