DAVID BIANCULLI

Founder / Editor

ERIC GOULD

Associate Editor

LINDA DONOVAN

Assistant Editor

Contributors

ALEX STRACHAN

MIKE HUGHES

KIM AKASS

MONIQUE NAZARETH

ROGER CATLIN

GARY EDGERTON

TOM BRINKMOELLER

GERALD JORDAN

NOEL HOLSTON

 
 
 
 
 
New CBS Drama Takes "Sybil" Liberties
June 6, 2008  | By David Bianculli  | 2 comments
 
a-sybil-sally-field-joanne-.jpgIn 1976, Sally Field -- who, at the time, was all but dismissed as the cutie from TV's Gidget -- grabbed the brass ring by playing a series of distinctly different characters in the psychological miniseries Sybil,based on an actual case of what then was called multiple personality disorder. This weekend, 32 years later, CBS presents a new version... very, very quietly.

This telemovie, broadcast Saturday at 9 p.m. ET, stars Tammy Blanchard as Sybil, the young woman subject to blackouts, memory loss and other troubling behaviors. Her therapist, who slowly discovers and unravels the layers of alter egos buried within Sybil, is played by Jessica Lange. (In the original, Joanne Woodward played the part.)

blanchard.jpg

Lange is, well, Jessica Lange. Blanchard already has triumphed on TV in one memorable docudrama -- as young Judy Garland in Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows. Sybil is a classic TV property, a recognizable title. So what is it doing being burned off in June, on a Saturday night, with very little fanfare, after sitting on the CBS shelf for more than a year?

One reason: It's not as good as the original, which was twice as long and at least twice as good. I'm sooo old, I was a TV critic when the original was televised by NBC in 1976, and remember it being easily one of the best offerings that year. Sally Field attacked that part like a pit bull and never let go, Woodward was fabulous, and most of the scenes outside the therapist's office were from Sybil's point of view, making them jarringly unsettling, confusing and dramatic. This new version does some of that, but not nearly enough.

The truth is, though, this new Sybil isn't bad. If you don't compare it with the original, it's rather compelling, and the scenes between Blanchard and Lange are quietly intense, like no-men-allowed versions of HBO's In Treatment.

So why the summer burial? Because CBS, a few seasons ago, decided to follow the lead of other broadcast networks and get out of the telemovie business. Once there was no regular place to schedule them, there was little reason to televise or promote them. Sybil -- which, at least, features impressive stars and an ambitious story -- isn't the sort of thing the big broadcast networks are interested in making any longer.

Which is why they're not likely to be big broadcast networks for too much longer...

 

2 Comments

 

Eileen said:

And let's not forget the late Brad Davis (Midnight Express) as Sybil's love interest. David, it was truly one of the great made-for-tv movies. As I lamented on this blog a few months ago, many tv viewers dearly miss the tv movies. A few years back NBC was doing Sunday nights with offerings like "Gulliver's Travels", "Moby Dick", "Joan of Arc" and a host of others. My son was probably ten and watched and loved every one. We looked forward to Sunday nights as a real family viewing experience; to boot these were actually educational.

The advent of reality tv has really ruined creativity as we knew it. I am so looking forward to the return of "Mad Men" in July because there is nothing more enjoyable than wonderfully written shows.

Comment posted on June 6, 2008 2:53 PM


Robert N Forsyth said:

This TV Movie on Sybil was great. Can you tell me when it will be rebroadcast or if a DVD of the Movie might be obtained? My wife and I saw it on CBS on June 7th, 2008. (It won't be rebroadcast. CBS didn't seem to want to televise it even once. A DVD release is very likely, but not yet scheduled. I'll keep an eye out. -- David B.)

Comment posted on June 8, 2008 1:19 AM

 
 
 
 
 
Leave a Comment: (No HTML, 1000 chars max)
 
 Name (required)
 
 Email (required) (will not be published)
 
IPLGG
Type in the verification word shown on the image.
 
 
 Page: 1 of 1  | Go to page: 
2 Comments
 
 
Excellent article. Very interesting to read. I really love to read such a nice article. Thanks! keep rocking.
Oct 12, 2023   |  Reply
 
 
Thanks for a wonderful share. Here is the great example related to you blog.
Oct 12, 2023   |  Reply
 
 
 
 Page: 1 of 1  | Go to page: