No, I'm not posting to discuss details of the show LOST. Instead, I just wanted to take a moment to ask a question of my readers as it pertains to storytelling. See, the human family has a very long history of storytelling that goes all the way back to the garden of Eden. Every family has stories, every community, every country, every culture. Some are true stories, some are made up stories, and they come to us in a wide variety of ways. Some are oral, told by older folks and have never been written down. Some are simple cave drawings or complicated heiroglyphs. As technology has advanced they come in print form in the style of books, magazines, graphic novels, and good old fashioned comic books. They come to us in the form of movies, computer gaming and television shows. It seems everywhere you look you can find a story, in some version. We love our stories, and we love the really good ones with twists and turns, surprises, failures, victories, reunions, moral backbone, heros, good v. evil... and on it goes.
Here's the scenario, then the question:
Let's say 50 people all read the same book last week. Let's say it's an AMAZING book with diverse characters, good v. evil plot, suspense, drama, humor... it's just one of those books that simply has it all. A fantastic story that you're really glad you read about, and will likely read again some time in the future. Let's also say that it was just a given that when everyone finished the book yesterday, when they all got together today, the story in the book is what they would be discussing today. Not many people in this world would have an issue with that, would they?
So why then, when the story is delivered via prime time, network television series, do people get SO upset about others discussing it? Is it because it's a tv show and people generally hate tv shows? Is it because it's not a story they've followed so it's just annoying to them to hear/read so many others discussing it? Is it (for Christians) because the show was on on a Sunday and fellow Christians were talking more about this story than they were about the Lord (very much in the same vein as sports fans do when the superbowl airs on Sunday)? Yes, that's a serious question. They all are.
Today on FB, twitter and numerous news bits, I've read comments about how the series finale of LOST (and tonight's series ending of 24) is not only the talk of the watercooler, so to speak, but the most annoying thing in the world for those who have either never watched either show, or just don't care about either show. I can certainly understand the lack of interest in the wave of discussions. I don't care for the superbowl myself, and hear/read a zillion comments about it on Superbowl Sunday every year.
The thing is, it isn't just LOST or 24. While anyone who really knows me already knows I'm a total LOSTIE and wish Jack Bauer lived next door (although those closest to him tend to get killed, so maybe he should live a few doors down?), they also know that I know it's just a story. My life doesn't revolve around the tv, but I do have my favorite shows and I'm certainly not ashamed to admit it. I have favorite cds too, and books, and games, and pants. I'm not afraid to admit that either but there are some folks out there who get right bent up over the fact that folks actually enjoy the storytelling in the form of a tv show.
So I said all that to ask this:
Why is a story in ANY other form apparently okay and/or acceptable, but a story told via television shows so incredibly annoying to so many people? What is it about the tv, that gets under people's skin the way it does?
That's a very interesting question. I don't have an answer, but it's interesting. One of the things I liked about Lost was that it was such good storytelling - they were great at dragging the mysteries out and developing the characters to where if you were following it you wanted to know more. Probably why the ending was disappointing to me - I didn't get answers to things they had led me to care about w/in the context of the story. I found it odd how reactive people got throughout the time the series ran when they weren't fans of the show. I don't go around griping about discussions of shows I'm not interested in - I just ignore them and read the discussions I'm interested in. I don't feel a need to say mean things about or to people having the discussions, though. Interesting food for thought. Maybe it's how obsessive some fans of this type of show can be? Some of the fans would go on and on, and unlike you and me, they kind of blur reality and story - especially in TV and movie format. Same thing is happening with the Twilight phenomenon, I think. People kind of idolize the actors and want to be in the story themselves almost - maybe because TV and movie are so visual? I don't know.
ReplyDeleteI've been on hands and knees scrubbing my kitchen floor this today, so maybe I just have too much time to think today, but I had another thought about your question. I wonder if it may be because with TV, you almost have a community event - anyone who is watching a particular show will be watching it at the time it's broadcast (or soon thereafter if using DVR :-) ) so all the discussion happens the next day as fans enjoy talking about their favorite show. It's annoying to those who don't watch the show because they are not part of the 'community' and feel left out. Maybe? It's very rare to find a book like that with as large and focused a group of fans moving along at the same pace and breaking at the same points throughout the story. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteWhether we like it or not, television is not viewed in the same way a good book is. Don't get me wrong; I liked the show "Lost," but it wasn't really Thomas Hardy's "Far From the Madding Crowd," or Huxley's "Brave New World." Reading is just much more demanding, and to see the allusions and the literary devices in a work of fiction is, in my view, much more difficult to do, and much more difficult to accomplish.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing, I think, is that television, being part of the pop culture genre may be seen as a rather fleeting fancy. We all loved Lost and we all feel bad it's over, but dollars to doughnuts, we'll all feel that way about another show in the future. I didn't think I'd ever like a show as much as I liked "Hill Street Blues," but then along came "ER." Many more have come along. I don't know as if television shows, because their goal is to entertain and make money are necessarily seen as critical social commentary.
As I said, I liked the show, but I will in all likelihood, not re-watch them as I re-read excellent literature.
Also, I think it has a lot to do with why people watch television, too. I watch it as something that doesn't demand too much from me. Neil and I had a conversation about Lost this morning, but it was short, and we'll just move on. Same thing goes with sports for me.
ReplyDeleteOthers may feel annoyed by that because there are some people who talk about the people on Lost like they are real people (I have a few friends like that) and that kind of annoys me. It's ironic; some women I know who would NEVER watch a soap opera watch Lost and talk about the people as if they're real, so I don't understand that. It is just entertainment.
I think both Rebekah and Kim got it right when guessing that the annoyance people exhibit when listening to fans of shows talk about the show are probably reacting to an obsessed fan or have been around obsessed fans and just assume all fans of the show are likewise obsessed.
ReplyDeleteI know people who talk about shows like they're real. Starting out with something like:
"Oh! You know Kate? Well on Sunday she finally realized that she really loved Jack!"
And to a person outside this conversation, it would look and sound like this person is talking about someone real, and something very profound happened in their life. So, of course, when this outsider asks,
"Oh how wonderful for her! Who is Kate?"
And two insiders chuckle with a:
"Oh this girl on the show Lost..."
It's not very surprising that the outsider would question the sanity of the other two; talking about a fictional character in such an intimate way.
Caryn:
ReplyDeletetalking about a fictional character in such an intimate way.
That is an excellent way to describe the phenomenon.
Really great thoughts on this ladies. I'm processing several things mentioned. I'll comment more tomorrow, Lord willing.
ReplyDelete