A Gas-Guzzling Revenge Plot Meets Souped-Up Sales Pitch

[struggle4progress]

The Last Ride," which appears tonight on USA, is a brazen commercial for Pontiac that is souped up to look sort of like a car-chase movie. The network has made no pretense about this, hyping its achievement as a "unprecedented integrated marketing opportunity." You can't skip the ads without missing the movie.
<snip>
In all this exposition one glaring element of the story is left to speak for itself. That is, of course, the overbearing presence of Pontiacs: new ones, old ones, S.U.V.'s, race cars, luxury cars, Bonnevilles and GTO's.
<snip>
There's no hiding it: everyone here, especially Mr. Hopper, is shilling. As his Ronnie points out, everyone hated the establishment in the 60's; but this rage, the movie makes clear, has gone the way of the carburetor. General Motors is thus free to present itself as our delinquent pal, and our link to America's lawless past. After all, part of what Matt admires about Grandpa Jailbird is his virtuosity with a car, and in particular a '69 GTO.
<snip>

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/02/arts/television/02HEFF.html?th

The future of TV ...

[phantom power]

1. it sucks the life force out of me...

just when I think there's some line of bad taste that people won't cross... they cross it with a big smile on their face.

[phantom power]

2. btw, that link took me to a different essay (about pennies)

[struggle4progress]

3. Another of my many SNAFUs! Here's the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/02/arts/television/02HEFF.html?th

Apologies! :)