Tuesday, March 13, 2012

When is intense too intense?

So we've been watching The Walking Dead. We're not totally caught up. Last night, we watched the 18 Miles Out episode. Big showdowns between several major characters. Big choices to be made by our hero. Big stakes. All the time. Life and death. Every second.

I'm exhausted. Granted, I'd had a long day but the episode ended and I was so relieved it was over. I've actually really liked the show. I like the questions they ask and the hard choices the characters have had to make. I know as a storyteller that to keep people interested, you have to keep making things worse for your characters (throw 'em in the Dumpster, Steph!), but I think they went too far. I 'm not sure where or when the line was crossed, but I'm not sure I'm going to watch any more of it. It's too much.

So when does it become too much? I realize we all have our own lines. I can withstand much more tension and stress in a show or a movie then, say, my sisters can. They, on the other hand, can tolerate a much higher degree of potty humor. Maybe it was simply too unrelenting this time. Usually there's some moments of humor or tenderness or something. This was just conflict conflict conflict and then a little more conflict.

What shows have been too intense for you? Or books?

7 comments:

Stephanie Doyle said...

I'm with you Eileen - I can't handle all intense all the time. Sometimes I need a break!

But then I've never been into horror movies for that reason. Sometimes there is no down time.

Maureen McGowan said...

I have to be in the right mood for The Walking Dead. Same with a show like Mad Men, even. Or The Wire.

The more serious or heart pounding a show is, the more I need to be in the right frame of mind to watch. Sometimes I need me a little Project Runway or Top Chef.

Maureen McGowan said...

And I have found myself turning away from the gore in TWD this season... But still love it.

Anonymous said...

I tried the Walking Dead, but even with the stakes as high as they are, I found the show meandered, preachy and slow.. and gave up on it.

Eileen said...

See, I kind of like all the moral dilemmas and the interaction between the people. That 18 Miles Out one was just too much.

Molly O'Keefe said...

I thought for about five minutes I would watch The River - I loved the premise, it looked the right kind of scary and then in the second part of the oommercial for it - it was too intense. Too intense happens to me ALL the time.

Eileen said...

You know what hasn't crossed the line for me yet? Southland. It's come right up to the edge, but it hasn't quite crossed yet.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...