See the smokin' blonde on the far left? That's mine.

As some of you may know, I am married to Jenny Hansson (her married name is actually Jenny Vithayathil, but we both agree one Vithayathil is enough for any TV market). For almost two years, she has hosted Studio 6 (formerly Keep it Local) on KOIN. Prior to that, she spent three years as the station’s morning anchor. Getting to work in Portland was a dream come true for Jenny, and the culmination of more than a decade of hard work.

Back in 1997 she started her TV career as a rookie “one-man-band” reporter in Yakima, WA. She would later hold similar jobs in Thomasville, GA and Austin, TX. You know those movies where the young go-getter starts her TV career in Miami or Seattle, then has a camera man, audio guy and producer with her on live remotes? That’s not reality. Jenny was a photographer, editor and reporter all rolled into one- often having to lug a thirty pound camera through 100 degree heat. In short, she worked for peanuts, learned the news biz and paid her dues big time.

We met in 2002 when I got a job at KABB, the Fox affiliate in San Antonio (I’ll spare you the details of our courtship- we fell in love, got married, and lived happily ever after). Even before we dated, I was impressed by Jenny’s smarts and work ethic. She was now in a bigger TV market, which meant she no longer had to shoot her own video. But, whenever the newsroom was shorthanded (which was just about every night), you would find Jenny editing her own package (pre-recorded news story). This is not something other reporters did- most would laugh in your face if you even suggested such an idea. But Jenny did it almost every night, because it meant our newsroom could dedicate resources elsewhere. She was a team player to the bone, which is one reason why she was eventually promoted to weekend anchor. Jenny’s bosses always seemed to like her, I suspect because she worked her rear-end off and was always trying to improve her skills as an anchor and reporter.

Our collective dream was always to return to the Northwest, and we got that chance when Jenny was hired as KOIN’s morning anchor in 2006. Jenny anchored the show for over three years and was awarded a new contract in 2009. Later that year (right after the birth of our second daughter), Jenny was told that she would be leaving the morning show to co-host KOIN’s new show Keep it Local. We knew this was simultaneously a great opportunity and a great risk.

Keep it Local was initially conceived as a live, on-the-scene neighborhood news show. KOIN sank a lot of coin (pun intended) into creating and promoting the show. But by the time Jenny was brought in (about four months after the show’s launch), the ratings were poor and station management decided to give the show a complete overhaul. It became Studio 6- an in-studio lifestyle show primarily aimed at women.

Jenny and I on our honeymoon.

Unfortunately, all that fun didn’t improve the ratings. KOIN cancelled Studio 6 this week, with their final show airing today. There could be a million reasons why the show’s ratings didn’t improve. I do know it was not from a lack of effort: Jenny poured her soul into Studio 6- constantly brainstorming ideas and making public appearances (on her days off) to promote the show. The same can be said for her co-workers. They worked non-stop to produce a program that was (again, biased) quite fun and engaging. Which brings me to the sad and scary truth for those of us who work in TV: sometimes hard work doesn’t pay off. You can put out a great product, but if Nielsen families aren’t tuning in, you’re toast (example: Joss Whedon’s acclaimed Firefly lasted fourteen episodes while Steve Urkel’s Family Matters lasted ten years).

Ultimately, the TV business is just that- a business. It is driven by money. If your show doesn’t pull in enough ratings- look out. If your station is purchased by a new company- look out. If you’re “making too much money”- look out. I’m reminded of a long-time Portland TV personality who had spent decades at one station. One day, his bosses told him out-of-the-blue: “We’re letting you go. Today’s your last day- you can either do the 11 pm show or go home now”. There was no gold watch or even a goodbye cake- just a “thanks for the memories” and “hasta la vista”. Bare in mind, this guy hadn’t done anything wrong- it was all a fiscal consideration, where they would bring in someone younger with a smaller paycheck. I know plenty of other people, working behind the camera and in front of it, who have suffered similar fates. These weren’t Ron Burgundy types pulling down seven figures- they were regular people with kids and mortgages and bills. They were sent packing because of financial decisions made by their employers. Which reminds me of a famous quote from Hunter S. Thompson:

“The TV business is uglier than most things. It is normally perceived as some kind of cruel and shallow money trench through the heart of the journalism industry, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs, for no good reason.”

Now, I do think that Mr. Thompson may have been engaging in a bit of hyperbole. I’ve worked in TV news for over twelve years, and have never met a thief or a pimp. I’ve known a whole lot of good people. It just so happens that some of those good people are bosses. And those bosses have bosses. And those bosses have bosses. And those bosses answer to shareholders. Which is why, although we would like to believe otherwise, TV is a cruel and shallow business like any other cruel and shallow business.

Except when it’s not.

You see, the TV business is also a place where talented people are given the opportunity to share their unique gifts with the world. That’s what Jenny and her friends got to do on Studio 6. Every day, they made complete strangers laugh and think and care. That’s a pretty cool feeling, and why people pursue careers in this crazy business. Is it a glamorous life like you see in the movies? No. But it can still be immensely rewarding- regardless of whether the curtain drops tomorrow or twenty years from now.

