Excellent New Comedy Series...Especially for Wisconsin Viewers

I just want to take a moment to plug a new television comedy series that premiered on ABC last night called "Sons and Daughters." It's an especially timely show for Wisconsin viewers.

A few reasons for the plug:

One, the show is hilarious.

Two, the show is partially improvised. Spontaneity is something that should be encouraged in our largely canned pop culture, which in recent years has privileged highly choreographed stars from Britney Spears to the performers of American Idol. Aside from Saturday Night Live, there has been little in the mainstream pop culture that isn't heavily predetermined. (Notably, "Sons and Daughters" is produced by Lorne Michaels, who also produces SNL.)

Three, the show provides an excellent glimpse into the reality of how families are largely structured in the US. While appearing dysfunctional on the surface due to a tangled web of seemingly non-normative relationships resulting from divorce, births out of wedlock, and adoption, there is an undercurrent of love and caring that makes Cameron's (the lead character) family as legitimate as the Cleavers (not to mention a lot more fun).

This is an especially important notion to keep in mind in Wisconsin as we approach the vote on the same-sex marriage and civil unions ban, which is premised on the notion that we need to protect "traditional" marriage and, subsequently, the "traditional" family it produces.

"Sons and Daughters" helps to demonstrate that such a strict monolithic definition of marriage and family doesn't exist in this country (side note: it never did) and--most importantly--it reminds us that's not a bad thing.