Recently I have found I want to watch less and less television. The old adage of ’57 channels and nothing on’ resonates as true as it ever has. I do love a documentary and a gripping drama or thriller but a lot of the regular shows are repetitive and boring after a couple of episodes. The Wing Commander enjoys FBI and NCIS as low effort viewing. I find the characters one dimentional and in the case of the latter, unlikeable. 911 (both iterations) at least had likeable characters but again the repetitiveness of the storylines and, lately, the silliness of the situations, has rendered it unwatchable for me. I am particularly critical of the detective who always has some kind of trauma in their past. My biggest gripe however, is the general lack of character development in many shows so I switch off.
Recently we began to watch the second season of a drama which I won’t name so as to avoid spoilers. We had found the first season gripping and enjoyable and were, on the whole, immersed in the opening episodes of the new season. The latest episode however, left us shocked and stunned by the turn of events. In short a favourite character was brutally and unexpectedly killed off.
I love how good drama, whether on stage, film or television, can pull the audience into the story. The characters are drawn so we can love or hate them, the situations, though perhaps not personally experienced, are believable and create a sense of a reality. The audience feels part of the scene and can express an emotional reaction towards the events and actors within. It is not unknown for me to weep openly or cheer loudly when watching good drama. For me it is an expression of my enjoyment and engagement in the unfolding story.
Last night’s episode of this unnamed drama has turned me inside out. It is difficult to describe without giving too much away and spoiling the episode for others. However, I went to bed upset that the character would no longer be in the series but also distressed by the death of the individual. This morning I awoke and my first thought was about the demise of the character. I feel like I am experiencing a kind of grief.
Through my tears I damn those story writers and I damn the perpetrator! Your comeuppance will be gloriously relished when it comes but in the meantime I need some space to process the loss of a much loved character.
Significantly Different 