NBC Hates You, Glassell Park
Ξ May 22nd, 2009 | → | ∇ 90041, 90042, 90065, Glassell Park, Highland Park, Press |
There is nothing new under the sun. - Ecclesiastes 1:9
Because some readers have complained about allusions they haven’t understood, we’ll try to cite our sources a little more often. (I’ll send a sticker to whoever finds the most recent Shakespearean allusion in our posts.)
As a fan of police dramas, I’ve been watching NBC’s Southland and enjoying it as something of a guilty pleasure. My biggest complaint about the show has been the unoriginality of many of the plot lines as many seem lifted from recent Los Angeles crime novels. The writers’ other source seems to be LA Times headlines.
This story seems familiar...
To wit, last night’s episode focused on protecting a witness set to testify against the “Marta’s Avenue” gang in Glassell Park. Led by a ruthless matron, the gang of heavily tattooed mustachioed thugs drops lots of “primo”s and “esse”s and looks pretty intimidating unless they’re about to be shot. Thankfully, no direct reference to any of our neighborhoods was made, but San Fernando Rd. is mentioned as being nearby. I can already tell you the next episode will involve a shootout with the LAPD after a driveby at a Cypress Park elementary school. While these stories may seem fresh to outside audiences, very good drama should be original. The Shield,for example, drew from themes of the LAPD Rampart scandal to create its own fictional universe with compelling storylines. Finally, The Shield had the wherewithal to create a fictional police district that brought together the disparate demographics of Los Angeles. Nuance is difficult in a one hour drama, but it’s unfortunate that NBC keeps portraying Glassell Park as a neighborhood ruled by a cabal of drug lords. I’d threaten to stop watching, but guilty pleasures are hard to drop.
On an unrelated note, we try to get something posted on a fairly frequent basis, but sometimes real life interferes with our ranting against supermarkets, County Supervisors, and NBC police dramas. We are more than happy to accept submissions from the community. Write a review of a restaurant we haven’t talked about, snap some updated photos of your neighborhood, or send us links to local issues that concern you. We may edit it, but we’ll be happy to properly attribute you as the author. Just send us your work at the contact link at the bottom of the page. Enjoy the long weekend!
3 Responses to ' NBC Hates You, Glassell Park '
on May 22nd, 2009 at 11:39 pm
I thought the lady was more intimidating than any of those other thugs.
on May 29th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
I love it.
Where did this come from….
““Marta’s Avenue” gang in Glassell Park. Led by a ruthless matron, the gang of heavily tattooed mustachioed thugs… ”
Martha’s Vineyard?
Martha Stewart?
Yeah Martha Stewart went to jail for tax evasion and in there she hooked up with the Avenues Gang
or…
Some chola member of the Avenues met with Martha Stewart in jail and that inspired her to change the gang and make it a bit more like H&G TV.
In fact I can testify for that cause our neighbors down the street (yes I live in GP) had their garden redone for some reality TV show.
on September 22nd, 2009 at 10:50 am
NBC doesn’t hate Glassell Park, the f’ing Avenues hate Glassell Park. Why complain that Glassell Park is being portrayed as a haven for a horrible gang, when that’s EXACTLY what it is? I’m glad to hear another 44 of those assholes got put in jail today. May they rot in hell.