I realize that this has become some kind of a Kaczynski-esque, anti-establishment rant. I must point out that KOIN’s management has been considerate throughout this process and is trying to find a solution that works for our family. Unlike the people I referenced earlier, Jenny has not been treated in a callous manner. I wrote this blog not to say “woe is me”, but to tell the world that I am so proud of my wife and all that she has accomplished. A fella can get a little sidetracked when writing about the love of his life.

Here’s the good news: Jenny Hansson is far too talented to be kept on the sidelines. She will be back- once again making complete strangers laugh and think and care. And I’ll be the lucky guy who gets to call her my wife.

The Studio 6 family

I won’t lie: the early reviews have been bad. I mean, X-Men 3/Matrix Reloaded bad. So consider my expectations as tempered as they can be. Still, the fact that Hollywood has spent a Kilowog-sized pile of cash to create a faithful film adaptation of my favorite comic book has me giddy. Because there is the potential, and I want to stress that word: potential, to create a superhero movie franchise unlike any that we have seen.

So, what makes Lantern so unique? The premise for starters. You see, there isn’t just one Green Lantern, like there is one Batman and one Superman. There are thousands of them. The Green Lantern Corps is an intergalactic police force, supervised by the Guardians of the Universe (the aforementioned little blue men). Each Lantern wears a ring which can create powerful constructs from their own imaginations (in other words, if they think of a bowling ball, the ring creates a giant bowling ball which then knocks over the bad guys). The hero of this tale is the first human to become a Green Lantern- a Han Solo-esque pilot named Hal Jordan. He fights evil in a universe filled with some of the most bizarre life forms this side of Mos Eisley. You know how Christopher Nolan makes those awesome movies about what it would be like if Batman was real? This is not one of those stories. It’s a sprawling space opera with a list of colorful characters such as:

Hal Jordan- Test pilot, Ladies Man and all-around lovable rogue. A taller, slightly less-conceited version of Maverick in Top Gun. When the movie was announced, I thought it was too bad we couldn’t get the 1986 version of Dennis Quaid to somehow hop through a wormhole and onto the Warner Brothers’ sound stage. Instead, we got Ryan Reynolds, which I’m cool with. He’s charismatic, good with the quips, and boasts the prerequisite stud factor. Fanboys cried foul when he was cast. They wanted someone like Nathan Fillion (because they always want Nathan Fillion). But early buzz is that Reynold’s performance is the best part of the movie.

Carol Ferris- Aviation heir, pilot, and Hal’s potential love interest. Her dad owns Ferris Aviation and she and Hal have one of those will they/won’t they relationships (spoiler: they will). I should point out that eventually, Carol becomes Hal’s enemy/ally Star Sapphire. Blake Lively was cast in this part, and I have seen or heard nothing that has me too excited about her performance. Actually, that first trailer gave me flashbacks to the terribly miscast Silk Spectre in Watchmen. Fingers crossed.

Sinestro, Kilowog, Tomar-Re- These are all veteran Green Lanterns who show Hal the ropes. Sinestro is simply the most powerful Lantern in the universe- the ultimate crusader against evil. But with a name like Sinestro, you know he won’t be a hero forever. I mean, seriously- Sinestro? Why not Baron Murder Von Puppykiller? Kilowog is my favorite GL character- a giant, pig-faced drill instructor who beats newbies into a mushy, green pulp. Tomar-Re is a fish-like dude who is the conscience of the Green Lantern Corps. Kilowog and Tomar are CG constructs voiced by Michael Clarke-Duncan and Geoffery Rush, respectively. Sinestro is played by Sherlock Holmes’ baddie Mark Strong (just in case you hadn’t figured out that he’s a bad guy).

Hector Hammond- So, apparently this is the main human villain in the flick. It’s a curious decision, because Hector isn’t a character that lends himself to movies. In the comic book, most of his dialogue is telepathic (emanating from a cranium that is several yards in circumference). He has mind control abilities/telekinesis , etc.

There are plenty of other characters from the book that are in the movie. Parallax is a malevolent force determined to destroy the Guardians. Abin Sur is the Lantern that passes his ring on to Hal. You’ll also see Green Lanterns that look like rocks, jellyfish and giant eyeballs. At this point, I’m just hoping they don’t screw it up too bad. Because the potential for a one-of-a-kind adventure is there. Even if this one is sub-par, the source material is strong enough to create a sequel that is far superior (ala X-Men 2 and Spider Man 2). So, I’ll be wearing my ring and watching this weekend (and praying to the Guardians just in case).

NOTE: Hal Jordan is the first human Green Lantern, but other Earthlings have followed him in the pages of DC Comics. The best known of these is John Stewart. No, not from the Daily Show. He’s the African-American GL that you see in the Justice League cartoon. There is also former football player Guy Gardner, and a young artist named Kyle Rayner. All of these men have worn the ring and battled evil across the universe. In a perfect world, the Green Lantern franchise could be like James Bond- you do a few movies with Reynolds as Hal, then you get somebody new to take over the franchise as John Stewart. Then Guy Gardner could have his shot. And, if life is fair, Kyle Rayner will never appear in a movie, as he is a gigantic weenie.

