Talks of the latest episode of any number of dramatic, frightening television shows can be heard in every room of every floor of the building, particularly among the second semester seniors of Staples High School. ABC’s “Scandal,” HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” and the recently concluded “Breaking Bad” are three of the many series students take to social media to discuss, watch hours upon hours consecutively on Netflix (which has its popular shows of its own, namely “House of Cards” and “Orange is the New Black”), and even host viewing parties at the start up of new seasons.
The appeal of these shows is obvious; the specifics that make them so appealing, on the other hand, is much more obscure.
“They’re a little farfetched with their creepiness,” Meredith Hood ’14, a “Scandal” fanatic, acknowledged. “But they are so realistic too, which is what makes them so scary,” and thus so intriguing.
“Game of Thrones” enthusiast Ben Greenspan ’14 added, “The appeals of the shows are how the storylines are so unpredictable and will leave you wanting more when the episode ends.”
Of course, each specific show differs in terms of how it attracts viewers, yet there a few constant themes for all.
On “Breaking Bad,” a show about a teacher battling lung cancer who runs an undercover methamphetamine trade to pay his medical bills, Nick Massoud ’15 said, “I adore it because the show has many qualities of an explosive action film, and yet it keeps you (engaged) emotionally in the development of the primary characters.”
Massoud touched on another point that draws in such large audiences: the connections people feel with the characters.
One attraction of “Game of Thrones” is “the way the creators of the show make the characters so likable that fans of the show like me will root for certain ones,” Greenspan said of the series based on several books about fictional wars and mythological creatures, in a nutshell.
“I can identify myself with the characters,” Jake Santo ’14 added.
And of course, nothing is more important than the plot.
The plot of “Scandal” is primarily composed of how a makeshift lawyer, detective, and campaign manager splits her time between a relationship with the married president and deals with cases on behalf of famous clients.
“It’s a thriller,” Hood said. “The intense detective work and other realistic components of the plot really draw me in.”
“The many plot twists shock you, but they aren’t too over the top,” Luke Foreman ’14 said.
Currently, all three shows are on a hiatus; Season 3 of “Scandal” resumes Feb. 27, after a nearly three month long midseason break, while Game of Thrones’ Season 3 kicks off March 31. “Breaking Bad,” much to the dismay and sadness of its loyal viewers, has concluded.
“I can’t wait for “Scandal” to resume,” Foreman said.
