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Diabetes Part of “Loser Life” on “Men of a Certain Age”
Well, Hollywood’s done it again, trying to incorporate a character with diabetes into their storyline. This time, the entertainment industry has bestowed diabetes on one of the main characters in TNT’s new hit TV show, Men of a Certain Age. While the show has been receiving rave media reviews from the San Francisco Chronicle to the New York Times, the reviews on its star diabetic have been mixed at best.
For background: The show stars three middle-aged men, Joe (played by Ray Romano), Terry (played by Scott Bakula) and Owen (played by Andre Braugher), who are best friends, and of course the triad play off each others strengths and weaknesses. Owen is a father of two who works for his father at a car dealership. He’s a bit down on his luck and not happy working with Dad, who isn’t the nicest guy. On top of that, Owen has diabetes, which he exacerbates by drinking, eating too much, and not exercising enough.
But what kind of portrayal is this show giving diabetes? First off, it doesn’t ever say which type of diabetes Owen actually has. Big minus points there. The differences between the two are so striking that the only way this show is going to make sense is by offering some clarity. There isn’t even enough substance to draw conclusions based on actions either, though the Washington Post states that Owen’s “developed diabetes as a result of his weight.” Owen is constantly being berated and made fun of by his friends and co-workers for liking to eat, but in one scene, a co-worker is grossed out when Owen goes to take an insulin injection. The diabetes, at the end of the day, seems to be just an example of how Owen is failing at his life. Not a very positive spin at an already demonized chronic condition, is it?
The show seems to be aggrandizing the portrayal of Owen as an out-of-control diabetic, who doesn’t do much to help himself. In another scene, Owen goes on a hike with his friends, without testing or bringing along any glucose tabs or juice. The predictable crisis of this scene is that Owen drops dangerously low and passes out. And his friends have no idea how to help him! Instead, while he’s unconscious, they drive him back to the Emergency Room without appearing to have a clue about what to do, or that Owen needs glucose or a glucagon injection. Clearly, Owen has not done his part in educating his friends and put himself at risk.
Some folks at TuDiabetes have criticized the writers for showing Owen taking insulin before going on a hike. Are the writers trying to create an accurate portrayal of character who doesn’t take care of himself? Or are they simply using diabetes as a means for heightened drama? My guess is the latter, which means that they are probably not trying to be particularly helpful in educating the viewing audience about the day-to-day life of an average PWD.
So that was episode No. 1. How is diabetes handled in the second ep
isode? Predictably, it isn’t. Although there’s some mention of Owen’s overeating, there’s not much direct discussion about his diabetes at all. Will this be a continuing trend? Let’s hope not. Usually a character with diabetes is a one-shot plot device used in medical dramas and bad movies, but this time, we have a lead character on what looks to be a popular TV show. Let’s hope that the writers: 1) don’t drop the subject like a hot potato, and 2) use their power wisely to actually portray something realistic.
Want to see Men of a Certain Age for yourself? You can check it out Mondays at 10 pm on TNT.
I like the show so far but I did cringe a bit when they showed Owen taking the shot right before going on a hike. Was it his fast acting or slow acting insulin? Did he eat and forget to take his insulin and was just “catching up”? Well, no… later in the hospital Owen admits to his wife that he SKIPPED BREAKFAST. So what the heck was the insulin for?
Posted by: Khürt Williams | December 17th, 2009 at 10:45 amI had a real problem with this character’s D-story. He gave himself insulin in the car, on the way to the hike, no food, no food prospects, and then went hiking and passed out. I too, think this was added to the story line for a bit of drama, however, not really plausible. His dad mentions how embarrassed he is by him giving himself injections at his desk. Ray Romano’s character turns away when Owen prepares the injection. Owen is either a very irresponsible diabetic, with no support from his friends and family or just a guy with no clue and no support.
Posted by: Babscampbell | December 17th, 2009 at 10:50 amWe’ve decided after episode 2, it’s just too darned depressing to watch.
I too find the show a downer from watching a bit of the first episode. And it’s a great question why producers bring a character with diabetes on board and then handle it like it doesn’t matter that they’re clueless.
Does anyone remember when the show ‘Brothers & Sisters’ gave actress Rachel Griffith’s daughter type 1? (Rachel plays brunette Sarah, the head of Oji foods.) We saw one shot of glucose testing and a syringe and then never ever heard or saw anything about it again. For all purposes you would have assumed she was cured!
Posted by: riva | December 17th, 2009 at 11:36 am@KKhurt and @Bob. You’re conflating two different scenes. In the first scene, Owen takes insulin but they never get to hiking because of the possum thing. In that opening scene we have no reason to believe Owen didn’t have a normal breakfast.
Later, they do actually get to hiking after Owen has been dressed down by his father for being “embarassing.” This is now a totally different day, and we don’t ever see 1) whether Owen took insulin and 2) we learn later that he didn’t eat. Obviously this was because he was feeling ashamed from his father’s embarassment of him. So he didn’t take care of himself, and he also pushes himself on the hike too much and collapses.
I don’t know where they’re going with this angle of his character but so far I think it makes sense and they’ve done a good job realistically portraying a diabetic who is in denial about it. It’s a show about midlife and obviously this is a part of his life that Owen isn’t dealing with well.
Posted by: Dave | December 17th, 2009 at 12:04 pmjust think of how all the physicians, lawyers and forensic scientists must feel when watching TV these days!!
Posted by: Anne Findlay | December 17th, 2009 at 12:37 pm30 Rock, one of my all time favorite shows, has been guilty of this as well, when they portrayed one of the characters as ridiculous for claiming that an unhealthy diet didn’t cause diabetes. The show then made the assertion that diabetes was synonymous with imminent limb amputation, AND in another episode conflated type 1 juvenile diabetes with type 2 diabetes (a parent felt guilty for “giving” the child insulin-dependent diabetes by not preparing healthy meals, letting the kid drink sugary sodas, etc). Hard for me to watch.
Those of us who are type 1 are on our own. That is the biggest lesson to me of the past 2 years — no one is going to “get it,” so stop expecting any sort of understanding. Just take care of yourself, because you’re the only one who ultimately cares about your disease.
I don’t even expect doctors, including endocrinologists, to understand what type 1 diabetes is, so to expect understanding from writers on a cable TV show is hopeless endeavor.
Posted by: Lauren K | December 17th, 2009 at 11:14 pmAlthough annoying, i’m less upset by portrayals of diabetes in obviously fictional shows.
I was actually far more upset by the scene in TLC’s Little Chocolatiers that implied that a woman didn’t get a job at the chocolate shop because she had diabetes and couldn’t eat their chocolate! To add insult to injury, it was cut in such a way that it would make it seem FUNNY that she couldn’t eat chocolate because she was diabetic.
Posted by: Amanda | December 23rd, 2009 at 9:19 amWhat about Prison Break where the main character takes insulin even though he doesn’t have diabetes!
Posted by: Nic | December 30th, 2009 at 1:38 amI too was upset watching this episode. The dad acts like he should be ashamed for having to give himself an insulin shot. I have also seen the 30 Rock episodes and have cringed. Ironically I heard Tracy Morgan does have diabetes and this was written for him.
Posted by: Trish | January 10th, 2010 at 10:13 pm