We all have our favorite TV shows. But let's take things one extra step: do you have a show that you can say influenced your life?
Though it's a great escape, television can be a lot more than just a form of entertainment. There are examples out there of people who have considered careers, or changed how they thought, or gone on to do something awesome, or even just tried something new, because of something that they watched. I know of a few cops who became police officers because of the FOX show Cops (including at least one who was later on the show!) and others who said they thought about the career because of NBC's Third Watch. One of my friends wanted to be a marine biologist because of SeaQuest DSV.
As summer arrives and we celebrate the holiday weekend, let's share some of those stories. They're the ones that ought to be told more often. The ones that we'll hold onto long after our favorite shows have gone off the air.
To get you started, here's a list of some things that I can directly blame on my television.
In grade school, while everyone else was telling our teacher they wanted to be a firefighter or a veterinarian, I responded with "Captain of the Starship Enterprise." We can blame that on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Eventually, I found a serious career ambition. After growing up watching NBC's Law & Order, I developed an interest in criminal law, obtained a degree in Administration of Justice, and nearly became an Assistant District Attorney. In fact, I was so much a law geek because of the show, that for years my family joked that they'd play the iconic theme song at my wedding.
It's because of another show - ABC's Sports Night - that I walked away from my legal career and decided to try my hand at working in television. I introduced my best friend to the series and that was part of how we became so close. It also introduced me to the works of one of my favorite playwrights, David Mamet, because series creator Aaron Sorkin was compared to Mamet in an article I read.
In the same vein, spending too many late nights watching ESPN's SportsCenter led me to audition for their reality-competition series Dream Job, which in turn introduced me to the people through whom I got my first professional sportswriting gig. Through that, I met the man who gave me my first big break: professional poker player Phil Gordon. I'll forever be in his debt.
VH1 did a series a few years ago called Celebracadabra which, while a bust for the network, rekindled my love of magic from the second grade - so I got on an airplane and went to Las Vegas, where I actually graduated from magic school.
Most recently, NBC's The Voice introduced me to one of my heroes (literally), as well as led me to buy a guitar and become a musician. I'm still working on that.
What are some of the shows that influenced you, and how did they affect you? Tell me your stories, whether it was a life-changing experience or just something small. Let's celebrate the good things that come out of the medium we love!
Brittany Frederick
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Twitter: @tvbrittanyf
