Meta: Character Deaths
kalesbohan linked me to this and can I just say Word!
The Down Ending Myth.
Adding realism for the sake of "realism" (note: anyone who comes at me preaching realism in fandoms with spandex-clad superheroes who get their powers because the sun is the wrong color will get laughed at a lot) just alienates the audience who tuned in for the fun.
and:
Realism is not about body count. It's not about which character you can damage, or whose backstory you can change to give him/her reasons to be the person we already know. It's not about ratcheting up drama or playing on emotions. It's about looking at life, looking at many lives if you can, and telling the story that's true.
A big YES, THANK YOU! to those two. Seriously it's like reading my thoughts on character deaths, except coherently . Because come on, half the time the characters really don't need to die. And yeah, I do like my shows my shows to be realistic, but sometimes? Is the happier ending so hard to give the fans? Really? (Joss, we're looking at you.) Yes, it might lose some the OMG!angst-cliffhanger-'wow' factor that so many so runners look for, but you know what? You might lose some, and I stress *some*, fans. Especially if there was no plot-story relevant reason for it, expect the "hey, lets kill someone the fans never expected us to kill off and shock them" reason, because my dear writers, is not a good one.
Warning: Season finale spoilers for several shows and movies: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly/"Serenity", Forever Knight, Beauty and the Beast, M*A*S*H, Alien Nation, Farscape, Quantum Leap, Slings & Arrows, Blake's 7, "The Lord of the Rings," the midseason finale of Battlestar Galactica, "Doctor Horrible's Sing-a-Long Blog," the original Star Wars trilogy, the "Toy Story" films, Torchwood "Exit Wounds," and The Sarah Jane Adventures "The Lost Boy."
The Down Ending Myth.
Adding realism for the sake of "realism" (note: anyone who comes at me preaching realism in fandoms with spandex-clad superheroes who get their powers because the sun is the wrong color will get laughed at a lot) just alienates the audience who tuned in for the fun.
and:
Realism is not about body count. It's not about which character you can damage, or whose backstory you can change to give him/her reasons to be the person we already know. It's not about ratcheting up drama or playing on emotions. It's about looking at life, looking at many lives if you can, and telling the story that's true.
A big YES, THANK YOU! to those two. Seriously it's like reading my thoughts on character deaths, except coherently . Because come on, half the time the characters really don't need to die. And yeah, I do like my shows my shows to be realistic, but sometimes? Is the happier ending so hard to give the fans? Really? (Joss, we're looking at you.) Yes, it might lose some the OMG!angst-cliffhanger-'wow' factor that so many so runners look for, but you know what? You might lose some, and I stress *some*, fans. Especially if there was no plot-story relevant reason for it, expect the "hey, lets kill someone the fans never expected us to kill off and shock them" reason, because my dear writers, is not a good one.
Warning: Season finale spoilers for several shows and movies: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly/"Serenity", Forever Knight, Beauty and the Beast, M*A*S*H, Alien Nation, Farscape, Quantum Leap, Slings & Arrows, Blake's 7, "The Lord of the Rings," the midseason finale of Battlestar Galactica, "Doctor Horrible's Sing-a-Long Blog," the original Star Wars trilogy, the "Toy Story" films, Torchwood "Exit Wounds," and The Sarah Jane Adventures "The Lost Boy."