MovieChat Forums > Jane the Virgin (2014) Discussion > "No happy couples allowed"

"No happy couples allowed"

posted 7 years ago by gallateia
7 replies | jump to latest

Don't you just hate this trend of killing off characters that are in good, healthy, happy, functional, etc. relationships just to add drama? Like "kicking the puppy"? We've had that in OITNB with Poussey, in HTGAWM with Wes and now in JTV with Michael -- and those are just few examples I could remember off the top of my head, from 2016 on. What makes the producers and directors so cynical and downright sadistic? This was completely uncalled for. There are so many ways to create drama without having to appeal to death, rape and other brutal things people now seem to find edgy. Last week's episode, for example, had Jane and Michael have a very sincere and honest argument about dealing with stress as a couple. That's the kind of thing that feels real and wholesome, yet still adds enough drama for the episode. There have been very real issues with parenting, working, paying bills, etc. during the entire series, and it never felt phony, but instead very close to the audience. I'm upset and mostly exhausted of this trend where you can't have a couple deal with issues and grow together, but instead be destroyed right when they're thriving.

[–] gallateia 7 years ago

BTW, I don't mean this as personal criticism, like "boo-hoo, it didn't go the way I want." I mean this trope as a whole, which is being overused. It's getting exhausting and frustrating to see it everywhere. It's not original.

[–] floatingdriftwood 7 years ago

I mean, you can't have a couple get together early on and stay together forever when the story is about a love triangle. Personally, I was relieved when they killed Michael. Hated the character. Did they have to kill him? No. But they had to do something. I've always been team Rafael.

[–] gallateia 7 years ago

This isn't about hating or loving the character, but being exhausted of this cheap trick.

[–] Deana_beepbeep 7 years ago

Who knows... it's a telenovella. Plus they showed us just how convincing the plastic surgery thing was. Never know, Michael might come back in some shape or form.

[–] lynost9742 7 years ago

I'm team Rafael too

[–] la-bandida 7 years ago

I remember watching some commentary about a show, can't remember which, and they said it's what writers have to do to keep the audience interested. Couples rarely stay together for the whole run of a show.

Regarding deaths, I think that's why game of thrones is so popular: because no character is safe from dying.i remembered I was hooked after the first season because they killed someone who I thought was a main character. And in my mind main characters don't die.

There has to be something at stake to keep people tuning in. I mean, just a few weeks ago this board was filled with threads from people saying they were bored and probably weren't going to continue watching,

[–] leader (1689) 5 years ago

Michael deserved to die.