My reasons for adding the first three were based on the fact that even though they are fictional, the producers, directors and writers have to generate the same emotional hooks - someone has been seriously hurt, murdered, whatever - often in the darkest kind of way - as a real life situation. If, for example, we watched an episode of Criminal Minds where there has been no tragedy, no personal loss, and the actors are just spending the hour in their offices catching up on e-mails, cleaning their weapons, and talking sports, there wouldn't be much of a reason to watch. If we weren't drawn to the show by the event of a tragedy of some kind, and we know these agents are going to try to give the survivors some sort of closure or justice (relief), there would be no draw. The horror of the acts is the pandering hook, and without the pain, we can't experience the satisfying payoff at the end when the cell door slams shut or the psycho is gunned down. Tragedy is drama. Perhaps I stretched things a bit, but that's where I was coming from. We are drawn to pain and tragedy, if only for the hope that something or someone can or will stop it before it reaches us. The other shows are obvious - people willing to prostitute or shame themselves for 15 minutes of fame, a cash payoff, or hopes Dr. Phil will give them 10 free weeks of rehab. The Biggest Loser is inspiring, but we wouldn't watch if we saw players who only needed to lose 20 pounds instead of 200. They have (pardon the term) guts to parade themselves before us viewers and sharing their shame with us, but they're willing to endure that as we cheer on their determination. I'm off the subject now, but thanks for your thoughts and understanding.
P.S. - "I was thinking Sinbad." You crack me up, Mr. L.