Tyrion Lannister- Four feet and five inches of awesome.

AGOT is set in the mythical world of Westeros. It is a land that resembles medieval Europe in many ways. In Westeros elite families battle for control of an ancient throne, gallant knights compete in tournaments for glory, and a group of warriors man a giant ice wall where they protect the realm from zombies and giants that ride on the backs of wooly mammoths.

OK, that part about the zombies may seem a bit off, but in the world of AGOT, those deadly details are almost incidental. High fantasy exists in Martin’s world, but it plays second fiddle (or even third) to the political wranglings and Machiavellian scheming of the kingdom’s leading families. At the heart of AGOT is a struggle between the Houses of Stark and Lannister- two noble families that are just within reach of Westeros’ Iron Throne. Their conflict is punctuated by murder, betrayal and even incest.

Series writer David Benioff has described AGOT as “The Sopranos in Middle Earth”. It sounds like a trite description- a movie pitch straight out of Tim Robbins’ mouth in The Player- but the comparisons (especially to The Sopranos) are not far off. Both series are essentially dramas about powerful families that occasionally have to send people to their graves. And just as David Chase created Tony, Carmela and Paulie Walnuts, Martin has created a gallery of fully-realized and unforgettable characters. They include:

Tyrion Lannister- The Lannisters would likely be described as the “villains” of AGOT, but “The Imp” is one of those characters that constantly makes you smile. Born a dwarf, Tyrion has been underestimated since birth. He has spent his life defying expectations and cementing his reputation as the most cunning man in Westeros (he may also be the funniest dude in the realm). Peter Dinklage will play Tyrion in the series, and this casting was a no-brainer. As demonstrated in movies like The Station Agent and even Elf, Dinklage is fully capable of projecting the self-assurance and self-doubt that are both central to Tyrion’s being.

Ned Stark- Ostensibly the “hero” of AGOT, Ned may be the last honest man in a kingdom of vipers. The head of House Stark is the best friend of King Robert Baratheon- a once great leader that is now disillusioned and drunk. In AGOT, Ned assumes the role of the King’s “Hand” (his top advisor and administrator). He quickly discovers that it is a thankless job that just might get him killed. Ned will be played by Sean Bean, best known as Boromir from Lord of the Rings. Don’t worry, this isn’t a rehash of Bean’s work with Peter Jackson. Unlike the flawed and corruptible Boromir, Ned works hard to maintain his honor while navigating a world of secret plots and deadly conspiracies.

Queen Cersei- King Robert’s wife and Tyrion Lannister’s sister, Cersei is the closest thing AGOT has to a villain. A manipulatrix on par with Lady MacBeth, Cersei has a certain “secret” that could have grave implications for the kingdom’s Iron Throne. She will be played by Lena Headey, who is best known as the title character from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

Daenerys Targaryen- One of the few survivors of Westeros’ former ruling family, young Dany lives in exile with her cruel brother Viserys. In AGOT, she marries the warlord of a Hun-like people called The Dothraki. She longs to return to her family’s homeland and reclaim the throne that is rightfully theirs. Those desires will lead to the resurrection of a terrible force that Westeros has not seen in generations. Newcomer Emilia Clarke will play the young khaleesi.

Jon Snow- Ned’s illegitimate son, Jon is raised alongside his half-brothers and sisters, and is shunned by Ned’s wife Lady Catelyn Stark (also a major character). Another relative newcomer, Kit Harrington, will portray Jon. In AGOT, we will see Jon trade a life of privilege for a life of sacrifice as a member of “The Night’s Watch”. Which brings me to…

The Wall and The Aerie- These are not people, but places. Yet both are characters in their own right- crucial to establishing the soul, and scale, of A Game of Thrones. The Wall is a massive ice barrier that is patrolled by the sworn brothers of The Night’s Watch. It is considered Westeros’ last line of defense from the ancient and evil powers of the frozen far north. The Aerie is the home of Lady Catelyn’s sister Lysa, and eventually serves as a prison for Tyrion Lannister. It is a series of four massive castles that cling precariously to the side of a mountain known as the Giant’s Lance. While there are other important locations, Martin’s descriptions of the sky-piercing fortress and frigid Wall are incredible and awe-inspiring. Hopefully, HBO loosened their royal pursestrings enough to recreate those sensations on the small screen.

There are, obviously, a great number of characters and details that I am leaving out. And with only four of the planned seven Fire and Ice books published, I am skeptical that HBO will ever be able to completely bring Martin’s vision to life. Still, I have no doubt that this is the best way to create a live-action Game of Thrones. A big-screen Hollywood adaptation would leave out far too many crucial details, even if it had a running time of four hours (which it would not). Don’t get me wrong: I’m not expecting HBO to nail everything that made AGOT an incredible read. I’m just glad that their creative wizards are attempting to conjure a form of entertainment that the small screen has never seen before.