HOOKED ON THE FEELINGS
Why viewers can’t quit shows such as Jane the Virgin, no matter how soapy or overly sentimental they get,
168. That’s the number of named (named!) characters who have died on Grey’s Anatomy since the show’s debut in 2005, according to a macabre alphabetized Wikipedia list.
But I keep watching the series because, somehow, it brings me comfort. At the pinnacle moment, I’ll clutch my blanket, soul-crushed, acknowledging how silly I feel for crying over fictional characters but sobbing nonetheless. Why? When so much of what happens in the outside world is already painful, why do any of us willingly spend our time watching shows that introduce us to lovable, flawed, complex characters; convince us to respect them, to recognize ourselves in them; then tear them away from us? Why do we put scissors in the hands of those who would sever our heartstrings?
Grey’s Anatomy is a seasoned vet in the art of emotional manipulation. And as it enters its 14th season (debuting Thursday at 8 p.m. on CTV), it’s joined by a fast-growing number of shows that have taken inspiration from its formula.
NBC’s nostalgic, lyrical drama This is Us captured audiences last fall when it premiered and has been highly acclaimed; it returned for its highly anticipated second season on Tuesday and the previews warned audiences to “have tissues ready.” This season is dealing with the death of a major character.
Meanwhile, the CW’s snappy, soapy comedy Jane the Virgin is gearing up for its Oct.13 season premiere, enjoying a cult following from audiences and critics alike, who have fallen in love with the series despite it killing off a fan favourite in Season 3.
Yes, every TV show out there focuses on emotion to some degree. What makes these shows different is not just that they prioritize sentiment but that their characters actively recognize the world as an unpleasant and unfair place full of unpleasant and unfair people. Yet they still believe the world is worth their effort and that people are ultimately good.
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for these programs, which have taken their share of criticism. Some Grey’s Anatomy fans have called for its cancellation, citing stagnant storylines. This is Us has been called “syrupy” and “unsatisfying.” Jane the Virgin’s
These shows are about what we could do and be if we prioritized kindness and re-evaluated our definitions of success
eclectic mix of voice-over, onscreen type, freeze frames and animation is at times excessive.
But we will keep letting these shows — and the Gilmore Girls, the Blackishs, the Master of Nones and others preoccupied with both pain and joy — worm their way into our hearts, because they feel like friends to us.
For all the ugly tragedies, they show us the tiny victories, the small comforts and joys that are invisible if we don’t keep our eyes open.
They are set in worlds that look almost exactly like ours with people who look like us. But they are worlds that are generally more adept at managing dissent than ours tends to be.
They are famed for focusing on the stigmas and biases in society, and letting characters work collaboratively and sensitively to rectify them.
They are about what we could do for each other if we prioritized kindness and re-evaluated our definitions of success.
They are about what makes a family. Their stories feature unconditional support but also life’s trials and devastating grief. They make us wistful for days we’ve never known. They startle us with how deeply and candidly they touch us.
They bring us comfort because they actualize a longing, latent and restless, buried inside us: that in another life, love truly would make the world go around.