Linc's

The show "Linc's" originated on the Cable Channel Showtime in the United States, not in the U.K. as previously stated. During that time, Showtime experimented with several black-themed series, specials and projects...much as it's previous experimentation with gay issues. These "phases" at Showtime were the growing pains of a Pay-Channel who tried to find it's niche. It started out in the late 70's and early 80's with cultural programming including Broadway and Off-Broadway plays. It also hosted several A-List Live Concerts (i.e. The Diana Ross Central Park Concert). It later went into it's "Black Phase" and launched careers of several black actors while revived the careers of others. Still unable to compete with HBO, it went into it's "Gay" phase which is dying out. Now its programming is mostly Mainstream with an Edge...Huff, Weeds, Brotherhood, etc.

It's annoying that programs of this quality are axed (I axed Showtime after this and Beggars and Choosers were canceled). Tim Reid, most famous for being Venus Flytrap on WKRP has turned into a complex and nuanced writer/producer, and Linc's was a joy to watch in terms of character and dialogue every week. Most remarkable about Linc's, was that it managed to create a political dialogue that's almost unheard of in modern TV programming. There were no off-hand cheap-shot remarks, the kind of immature political one-liners that show up on Six Feet Under or Law & Order. The characters came first, and their political beliefs flowed from their characters, and all sides of various issues were discussed with care and complexity.

Three cheers for an excellent program, I wish it had gone on for much longer.