Why Showtime's, "I'm Dying Up Here," Must Have a Season Two !

Sometimes great television does not get great ratings. Showtime's, "I'm Dying Up Here," in my opinion is a show that must get a second season. I believe both Friends and Seinfeld had very poor ratings in their first seasons, the rest is history because the "suits" at those networks decided to stick with them. I am hoping the "suits" at Showtime show the same wisdom.

"I'm Dying Up Here," which, by the way, stars East Hampton/Montauk local- Melissa Leo, is a retro show that took place in the 1970's when comedy was a rough way to make a living. However this show goes beyond that storyline and exposes important social issues in a very clever way. I truly believe if one watches the first 3 episodes one will understand exactly why I feel the way I do.

I have no vested business interest in Showtime or folks affiliated with the show, I just know what I like to watch and "I'm Dying Up Here," is what I like to watch. Perhaps the fact that the characters are from a time that coincides with my life's timeline plays a huge part of my liking this series so much, but it goes beyond that. The social issues of race, woman rights, latino bias, heroin, and sexism are the threads that make up the very fabric of this show. I believe the use of woman writers along with male writers makes the situations and dialogue more relevant and poignant.

I also believe the show is an accurate portrayal of those times when folks wore bell bottoms, Johnny Carson was the king of late night and Sonny and Cher were still married doing their variety show. The story line of young folks following both their dream and their need to be a stand up comic is a great vehicle for showing how hard it is and what it takes to follow one's dream. I believe there is an important lesson in that, the lesson being, no one is entitled to anything, success comes from luck that is engineered by hard work.

So if anyone from Showtime is in the Hamptons this week and may see this post, please note I am not an employee of Patch and this is my personal opinion, but I do have a track record over the last 15 years of speaking up and out for good over evil and believing in the arts. "I'm Dying Up Here," is good art, good television, and an important show. It deserves a season 2 and perhaps 3, 4, 5, and 6.