We are watching Virgin River on Netflix. It is nice and convenient to just have a show we agree to watch that has enough episodes for many days of watching. It is nice if the episodes are not too long so that they fit into the time limits we like. Emails from Netflix told us about the show and we started watching.
Regardless of the quality, a separate issue is mere habit. What to watch? That show. When the streaming begins, we see the characters we have begun to follow and are familiar with. It feels rather comfortable.
I never got into a soap opera much and this emotional example has me somewhat alert for what seems like special writing and plot directions and strategies. We are into the 3rd season of 4 so we are actually more than halfway through what there is.
Without careful evidence or examination, it has begun to seem to me that as opposed to a crime show or a comedy, one set of tools for creating tension and sorrow and regret and worry involves what could be called communication control. As opposed to my own life, I hear more statements like "I want to tell you something but you can't tell so-and-so." The closer your relation to so-and-so, it seems to me, the more likely you will
Forget my prohibition
Decide to rule against my request
Let so-and-so sense your knowledge or if not the actual message you received from me, then at least look moody and sad, to the point that so-and-so asks what bothering you
If you are a skilled female actress, you may be able to create semi-tearful eyes at will. With such an emotional face, Hubby or Brother or Son or Mother or Daughter or Close Girlfriend can ask "Are you ok?" or "What's up?" Then, you blurt out that the bread has gotten moldy or whatever statement it is that you have been warned, pleaded with, actually, to keep under your hat.
Now that you have broken the injunction not to tell So-and-so, you are cleared to fret over the broken injunction as well as to try to remember who it is that you actually did tell. The general business of deciding who to tell what, and the brain strain of trying to remember who got told and when and how much, and what your weak justification for letting the juicy bit or the fearful diagnosis or the secret crush out - that is a general business that grows and grows. As a viewer, I have strong limits as to remembering or caring, regardless of the issue or tears.
