Don’t leave me hangin’

I hate cliff hangers. And really, it’s not the cliff part so much that I dislike as it is the hanger part. I’m fine with cliffs. Really. Don’t mind cliff dwellers. Cliff jumping? Fine, if that’s your thing. Thought Cliff Clavin was hilarious. Loved Cliff Huxtable. So, as you can see, I have no problem at all with cliffs. But these hangers are gonna have to stop.

Why did no one tell me that 24 would have a cliff hanger? And how did I not already know this? Because shows that I watch always have resolution. Seinfeld never had a cliff hanger. Neither did The Three Stooges. Not that I saw it during its regular run. But I’m certain there was never an episode that ended where you wondered, “Will Moe and Curly make up?” “Is Larry’s nose broken?” Even with General Hospital, the most I ever have to wait to find out what happens is Friday to Monday.

It’s bad enough I’ve been following this show week-to-week for four months to see how it ends. And what do I find? It doesn’t end. So now I have to wait until January 2007 to see what happens to Jack Bauer on that ship to Shanghai.

Why? The show is good enough that I would watch next season without a cliff hanger. I’ll even say that I’d probably be less likely to watch a show the following season if it ends with a cliff hanger.

What’s the point of watching? I want resolution. That’s why I never liked to-be-continued’s. I don’t watch TV to be held over. I watch for happy endings.

If I want something that just carries over from day to day that I have no idea how it’s going to end, I have my life.

“Set me free, why don’t you babe. Get out my life, why don’t you babe. Cos you don’t really love me. You just keep me hangin’ on…”