The Story
ABC Family's "Greek" a highlight of fall television
Fall recruitment is underway for Sororities and Fraternities. Photo by Nazrin Roberson.
The new hit series â€"Greek†definitely isn’t akin to the â€"Full House†reruns with which most ABC Family fans are familiar. But just like their primetime motto suggests, â€"It’s a new kind of family.†Who, in this case, happen to be partying, mansion-dwelling, sometimes excessively inebriated undergraduates facing cliché college tribulations on a weekly basis. They are Greeks and they live a blessed life. At least at the fictional Cyprus Rhodes University.
As the school year begins and â€"rush†approaches, it’s interesting to see how ABC Family’s portrayal of Greek life chalks up to the real thing here at William and Mary, when women litter sorority court in their finest garb, searching for a â€"new kind of family.†And â€"Greek†does a good job of trying to capture it all for those of us who choose to forego rushing for the comfort of the couch and remote control. So far, the one-hour segments, airing 9 p.m. on Mondays, have dealt with a fairly progressive understanding of Greek life as well as the overall undergraduate experience. Surprisingly, these Greeks don’t just party a la Animal House, but have the time to attend class and participate in philanthropy like any other social fraternity or sorority.
On the other hand, the â€"Greek†stereotypes make the show more fun to watch. If it weren’t for the Zeta Beta catfights, fake IDs, hazing and the various fraternity keggers and competitions, the show might be too wholesome. And ABC Family does a commendable job dealing with relationships and the heated themes that often come with them. These aren’t limited to heterosexual relationships either.
In fact, almost anyone could identify with numerous characters. There’s the loveable nerd Rusty, torn between having a good time, acing chemistry and catering to his Jesus-loving roommate. The not-so-shallow sorority sister Casey – and Rusty’s actual sister – is caught in a love triangle with two fraternity brothers, one an ambitious member of a prestigious fraternity and the other a lazy but endearing skirt chaser. And the fraternity brother Calvin tries to maintain his relationship despite the demands of being a pledge.
But â€"Greek†is a hyperbole of the tamer, more modest Greek system found on our campus. Let’s face it, we don’t live in mansions with spacious rooms and have professionally catered meals in our houses. So even if this primetime soap requires a little suspension of disbelief, it’s worth tuning in. Even if you know better.