For those in the Duluth TV market who watch morning TV, let me recommend the new morning team at WDIO/WIRT Channels 10/13 (the ABC affiliate). Cassie Limpert was named the new Good Morning Northland anchor this week after having filled in for a few weeks. She joins weatherman Kyle Underwood who used to do evening weather.
They’re both pretty good (and deceptively tall; the set is like an optical illusion), especially by Duluth standards. But that’s not why I’m pointing them out. Limpert and Underwood have this The Office, Season One Jim/Pam thing going on. You know, “just really good friends” in this sort of tortured, cute until she mentions her boyfriend sort of way. I don’t know if that’s all a gimmick, though I doubt WDIO is sophisticated enough to manufacture that sort of thing.
Anyway, they deliver the news and weather as good as the other guys but add just that little slice of human drama that makes the morning interesting. We like to watch for subtle little comments in the banter and analyze them for any signs of angst or longing. Compare that with the Northland’s News Center (the NBC and CBS affiliates) where I haven’t quite figured out if they’re experimenting with crude android technology on their morning show. By any measure, Good Morning Northland is just good TV.
Thanks for pointing this out, Aaron. I love “The Office!” I’ll have to watch this some morning, when I’m not listening to KAXE’s morning show. : )
Scott Hall and Maggie Montgomery don’t quite have the Jim/Pam (or JAM, as they’re called in Office fandom) thing going on.
-Jennifer Poenix