Ever wonder what happens to characters after a show is cancelled? Unfinished storylines, lots of loose ends dangling, unrequited love, sidekicks left to their own devices. The list goes on and on. Without closure these characters, towns, and circumstances are stuck in a time warp forevermore. Like an unfinished book that wakes you in the middle of the night, screaming to be opened and read to the end… okay, maybe that’s just me.
I hate when a show is cancelled before it has reached a clear resolution. It doesn’t have to go on for fifteen seasons, but closing down a set, shutting off the lights on someone’s run from the mob, fight for justice, custody battle, or torrid love affair, is just asking for problems. Petitions should definitely be signed. I’ve invested hours of my life getting to know these characters, worrying about whether or not they will find their kidnapped child, catch a serial killer, or meet the love of their life. Don’t leave me hanging out to dry!
Last year I got caught up in the lives of the Kowalski family on Against the Wall. After the thirteenth episode, right when Abby had to choose between two hot guys that were both in love with her… they cancelled it. Please – if you’re going to cancel a show, at least let the heroine make the most important decision of her rather short life, first!!
I also watched thirteen episodes of The Protector. They cancelled that as well.
Obviously, thirteen is as unlucky as you can get. Builders won’t even build that floor because it’s too unlucky. They skip right from twelve to fourteen. Simple mathematics be damned! But men in a boardroom have the audacity to give the go-ahead to film exactly thirteen episodes of a new show just to see if it makes it? What are they thinking?!
This season I started watching The Firm, Awake, A Gifted Man, Body of Proof, and Prime Suspect. Guess what? All are being cancelled. Missing, which has only aired three episodes, is already on its way to cancelation. You’d think television execs would have sense enough to know people need time to actually sit down in their easy chairs and find the darn program before they can become a fan.
They spend so much time and energy advertising “reality” television nut-jobs that they’ve forgotten storyis what made television great. Like a good book condensed and acted out for our enjoyment, television turns words into action, brings fantasy to life.
You probably already know I despise reality television. I prefer my entertainment to be unrealistic – with actors actually getting paid big bucks to pretend to be someone else – because watching people pretend to be themselves in front of a camera is really boring and pretty pathetic in most cases. A prime example… The Bachelor.
Hulu jokingly advertises that they suck the brains out of people. The truth is that the average reality programming today is sucking out humanity, common sense, self-control, patience, kindness, logical argument, moral compass, and the ability to know entertainment from a crapload of insanity.
So people, I beg of you, stop watching Jersey Shore and Dance Moms and stand up for true entertainment. Send those letters in to the networks. Demand stories rather than reality sewage.
TOGETHER WE CANcreate jobs, put true actors back to work, and save the economy.
And hopefully give me something worth watching in my easy chair.
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Elaine Pratt says
March 31, 2012 at 7:49 pmPlease use paragraph indents and breaks because my eyes and brain resist the discipline it takes to read one long continuous monologue.
Probably ’cause they’ve had the good entertainment sense sucked out of them by mindless shows like Trucking Wars! (Actually, never watched it, just the commercials leave my eyes glossy…REALLY, DO PEOPLE WATCH THAT?!!)
Thanks 🙂
Elaine Pratt says
April 1, 2012 at 6:06 pmThanks, Barbara, much better!
Are you accommodating and considerate, or what?!!
🙂
Allie Robbins says
April 3, 2012 at 7:37 pmEverybody told me to watch “Awake”, they thought it was wonderful. Watched once. I just didn’t get it…. I don’t think I was smart enough to follow along.