Have you ever watched a breakup on TV or the movies? They’re very surreal. I’m watching this show and the engaged couple break up… not just break off the engagement but end the whole relationship. And this is how it goes…
Scene: outdoor café/restaurant type place with a great view and available seating (there’s a lot of these on TV)
Chick: “I’m sorry… I… I’ve had a lot of things on my mind.”
Dude: “Do you want to get married or not?”
Chick: “I just can’t do this right now… with everything going on… it’s too much. Why don’t we postpone it…?”
Teary eyes all around, but calm.
Dude: “If we talk postponing it, then I’m canceling it completely.”
Chick: long pause (but not really all that long) “I’m… I’m sorry…”
Dude: another pause, grunts “Take care of yourself.” And leaves.
He leaves. Quietly, he leaves. When does this ever happen?! They’re BREAKING UP! And a marriage engagement, no less! I’ve had bigger shouting matches over someone snatching away the newspaper before I was done with it. TV tends to assume that if you’re in public you’ll act with restraint and decorum. I’ve seen public breakups and they can be just as ugly as the ones behind closed doors. I don’t even know that many people who act with restraint and decorum under the best of circumstances. Especially guys (no offense). But when you see guys get really worked up over some stranger’s parking job (even when the car isn’t near theirs) it’s hard to imagine a guy breaking up this quietly. And girls too, we can get pretty pitchy (you know what I mean). This particular chick looks briefly downtrodden, and then goes on with her life.
I just don’t buy it. I’m sorry, the suspension of disbelief that is necessary to view most TV and films just doesn’t extend to Hollywood’s vision of breakups. It’s always the little things that get me. I can buy that Jack Bauer will think it’s a good idea to hold up a gas station to ultimately stop terrorists (actually I couldn’t buy that one either… for a good guy Jack makes some awfully bad decisions, like why didn’t he just let the air out of the guy’s tires?), but I can’t buy the quiet breakup. (However, I can watch most anime cartoons and believe them utterly.)
On another note, I’m ridiculously, disproportionately happy about the new TV season starting. It’s just sad. I’m usually not like this, really. It’s probably too much Noggin.
– the weirdgirl
Noggin? Not….not “Noggin The Nog”? the ancient childrens’ animation from the jurassic age of TV? I so loved that programme!!
or is noggin something entirely different
nowadays?
Sorry no, it’s not Noggin the Nog. It’s a channel that plays a lot of preschool-level programming during the day. I have it on a lot.
(Noggin also plays teen-level programs in the evening. I admit, I am a secret fan of Degrassi and Daria.)
I’m with you, WeirdGirl, I’m so happy that Gilmore Girls (he said “YES”), Smallville (that Lex Luthor is so hot) and CSI (original) are back with new episodes!!
I can’t wait for Football season to end as well. Then we will get the last new season of “Alias” as well (even though it is a poor substitute for “Le Femme Nikita” – Vaughn ain’t no Michael).
“Prison Break,” right? Cheesy scene but I’m afraid to admit that the show has quickly become a guilty pleasure.
Yep, it’s Prison Break. I’m so sucked in already.
And I’m salivating for Lost to start!
Breaking up is so difficult on both parties, especially when there is still love between (or even just mutual respect). But I disagree completely with what you said that break-ups have to be messy. Maybe in this particular scene you see these people still calm, but wait until they get home and break down.