"Is that it? Am I done?"
-Doyle, Angel season one
The big news this week is Heath Ledger's death. Along with that big news is a lot of conversation about our various reactions to the news.
One one hand, we have the camp that says, "Yes, it's sad, but many people die all the time and very few of them ever get the same kind of press coverage."
On the other, we have the camp that says, "Holy crap, I'm gonna miss him."
Neither camp has ever met him, talked to him, or known him in the context that you know the people you work with, see on the streets, or are related to. Yet, a lot of people care that he's gone. What gives?
In all reality, Heath Ledger's death is, for most people, the same as the death of a fictional character in a well-liked novel, TV series, etc. Ledger fans have been watching him for years now, following the news about his personal life, going to the theater to catch his latest movie, hoping that his career will continue going strong... then, suddenly he's dead. All that investment is suddenly not going to pay off.
Now, take a show like Angel. *Warning, spoilers*
In the first episode we meet Doyle. He's instantly likeable, but with plenty of personal obstacles to work out. It takes about five minutes to get invested in this character and start hoping that things will work out for him. Then, mid-way through the first season, suddenly and without warning, he dies. If you were at all invested, you probably got mad. And yet, you never knew him as a real person. He doesn't even exist as a real person. So, why should you care if he's dead?
In short, those who are affected by Heath Ledger's death have a lot in common with those who were affected by Doyle's death. It's all about investing in a character.
By saying this, I don't mean to make light of the fact that Ledger was a real person who had real friends and real family who are just beginning to grieve. I am saying that I never met him. I can't treat his death the same way I would treat the death of someone I know, simply because the actual impact he's had on my life is identical to the impact a fictional character has. For all practical purposes, he's fiction to me. Still, I'm sad to see him go, just as I was pissed as hell that Joss killed Doyle.
To sum up, I'm bummed about his death because I feel cheated not to get more of that character.
2 comments:
Very perceptive, Ali.
Maybe it's an age thing. I liked most of Ledger's movies and thought he was talented, but wasn't invested in him. When Jimmy Stewart died a few years back--after a much, much longer life and career--I cried. I didn't know him any better than I knew Heath Ledger, but there was a perceived history with the man. He was one of my mother's favorite actors. He starred in my favorite movie (The Philadelphia Story). His 'character' was much more real to me.
And I was pissed at Joss for killing Doyle, too.
I think both of these are perceptive answers. I do think some of it is an age thing. He is/was exactly my age. I fell in love with him in 10 Things I Hate About You--and after that, went out of my way to watch his other movies.
I also agree with Ali on the investment, though I don't know if it's because he's a 'fictional' kind of investment. Maybe an 'ideal' kind of investment. The fact that he was my age, was successful, was talented, made it all proof that there were things I should be able to accomplish as well. Not acting, per se. But with any creative endeavour, the artists are important. The actor to the movie, the painter to the painting, the writer to the writing.
How he died is something too. If it was an accident, it's that much more pissy because then he not only had something more to offer--but he *wanted* to offer more, and was shorted--which is scary. If he was suicidal, and it wasn't an accident, well, then it was his call and is actually less tragic (unless you're his daughter...) to me--then I'd just be pissed off.
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