Kheir Fakhreldin
Ken Finkleman is a genius. (That's a freebie.) The three seasons (plus one movie) of "The Newsroom" establish him as one of the greatest minds ever to work in TV, and with all the absolute garbage that is now available (seasons 1-5 of "The Facts of Life," seasons 1-4 of "Punky Brewster") on DVD, and apparently being bought, there is no reason why "Married Life," "More Tears," "Foolish Heart," and "Foreign Objects" shouldn't be as well. I know Ken never cracked the American market, but he's about as big as it gets up there. He is courageous, and puts a great deal of his personal life into his observations, like Gore Vidal, Truman Capote, or John Haslett Cuff, and that takes a lot of courage.Also, "Married Life" is a showcase for Karen Hines, whose excellence as an actress may be matched only by her genius as a dramatist. "The Pochsy Plays" and "Hello ... Hello: A Romantic Satire" make a strong case for her as Canada's greatest playwright; further works of that quality may yet place her among the greatest in the English language.
Ian Chopper
This movie (technically a series but I saw all four episodes together) is absolutely hilarious. I was amazed. Ken Finkleman is a great writer.The movie is basically a mocumentary about married life (hence the title) which is actually mocking a reality TV show.A lot of the laughs come from the unexpected situations. You'll find yourself laughing at your own shock. The excellent cutting adds to this humour. There are a few jokes in here which really stand out as well.The actors are great for this kind of a movie too. Finkelman is his usual hilarious self. He really creates some great characters. Robert Cait is excellent as Frank, the husband who (being aware of the fact that the show's ratings depend on his actions) creates overly sensational situations for the viewers.More people need to see this movie (again, technically a series). It is a magnificent and original mocumentary.
