30 Days of TV - Day 30
Day 01 - A show that never should have been canceled
Day 02 - A show you wish more people were watching
Day 03 - Your favorite new show (aired this TV season)
Day 04 - Your favorite show ever
Day 05 - A show you hate
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you
Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood show
Day 14 - Favorite male character
Day 15 - Favorite female character
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show
Day 17 - Favorite miniseries
Day 18 - Favorite title sequence
Day 19 - Best TV show cast
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite ship
Day 22 - Favorite series finale
Day 23 - Most annoying character
Day 24 - Best quote
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new)
Day 26 - OMG WTF? Season finale
Day 27 - Best pilot episode
Day 28 - First TV show obsession
Day 29 - Current TV show obsession
Day 30 - Saddest character death
Okay, this is another West Wing answer, so, y'know, spoilers. Though I've probably already scared penny_lane_42 just by saying that, and now she's gonna be all, OMG WHO DIES? :) There's no winning here, lol.
There are also spoilers for BSG and FNL, if you're not up to date on those shows.
This one goes to the death of Leo McGarry, which was made doubly sad because it was necessitated by the unfortunate passing of actor John Spencer. I can't even imagine how hard it would be for everyone to go back to work and have to deal with Leo's death, having just suffered a loss, but I remember reading at the time that the actors found it somewhat cathartic, to be able to say goodbye to their friend and colleague in this way.
Because the news about John Spencer was all over the entertainment world at the time, anyone watching the show as it aired pretty much couldn't avoid the spoiler. But I don't think the impact was lessened any by knowing it was coming. It didn't need to be a shocking, sudden death like Mrs. Landingham's back in season 2. The power is in the loss of a character who was a tremendous presence throughout the series, a fixture in the White House and a father figure to most of the staff.
There's an almost painful contrast between the excitement of election night and the grief over Leo's death. The juxtaposition between everyone singing "Deep in the Heart of Texas" after winning Santos' home state and Josh and Donna in Leo's hotel room is just... guh. (Probably well-known trivia: the writers had originally intended for Vinick to win the election, but they felt that it would be too much of a blow for the Democrats to lose both the election and Leo, so they rewrote it and Santos won.) It all feels so inappropriate, the tense waiting as states are called, the talk of lawsuits if they lose, the joyful celebration when states go their way. It should be the best night of their lives, and yet there's this unbearable heaviness, a pall cast over everything because they're still in shock and trying to mourn.
The thing about this show is that the world doesn't come to a halt just because you've suffered a loss. These are people with very important jobs, and they don't have the luxury of time or privacy to work through their grief. And so there's always this pressure to attend to responsibilities, and it's SUCH a relief to finally get to the end of "Requiem" and just... stop. Sit and talk. Reminisce. Laugh, even.
Honorable Mentions: Laura Roslin's death in the BSG series finale totally wrecked me, and I cry every time during "The Gift," even knowing that Buffy will be back. (Oddly, I don't find Spike's death in "Chosen" to be sad at all precisely because I knew he would be back.) Also, "The Body" (BtVS) and "The Son" (FNL) are notable in that they are incredibly moving episodes not because of the character who died, but because of the way it affects everyone else, most particularly the children who've lost their parents. Buffy and Matt are both just heartbreaking in their grief.
End of the meme, folks! But as angearia pointed out, this is quite a downer to end on, so there'll be a bonus post tomorrow.
Day 02 - A show you wish more people were watching
Day 03 - Your favorite new show (aired this TV season)
Day 04 - Your favorite show ever
Day 05 - A show you hate
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you
Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood show
Day 14 - Favorite male character
Day 15 - Favorite female character
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show
Day 17 - Favorite miniseries
Day 18 - Favorite title sequence
Day 19 - Best TV show cast
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite ship
Day 22 - Favorite series finale
Day 23 - Most annoying character
Day 24 - Best quote
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new)
Day 26 - OMG WTF? Season finale
Day 27 - Best pilot episode
Day 28 - First TV show obsession
Day 29 - Current TV show obsession
Day 30 - Saddest character death
Okay, this is another West Wing answer, so, y'know, spoilers. Though I've probably already scared penny_lane_42 just by saying that, and now she's gonna be all, OMG WHO DIES? :) There's no winning here, lol.
There are also spoilers for BSG and FNL, if you're not up to date on those shows.
This one goes to the death of Leo McGarry, which was made doubly sad because it was necessitated by the unfortunate passing of actor John Spencer. I can't even imagine how hard it would be for everyone to go back to work and have to deal with Leo's death, having just suffered a loss, but I remember reading at the time that the actors found it somewhat cathartic, to be able to say goodbye to their friend and colleague in this way.
Because the news about John Spencer was all over the entertainment world at the time, anyone watching the show as it aired pretty much couldn't avoid the spoiler. But I don't think the impact was lessened any by knowing it was coming. It didn't need to be a shocking, sudden death like Mrs. Landingham's back in season 2. The power is in the loss of a character who was a tremendous presence throughout the series, a fixture in the White House and a father figure to most of the staff.
There's an almost painful contrast between the excitement of election night and the grief over Leo's death. The juxtaposition between everyone singing "Deep in the Heart of Texas" after winning Santos' home state and Josh and Donna in Leo's hotel room is just... guh. (Probably well-known trivia: the writers had originally intended for Vinick to win the election, but they felt that it would be too much of a blow for the Democrats to lose both the election and Leo, so they rewrote it and Santos won.) It all feels so inappropriate, the tense waiting as states are called, the talk of lawsuits if they lose, the joyful celebration when states go their way. It should be the best night of their lives, and yet there's this unbearable heaviness, a pall cast over everything because they're still in shock and trying to mourn.
The thing about this show is that the world doesn't come to a halt just because you've suffered a loss. These are people with very important jobs, and they don't have the luxury of time or privacy to work through their grief. And so there's always this pressure to attend to responsibilities, and it's SUCH a relief to finally get to the end of "Requiem" and just... stop. Sit and talk. Reminisce. Laugh, even.
Honorable Mentions: Laura Roslin's death in the BSG series finale totally wrecked me, and I cry every time during "The Gift," even knowing that Buffy will be back. (Oddly, I don't find Spike's death in "Chosen" to be sad at all precisely because I knew he would be back.) Also, "The Body" (BtVS) and "The Son" (FNL) are notable in that they are incredibly moving episodes not because of the character who died, but because of the way it affects everyone else, most particularly the children who've lost their parents. Buffy and Matt are both just heartbreaking in their grief.
End of the meme, folks! But as angearia pointed out, this is quite a downer to end on, so there'll be a bonus post tomorrow.