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gategrrlThere was an article in the Sunday Mar 22 LA Times about the Mentalist. I thought this was interesting. Like other procedural shows, 60% of its audience is women 18 and over.
And, "Despite conventional pressure to remain in familiar narrative territory on a network, the show is trying to avoid predictable story lines, said Heller. (the show's creator) For instance, those fans hoping for a love connection between the show's stars may be disappointed. It's unlikely--neither actor wants to explore that well-worn territory for now.
"I feel like Simon (who plays the lead character) is my brother," said Tunney (she plays the female head detective). "I don't know what would happen if we took the show down that road. I don't feel we have to."
Well, much as I'd like to believe that they'll never go down that road, there's too much precedent for badly thought through romance on shows like this between male and female leads. The shippers always seem to win, and with that large of a female audience, you know they're getting a shitload of mail trying to get the leads together. Of course that's why the second leads are having a UST thing going on that they can not consummate because the female in the equation is too effing smart (so far) to go down that road. But you know they will. At some point, especially when the ratings start to droop.
And as soon as they do, either "couple", this show is ded. Ded, ded, ded.
And, "Despite conventional pressure to remain in familiar narrative territory on a network, the show is trying to avoid predictable story lines, said Heller. (the show's creator) For instance, those fans hoping for a love connection between the show's stars may be disappointed. It's unlikely--neither actor wants to explore that well-worn territory for now.
"I feel like Simon (who plays the lead character) is my brother," said Tunney (she plays the female head detective). "I don't know what would happen if we took the show down that road. I don't feel we have to."
Well, much as I'd like to believe that they'll never go down that road, there's too much precedent for badly thought through romance on shows like this between male and female leads. The shippers always seem to win, and with that large of a female audience, you know they're getting a shitload of mail trying to get the leads together. Of course that's why the second leads are having a UST thing going on that they can not consummate because the female in the equation is too effing smart (so far) to go down that road. But you know they will. At some point, especially when the ratings start to droop.
And as soon as they do, either "couple", this show is ded. Ded, ded, ded.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-24 03:22 am (UTC)I think "for now" are the key words in that sentence. As is often the case, a show might start out with maybe some UST now and again. But if the ratings head south, it's time to board ship!
It's kind of sad, because there are a lot of shows I actively avoid watching from the start because I can see the trappings of ship-to-be waiting in the wings in the setup. I just don't want to get invested. If it doesn't turn out how I thought, then there's always DVDs.
I think the shippers don't win due to overwhelming numbers. A lot of people just don't effing care if the lead characters hook up, they just like the core concept of the show. They also don't care enough about it to voice that opinion as loudly as the shippers voice theirs.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-26 06:24 pm (UTC)Exactly: "for now".
I do like the relationships on the show, even with the current "UST" between work pals one. Seriously--next week, the guy is going to be "hypnotized" and kiss the woman cop.
Really. (rolls eyes)
I hope that keeps the shippers happy and off the main pair.
Jane is clearly still very wrapped up in that done-to-death serial-killer back story. (woman and daughter in the fridge/done before with The Profiler, only in her case it was her husband) I'm honestly tired of that motivation. At least on Monk, Monk was a policeman *before* his wife was murdered. But it's still a weary, over used trope.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-31 03:18 am (UTC)What is it with so many investigators having a "serial killer they couldn't catch" back story?
It's often used as a way to have the character isolated (quit their job, got a divorce, etc.) so the new character (and future love interest) can lure them back to the land of the living. Wait. I think I just answered my own question.
On Monk
Date: 2009-03-31 04:11 am (UTC)It seemed when the new blonde assistant came into the picture, for about a season or so, the writers kept trying to have UST between her and Monk, and man, it just.was.not.working that way between them. They simply do not have that kind of chemistry. They weren't opposite or entertaining enough together.
Without Sharona, Monk is actually kind of boring. But for some reason, the show has lasted on without her--probably due to the male-male relationships.
But I'm so glad they stayed with the assistant-employer relationship.