Wednesday, December 7, 2005
Personal growth
The first time someone told me about Trading Spouses, the reality show about two very different mothers who change places for a week, I thought it sounded silly and contrived. Now that I've watched a couple of episodes, however, I think it has something serious and instructive at its heart, knowingly or not, but I wish it didn't pull up short just when things get interesting. Tonight, a fairly contained Scandinavian/American affluent mom traded places with a laid back mom with boldly dyed red hair and a husband whose statements were shown in printed titles since he was so hard to understand. All the children were understandably apprehensive but it was the husbands who put up impermeable barriers. The redhead's daughter, an eager and pretty girl with a lot to offer, seemed to gain the most, partly as a result of trying to be friendly rather than resentful. The blonde's eldest son eventually relaxed with his "new" mom and exhibited more independence than he'd been permitted with his own mom. Watching the women try to assimilate was absorbing cinema realite, I really must admit. But during their summary get-together and their reunions with their families, the arguments and tensions always were backed away from, depriving the players as well as the viewers. Just as in real life, however, growth comes least easily from pulled punches. Hard things must be said and heard so that viewers and players can learn and see slightly newly and differently, which will allow new light to shine on (and change?) familiar (entrenched?) behaviors.
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