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~ Contains vague death-related spoilers for Torchwood (series 2 and 3) and George R. R. Martin. Doesn't include character names. ~
The most recent series of Torchwood started today*. I didn't watch it.
I could have done, but I didn't actually watch the third series either. I just read some spoilers online, to confirm that what happened is what I suspected would happen.
Why? Because everybody died in series two. Well, not everybody, but a substantial number of the original characters die, all at the same time. Then one of the few survivors dies in the next series. Both my favourite and second favourite characters died. Watching the new series would be starting again. Only this time, I know there isn't much point getting attached to anyone. They'll all die. I decided to skip it instead.
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I've resisted reading anything by George R. R. Martin. Grittydarkland isn't my favourite fantasy setting in the first place, but the high death rate described means the chances of actually getting past book one would be slim. Why keep reading if the characters I like keep dying?
Yet people are still sure I'll like the books. I can't fathom why**.
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The argument is always that if you don't kill characters, people don't take death threats seriously. There's some merit in this. Sometimes characters need to die. But it can be taken too far. At the point where I don't consider death a threat, but a certainty for every character, there's no tension left.
On the other side, I don't have an issue with horror stories that kill the survivors at the end. Such stories are rarely intended to be series, so I've had characters stay alive to tell the story for as long as they needed to be alive. (It's saying something when I trust a horror story to keep the characters alive more than a non-horror story.)
But killing everyone halfway through the tale... I'm never going to find that fun.
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Do you love the carnage? Wish characters could survive at least to the end of the story? Related rantage welcome.
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* 'Today' is somewhat relative for a nocturnal person, and unrelated to actual calendar day.
** Though I suspect it's related to a previous comment on book recommendations. Some tend to assume everyone will like anything they like, regardless of stated preferences.
5 ink splashes:
I'm with you on this, including about Torchwood. When a favourite character died I lost interest completely.
I can reread a book where I know that the characters survive and still feel the threat and menace to them as I read through the book. And I want characters to survive. Mind you, I'm all for happy endings.
I find I'm more tolerant of sad endings in shorts, and write some like that. But shorts don't have the same level of emotional investment as a novel or a series.
You're right about Torchwood, although I am still watching. The new series looks like it could be okay, but I still have reservations. It was bad enough at the end of season 2, but then -- what...Ianto! Nooo!
But I am still prepared to give it a go, for the awesomeness that is Jack.
I think that's why it has taken me so long to finish the first book in Martin's series. I like grimdark, I mean I'm all about earning your happy endings, but will their be a a ray of sunshine not marred at every turn?
It seems to be a series that serves as an ode to bad guys and evil. Well written, yes, compelling characters to boot, but....
Jen, I like Jack, but as it is an ensemble programme, it's hard for that to carry it for me.
ralfast, The reviews suggest it's bad all the time, unrelentingly. I don't mind sad parts to stories, but for a novel length there better be some light bits.
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