Emotionally invested: how TV shows toy with our emotions

It’s a sign of a good TV show. If you care, well, I guess they’ve done their job, not only the writers, for creating a character that you can relate to, but the directors and producers, and mostly, the actors, for bringing that character to life in a way that makes you go all “Awwww” and scream “NOOOOOO” when the season ends like seasons inevitably end.

Badly.

So far, the headcount for my favorite characters goes something like this:

1. Trapped in another realm.
2. Not getting married anymore (it’s a much bigger deal than it sounds, trust me)
3. Maybe getting married. And, with a new job. (We have to wait four months to know, of course)
4. Still don’t know who Red John is.
5. In a position that will leave you with a SEVERE need for a dentist ASAP (Aka getting tortured and OMG IDIEDIDIEDIDIED).
6. Big bad storm + complications with childbirth.

Not to mention these characters have been kidnapped, had their families murdered by evil sociopaths who leave smileys faces drawn in blood, faced a gunman, survived a plane crash, been buried alive, survived nuclear disaster, almost drowned, been trapped in another realm (but a different one), gone to war, almost fell of a building, and other assorted bad things, and I’m not only counting the season finales here.  

In fact, my favorites have gone through stuff I’d be hard pressed to think about, much less put any of my characters (EVEN THE VILLAINS) through. 

Life as a TV characters is a not as glamorous as it sounds. 

Of course, the whole idea behind it is to keep you on the edge of your seat, to draw interest, to make you wait with bated breath for the premiere. I understand the concept of cliffhangers, of course. I understand it very well. I’m a writer, after all. But sometimes, it seems like these characters have gone through enough. (Or maybe that I have gone through enough) I mean, they’re just people after all, aren’t they?

Ah, but they aren’t. The only problem is that you’ve spent a long looooong time trying to convince me that they are. And you’ve done a damn good job. So this? This is just plain cruel.

*For the record, this is how I felt after each season finale:

Bones: Broke my heart.

Castle: :D :D :D…oh, wait …now I won’t know till September.

Once Upon a Time: Interesting…

Grey’s Anatomy: Well, at least Meredith is okay. 

The Mentalist: I think Red John is watching me. He’s probably watching all of us. Okay, this is beyond creepy. But, on the bright side, we’re getting somewhere …right? RIIIIGHT??

NCIS:LA NOOOOO. NOOT DEEKS. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO. KILL SAM, KILL SAM, KILL SAM!!! Don’t do that!! NOOOOOOOO.

::silence::

SOMEONE WRITE ME A FANFIC. SOMETHING. ANYTHING. I will NOT survive till September. I WILL NOT.

Oh, and while we’re at it, does anyone remember the name of the dentist Sydney went to on that episode of Alias? (You know …THAT episode)