[Vox]

I'll keep it as light on the spoilers as I can...I want people to watch this show.

The Misfits (on BBC's Channel 4) is one of those cheaply made, but well done shows that are far easier to watch than a badly written, but sfx-heavy, show.

It's about some hapless juvenile delinquents who develop incredible abilities after a mysterious storm hits their part of London while they are doing community service. The sad part is, the powers really don't improve their state, at least not for the first five episodes. They are losers and their powers make it worse. Instead of admiring or envying these new "superheroes," you wince a lot as they screw up their lives even more.

There is only one season out, and they've been approved for a second one that should be airing soon. The 6th and last episode is my favorite so far. The bad guys are the "good" kids, drug-free ones who obey the laws, respect each other and apparently have a bright future, as opposed to our antiheroes. Even though we've seen this many, many times before (ex. The Addams Family, Kids Next Door, Stepford Wives, Pleasantville), it was good to see it again, as the ep didn't make you hate the good kids (well, at least I didn't). It showed they were actually leading better lives, that being clean and proper is worthwhile. When one of the Misfits yells at the brainwashed kids, he admits that their normal state is awful and shameful, but, because it's their choice, it's a better one than being brainwashed into being good.

It also made me think about how a lot of our situation is due to our own choices and if someone forced us to be better, we probably would be.