Happy Birthday, Benson

I recently began a ritual of frequently posting songs or film or TV clips to my Facebook page in commemoration of the birthdays of famous people. Today, I posted a link to the pilot episode of Benson in honor of the 83rd birthday of the show's star, Robert Guillaume. It's a great episode, and I recommend you watch it. Benson was an excellent show, running from the late-1970s to the mid-1980s. It was funny, often poignant, and contains many fond signs of the times. Given the political (yet bi-partisan) nature of the show, several episodes were written to make a point as much as to make the audience laugh (sometimes more so). One particular episode that made me stop and think in a way that transcends the show's age and timeframe is episode 22 from the first season, "Takin' It To the Streets." In this episode, the naive yet caring and genuinely dedicated Governor Gene Gatling wants to better understand what the people of his state (which is never named in the show's seven-year run) think and feel and need in order to better serve them. He explores different ways to communicate with ordinary citizens on a personal level and finally decides to mingle with people in their local hangouts. Benson worries about the plan but knows he can't argue with the Governor for long. Why should he? Wouldn't we all prefer it if our elected officials interacted with us in such a way more often? I think every elected official (and even the appointed ones) should take Governor Gatling's message and intent to heart and think about how to better understand the common/normal/regular/everyday folks they serve. On the flipside, as the episode shows toward the end of the bar scene, citizens need to be willing to honestly communicate with their leaders as well, and they must ALWAYS be prepared to exercise their ultimate authority at the ballot box. Watch the episode and tell me what you think. It's funny and thoughtful. While you're at it, watch the entire first season. It's a great DVD set.
Happy birthday, Benson. You did your imaginary state proud.