You know those shows about teens where every conversation is spoken with urgency, like everything is a matter of life or death? This is one of those. Not that teens don't talk like that, sometimes they do, especially when in groups. But how about when every conversation sounds like a collection of one-liners, as if the writers don't know how to tune it down? It can be tiresome. (Suburgatory" manages to pull it off in my opinion.) And the characters can ring false when the language they use is more mature than the language of teens. In the first episode, the language seems too political, with references to communism and socialism. The anti-Republican stance of this episode was the most distracting and annoying. I am neither Republican nor Democrat, but it feels dishonest to politicize the language of teens.
Still, "Faking It" does have a certain charm. The two main characters, Amy and Karma, are likable. And they are desperate to fit in and, better yet, to be popular--a dream many can identify with. They decide to go along with the misconception that they are a lesbian couple, because that impression makes them instant celebrities. What happens when you sacrifice your integrity for popularity? Will their dishonesty come back to haunt the appropriately named Karma and her friend, Amy?
The comedy of the first episode does sometimes swipe at low-hanging fruit, notably the annoying nature of parents, who tend to be irrelevant and "abnormal". And the use of bleeping and pixelation to give the show an edge feels cheap. It would be better to air the show later and not self-censor, but that is probably not possible, so we will have to settle.
I am adopting a wait-and-see attitude with this show, hoping that the writers reveal some relevant and deeper truths about self-acceptance and social tolerance. And I also hope they take advantage of Karma's singing talent (Katie Stevens was on "American Idol") and Lauren's dance skills (Bailey Buntain was in the cast of "Bunheads").
I also hope the show takes us into the homes of these students, where they are truly themselves and not just the personas they adopt while in school. Then the characters might have depth. The writers might also want to throw in a sympathetic adult character occasionally--just for the sake of verisimilitude.
Still, "Faking It" does have a certain charm. The two main characters, Amy and Karma, are likable. And they are desperate to fit in and, better yet, to be popular--a dream many can identify with. They decide to go along with the misconception that they are a lesbian couple, because that impression makes them instant celebrities. What happens when you sacrifice your integrity for popularity? Will their dishonesty come back to haunt the appropriately named Karma and her friend, Amy?
The comedy of the first episode does sometimes swipe at low-hanging fruit, notably the annoying nature of parents, who tend to be irrelevant and "abnormal". And the use of bleeping and pixelation to give the show an edge feels cheap. It would be better to air the show later and not self-censor, but that is probably not possible, so we will have to settle.
I am adopting a wait-and-see attitude with this show, hoping that the writers reveal some relevant and deeper truths about self-acceptance and social tolerance. And I also hope they take advantage of Karma's singing talent (Katie Stevens was on "American Idol") and Lauren's dance skills (Bailey Buntain was in the cast of "Bunheads").
I also hope the show takes us into the homes of these students, where they are truly themselves and not just the personas they adopt while in school. Then the characters might have depth. The writers might also want to throw in a sympathetic adult character occasionally--just for the sake of verisimilitude.