Death and TV

“Every movie in every cinema is about death. Death sells.” So Spinal Tap manager Ian Faith (Tony Hendra) tells the band’s front man David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) in the mockumentary This is Spinal Tap. Truth in comedy to be sure.

Death not only sells in the cinema, but TV as well. It always has of course, and over time, like many aspects of all media, the situations have progressively gotten stronger and more graphic. I’m not going to go all Parents Television Council on you, but I’ve always wondered what effect, if any, this has on viewers.

There has always been talk that we’ve been “desensitized” to sex and violence, but personally, I can’t agree. Over the years I’ve become more sensitized, particularly to violence. The supporters of the desensitizing theory claim that it takes more intense depictions of sex and violence to satisfy audiences. Maybe, but not for me.

I’m not sure what it is, but shows like C.S.I., Law and Order, Bones and so on, all critically acclaimed, hold no interest for me. From a writing and production stand point, they are all fine shows. However, I just don’t want to be immersed in that much murder and death. I watched loads of cop and detective shows when I was a kid, so maybe I’m just tired of the format. Perhaps it’s because I watch the news and read the news and see enough real-life misery, that that kind of TV is not an escape, but a reminder.

Oddly, I can handle death on shows like Battlestar Galactica and Lost. I still enjoy watching Crime Story on DVD, and that was one of the most violent shows ever made. BSG and Lost though, are science fiction and that separation from reality is enough for me get some distance I suppose. Crime Story, a show filmed in the ‘80s about the 1960’s, was so over-the-top, that it too is far from realistic. I just love the era as well (and thus, I like Mad Men too).

At Thanksgiving this past year, a relative (well, relative of a relative) who doesn’t watch much TV, said he had really gotten into Dexter. This is the Showtime series about a serial killer. A lot of other people I know are really into it too. I can’t bring myself to even have a look.

Never criticize something you haven’t seen, I know. But I’m not criticizing it, I’m just saying I simply can’t get behind the premise. Dexter is played by Michael C. Hall, who played David Fisher in another Showtime series, Six Feet Under. On the recommendation of our niece, we checked that out on DVD. Great characters, well-cast, well-written, and lots of death. That’s a hard one to avoid, I know, because it is set in a Los Angeles funeral home.

First Blood we also started renting, and like Lost and BSG I’m not as put off by the killing. I am, however, kind of worn out on vampires. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Interview with the Vampire, Twilight--- it’s almost like what westerns were to kids in the ‘50s.

Unlike my wife, I don’t think that watching Dexter is going to cause someone to go on a killing spree. If you’re hooked up that way, it’s going to happen, TV or no TV. She also contends it gives those nuts “ideas.” Maybe, but again, that switch was tripped a long time ago, how it they follow through is irrelevant to the actual deed.