A Guide to Being Emotionally Invested in a Television Show

Annie's Log, 2/25/16:

Last night, I finished watching Season 5 of Game of Thrones. It left me emotionally wrecked. Honestly, the texts I sent my best friend were almost exclusively in all-caps. They were angry and hurt and full of a pain that only fictional situations can inflict.

I can honestly say that I don't think any televisions how has made me feel so much. Ever. And I watch shows written by Shonda Rhimes.

If you don't watch Game of Thrones, I implore you to give it a shot. Watch the first two episodes. If right now, you're thinking "Meh, it's just not my kind of show," you could be right. But if you like TV shows about politics, or justice, or war, family, love and hate, espionage and mystery, adventure, knights and kings, betrayal, society and class, coming of age, or gender roles, give Game of Thrones a real try. Not a "I'll make myself sit through the first episode and play with my phone most of the time so I can say I tried watching it," but actually try watching it.

Further, if you're at all interested in shows that have an exceptionally high production value, a brilliant ensemble cast, genuinely solid writing, gorgeous costumes and sets, a unique setting, and plenty of twists and turns, Game of Thrones is the show for you.

Yes, there's violence (some of it very graphic), yes there's sex (the show's on HBO, so it's pretty explicit), yes there's language (again, HBO), but it all adds to the show in a very well-crafted way. Very little feels gratuitous or thrown in just for shock value. I mean, sure, a lot of it is shocking, but it's not there just to shock you.

I could go on and on and on and on about how great this show is, and how much I can't wait for the next season, and yadda yadda yadda. But I can't, in good conscience, recommend this show to anyone without the following caveat:

This show will hurt. Characters die, often in gruesome, unfair ways. Characters that you love will go away and characters that you absolutely loathe will walk away unscathed. There will be times when you'll wonder why you're doing this to yourself, why you're letting yourself get so attached to a show that's just going to hurt you again and again.

The same could be said for a lot of television shows (*cough cough* Shonda Rhimes *cough cough*). BUT, if you're prepared going into things, you can lessen the heartache. Which is why I've written

A GUIDE TO BEING EMOTIONALLY INVESTED IN A TELEVISION SHOW

So, there's a show you're watching that has well written, believable, lovable and hateable characters. Congratulations! This show will most likely break your heart. Several times.

That's just the way the world works. Sorry. Fortunately, this guide will help lessen the inevitable blow that comes with such an emotional investment. So settle in, pour yourself a drink, and find something to cuddle, because you never know when your favorite show is going to emotionally gut you like a fish!

Step 1: Be prepared

I already mentioned settling in, getting a drink, and finding something to cuddle, but even that may not be enough.

Take some time before you start watching to center yourself. Think about all of the good things that have happened in this show, and try to convince yourself that they won't come to a horrible, heart-wrenching end. If you're about to watch a well-advertised "event" episode, a "very special episode," or a season final, you might as well dedicate your whole day to this. Just to be on the safe side.

Keep tissues, small fluffy animals, and comfort food and drink nearby, even if things seem to be going really well. If things don't seem to be going really well, warn anyone in the immediate area that things are about to get ugly.

Step 2: Do your best to keep things from impacting your everyday life

It's hard to separate the life you live with your TV or computer from real life, but you have to keep in mind that not everyone lost their favorite character the night before. Not everyone is feeling the emotions that you are feeling.

(But let's be real, they totally would if they'd been watching that episode too).

This is often the most difficult part of being emotionally invested in a TV show, but fortunately there is a solution:

Step 3: Find someone who understands

Finding other people who watch the show, and care about it in the same way that you do, is a godsend. Being able to discuss the intricacies of a character's story arc, the ways in which the show's plotline deviated from the books, the way things should have happened if the writer's knew what they were doing, is an incredible feeling. It's even better if you can watch the show with someone else and discuss these things while watching.

Warning: you can very well lose hours of your life discussing TV with someone equally as invested as you.

Step 4: Be prepared for its inevitable end.

Firefly never got a second season :(

All good things must come to an end. That includes fictional universes that seem to matter more than the real one. Yes, it's hard to lose your FRIENDS,

your Community,

it's tough when someone takes away your Glee,

but, honestly, that's just the way the world works. Shows come and go. If things don't naturally run their course and are artificially prolonged, they lose what makes them great (*cough cough Scrubs, Supernatural, Dexter, Grey's Anatomy cough cough*).

Personally, I think that it's better for a show to run its course and end on it's own, good terms than turn into something you don't even enjoy anymore. I'd rather the writers get to say goodbye in their own way than have to keep things going and going until the show is hardly recognizable. It's hard, sure, but when a show you love is ending, just be glad that you had the chance to watch it in the first place.

Note: This totally doesn't apply when a show is cut down in its prime or before it even got the chance to live, with no warning and no opportunity to say goodbye. Then you're totally good to never let go and never get over it. I'll never forget you Firefly, Alphas, Arrested Development (original series)!

Step 5: Remember, it's just a TV show. Right?

...Right?

(We all know it's more than that)

End Log.

Punny Penny

Annie's Log, 2/5/16,

A story:

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Punny Penny.

Punny Penny spent most of her days trying to be productive, but she struggled to find the perfect profession.

Punny Penny learned sign language because she figured it would be a handy skill.

Unfortunately, she didn't exactly pick it up hand over fist.


She started to study meteorology as well,

but every time she tried to predict when there would be clouds, she mist.

She wanted to be a chef,

but she didn't take care in seasoning and was nearly arrested for reckless assault.

She even tried being a professional angler, because she wanted to be a reel woman.

It didn't go well-she was total carp, even when she tried to look at it from every angle.

When she started working at a factory for handles, she got super cranky.

She thought that working as a calligraphy tutor would help her develop character,

but it was harder than she thought-definitely not just black and white.

When she tried to work as a concrete pourer,

she complained that the job just got harder and harder.

Punny Penny tried to work as a duct tape-disposal specialist,

but she got too attached to it all, and when she tried working with baby goats,

but she forgot her kid gloves.

Fortunately Punny Penny finally found a job: she's presently employed as a gift wrapper.

End log.