As if there is not enough of COVID-19 taking over our real world, NY Times TV critic James Poniewozik wants it to take over our fictional world as well. Even more delusional, the critic says its lack of existence in tv programming shows the pandemic is being “wishfully” forced out of existence. If only.
In a recent piece, Poniewozik questioned why isn’t the pandemic being written into scripts? For example, why aren’t Carried Bradshaw and company wearing masks in the “Sex and the City” reboot while dining at restaurants?
“And just like that…Covid is over. At least it is in this show’s Manhattan, as well as in a cohort of other series that try, wishfully, to press the epidemiological fast-forward button” wrote Poniewozik.
Poniewozik’s piece came out Friday, and MSNBC gave him a platform Monday to air, literally, his grievances. “It’s kind of an unsettling phenomenon where shows are sort of taking the standpoint of, ‘okay in the world of our show, the pandemic did happen, it existed and was a real thing. But now it’s over. It somehow got fixed, yada-yada, yada, and the rest of you are sort of out on your own,'” the TV critic said on “Morning Joe.”
He said several shows have “wished” away the pandemic, such as “This Is Us” the hit NBC drama, which did not include the pandemic to Poniewozik’s level of approval in the season six premiere.
Fox News reports Poniewozik singled out another show, “Grey’s Anatomy,” for leaning in on a pandemic storyline last season, only to pivot to telling its audience they are “now in a post-pandemic reality.” The ABC medical drama, he suggested, was essentially telling its viewers, “good luck to the rest of you.”