What are the odds that this actor:
would become this actor:
And this actor, once a good time Charlie of the first order:
would become this actor:
And, that, in the larger scheme of things, this show
would become this show:
It’s almost as if pop culture is becoming culture.
True, dat. It’s enough to make one think that hell and hand baskets don’t necessarily go together like peanut butter and chocolate.
Mark, if I understand you, and frankly the boys in the lab have come up with several readings of your comment, hell no longer requires hand baskets, and much prefers that people use SUVs that run on gas extracted from shale. That’s if we understand you. Thx. Grant
Grant, I’m not sure I “see ” the point about the shift of pop culture to culture in your examples. Of course, pop culture is informed by all the values/symbols etc of culture at large. Perhaps the trajectory of Dragnet to True Detective is more about conserving established cultural norms …guys solving crimes with air of authority…than the ascension of pop (ular) characters ageing into serious roles. Or, I may be missing your point.
Martha, thanks for your comment. The point I was trying to make, too summarily, is that Dragnet, the early Harrelson and the early McConaughey are all rudimentary. Painfully so. But True Detective, the later Harrelson and the later McConaughey show a new complexity, subtlety, range, and depth. Pop culture is often seen to be airy, empty, charming, utterly insubstantial. But True Detective and developments every where in the contemporary world show evidence that pop culture is taking on some of the hall marks of culture, high culture, if you will. It’s getting better. Thanks again. Best, Grant