The Aesthetic Highground

By Klaus Lundholm

Nothing Sacred is a horrible show because it is immoral, sacrilegious, and unethical. It casts a shadow of doubt on the divine wisdom of priests, as encourages the followers of God to wallow in sin and abandon their faith. So say the Christian right-wingers. Now there's a valid criticism, (watch it, sarcasm just dripped on your shoe.)

Ah, now. I could turn red and make the veins in my neck stick out. I could scream unintelligible obscenities, or smash car windshields, but that wouldn't accomplish anything. On the other hand, I could encourage people like me, who don't want to see religious groups controlling art, to cease being politically comatose and watch the show. That way, this petty boycott would fail, and the show would continue to air, and maybe even win a few awards, (much to the pissed-offness of the moral censors.) However, that really wouldn't be a valid reason to watch the show either. Political motives are never valid where art is concerned.

So I, being noble person that I am, have decided not to crawl down in the stinking depths where they live, where they languish in slime and pestilence, and write bitter little diatribes about how modern art has sent society down into flames (Its ruins recently washed up on a remote atoll in the Pacific.) I shall don my shining suit of dramatic criticism, climb astride my trusty steed, and ride forth to do battle for fair maiden Art. Behold, I shall confront the hideous minions of "moral aesthetics," and I shall hew them in twain at the smoking mouths of their hellish holes, and their screams shall echo to the very ends of the Earth. "Ack!" they will scream. It will be the ack heard round the world.

Up to business, here are some of my observations concerning the dramatic merits of this program: A) There are some very effective moments of silence, i.e. every so often the characters have nothing to say. Like in real life. B) The characters, no matter how moral, are human. Nobody's perfect. Like in real life. C) There are no "stock characters." No star-crossed lovers, no elderly fusspots, no gum-chewing secretaries, no experienced, infallible voice of wisdom. Like in real life (whaddaya know.)

The show is not faultless, however; the San Andreas of this show is the setting. The phenomenal success that show such as ER and NYPD Blue in is due to just this factor. In hospitals and metropolitan police stations there is always something going on. While churches are certainly places of great importance in many people's lives, they are not constant maelstroms of drama. No average person, priests included, can have a major personal crisis every week on Thursday, and resolve it within the hour.

At the same time, this show's unique scenario enables it to deal seriously with religious issues, and present the human side of Christianity. The austere, hospital-corners institution, that some people want us to think of as the Catholic church is not only unrealistic, but damaging. A self-righteous organization filled exclusively with the proper and pious from pews to pulpit is not especially attractive to potential converts, especially young people. On the other hand, a caring church, with inhabitants who are understanding and acknowledge that there may exist valid points of view in other people's cranial cases, is closer to what the religion really stands for.

To conclude, nobody has the right to interfere with art for moral reasons. If Nothing Sacred were a bad show I wouldn't be so upset by threats to its continuing existence. The church should be cheering for the show. Nothing Sacred does a better job of representing love and forgiveness than many religious officials do.

Nothing Sacred is on at 7:00 p.m. on CBS. Opposite Friends (no wonder this boycott has been so successful.) If anyone is wondering neither the writer of this article or the editor received any cash for this ringing endorsement.