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Television, that vast (or at least half-vast) wasteland, does occasionally live up to its promise of being able to deliver thought-provoking entertainment rather than mindless drivel. I found one of those bright spots in Iconoclast on the Sundance channel. [I don't want to give the impression that I am opposed to mindless drivel. I have the TV on a lot, even when I'm not really watching it. And I enjoy guilty pleasures of watching, or at least listening to, drivel on a fairly regular basis. But that would be a different post.]

Iconoclast brings together two well-known people who may at first glance appear to have nothing in common. We get to watch them find common ground and open each other to new ideas. Their website describes the show as:

In this original series, leading innovators and creative visionaries come together to discuss their passions and creative processes to provide viewers with an inside glimpse into the inspiration and motivation that made these iconoclasts who they are today.

I’ve watched three episodes so far: Isabella Rossellini + Dean Kamen, Quentin Tarantino + Fiona Apple, and Dave Chappelle + Maya Angelou. And I’m hooked.

Dean Kamen is a hero to me. I mentioned him in this post recently. He’s probably best known for the Segway, but he also invented the iBOT wheelchair, several medical devices, relatively cheap and simple devices for purifying water and generating electricity, and he started a robotics competition to promote the study of science and technology. I know of Rossellini mostly from her film work, although I do recall the flap when she was fired by Lancôme. I learned that she trains service dogs and is involved in charitable work. The two share an interest in humanitarian causes yet have very different ways of contributing.

Apple and Tarantino had met before filming their episode but they hadn’t seen each other in five years. I’m not a big Tarantino fan. [Okay, I find him annoying as hell. Will someone please adjust his meds?] I respect his determination to work outside the mainstream Hollywood system, though. I love Fiona Apple. She is… yummy. She has a similar attitude toward the music business as Tarantino does toward Hollywood. While I could watch and listen to Fiona for hours [or days], this was the least satisfying of the three episodes for me.

The most interesting episode for me was Dave Chappelle + Maya Angelou. Dr. Angelou appeared regal, almost magical. She has a quiet dignity and grace and unparalleled life experience. She is a civil rights activist and was friends with Malcolm X and Martin Luther King. She is a writer and teacher and a friend to world leaders. When Chappelle was approached about doing the show, he asked to be paired with her. Even though (or perhaps because) they are from two different generations, there was obvious respect and really interesting connections between them.

How much did I like this show? So much that I just did something I’ve never done before. I added premium channels to my cable subscription. I’ve never subscribed to HBO, Cinemax, or any other premium channel. (I have a hard enough time paying for TV at all.) But today I added a package that includes the Sundance Channel, Independent Film Channel, and Encore movie channels.