Latest Find: The Booth at the End

A mysterious Man sits at a booth at the end of a diner. People approach him because they've heard The Man has a gift. He can solve their problems: A parent with a sick child, a woman who wants to be prettier, a nun who has lost her faith. The Man can give these people what they want. For a price. The Man makes a proposition. In exchange for realizing their desires, these individuals must complete a task, return to The Man, and describe every step in detail. The trick is that these tasks are things that would normally be inconceivable to them. But The Man never forces anyone to do anything. It's always up to the individual to start - or stop. The Booth at the End asks the question: How far would you go to get what you want?

Seasons 1 and 2 are showing on Hulu now. Tom and I watched season one in one evening since there were only five 23-minute episodes. It was like a movie length show that way.

This is a fascinating premise that gives the writers opportunities to examine choice, free will, destiny, and similar questions. I was interested in the way that people's stories wound up being intertwined and the contrasts it showed in what everyone focused on once they were in the middle of trying to complete their tasks. I was also fascinated by The Man's relationship with The Book.

Rose turned us onto this although once I began looking around the internet I realized that this show has been intensely discussed by its viewers. And somehow I completely missed Joseph Susanka's column about it although I thought I'd read all his pieces.

That's ok, I don't mind coming late to the party and pointing the way for those who haven't come across it yet.