The Sarah Silverman Program

The Sarah Silverman Program began with a bang. Within the first six episodes that comprise the first season are moments of brilliance. The first episode had this wonderful mix of utter distaste with whimsy. Fantasies, animated technicolor dreamscapes, cheesy songs laced an already ludicrous production into the absurd. It was many things, most of all surprising, considering it came from Silverman who has a hit/miss approach to her shock comedy.

There are several highlights from this first six episodes, but one, more than any, stood out as subtle in its subversiveness. The series began in 2007 in the midst of the Presidential election. Writing and production took place during the earlier parts of the never-ending campaign when Hilary was the frontrunner and Obama was nipping at her ankles. In the episode, titled "Muffin Man", featured a story where Sarah dabbled in lesbianism. In her childlike simplicity, Sarah dresses in mannish clothing (that is, more mannish than her normal sporting of loose jeans and a t-shirt) and, ridiculously, a mustache. Despite all this (or because of), someone questions Sarah's commitment to her newfound sexuality. Sarah responds with a tone that is a verbal wink "Oh, I'm in it to win it".

I mentioned the election and I mention this moment of the series, but unless you followed the election, the connection isn't as clear. Throughout her adult political life, Hilary Clinton had to deny rumors that her marriage to Bill was a sham or that she was a closet lesbian. These are unsubstantiated, unlike the rumors of Janet Napolitano which hold considerably more merit, but the accusation always existed in the background. In the campaign, Hilary remarked, in her commitment to her own campaign, with the same line that Sarah Silverman gave in the show. In this one line that probably went unnoticed by many who watched it was a bridging, and it made my night.

Season 2 was certainly not as anarchistic as the first, but it still had its moments. My favorite episode is the one where Sarah's two friends (before they became a gay couple, I believe) fight over Tab soda. One of the friends doesn't want to try it and the other forces him to. He sarcastically says it is the greatest thing he ever tasted and they escalate a war in sarcasm over who likes Tab the most. Again, it was completely nonsensical, except I could easily see myself in the same situation arguing with my friend over the existence of Gumby for 8 hours one night until our voices became strained. It's been a while since I've spoken with my former friend, but thinking of this episode right now, I wonder what my friend is up to.

Then, the writers strike happened and ruined many things. Sure, there were benefits to the strike, such as the best episodes of the Conan O'Brien show in which he dawned a beard, but other programs were not as lucky. The writers strike delayed the Sarah Silverman program by more than a year. The quality, and the delay, were unrecoverable. Last night marks the end of the series.