Too Little Too Late

If you're addicted to series the way I am, and you probably are, you'll soon discover that there’s nothing worse than that fateful day when your favorite TV sitcom, soapie or drama has been given the boot. Will & Grace, Happy Endings, Beverley Hills 90210 (the first one). After giving us season upon season of non-stop entertainment and escapism, a network can suddenly turn around and pull the plug, leaving us stunned, depressed and ready to rant about it across their social media page. It’s devastating, cruel and sometimes completely unwarranted especially when you consider all the unoriginal dribble that gets renewed and picked up for five, six and sometimes seven seasons, and while Glee may have taken a nose-dive after the original cast members graduated at the end of Season 3, it has since redeemed itself by delivering some of the funniest, wittiest, bitchiest and heartfelt one-liner's in the history of television.

I am not ashamed to say it...I am and always have been a total Gleek, and the return of the sixth and final season has really struck a chord in my heart. Everything from Becky Jackson's insidious insults to the cheerleaders and football jocks, from the carefully selected repertoire of pop-culture classics to the return of Sue Sylvester and her multi-colored tracksuits. The magic of High School Musical's darker sister on steroids was making a major comeback as it entered its Swan song days. Why on earth could they not have gotten this right a season ago when the ratings were low and the show was struggling to keep its head above the water? What took the creators so long to recapture those glorious and precious moments that made this TV show such a hit in the first place? Were they tired or had the show gone as far as it could?

As I cackled and hosed myself laughing at one of the more recent episodes, I found myself thinking about relationships and their uncanny relation to TV shows. Just like any good TV plot line, a relationship starts with a romantic interest. Throw in a bit of laughter, compatibility, sex, a host of supporting roles and just when you least expect it, a flash mob with perfectly timed choreography. Nothing is as good as the first few seasons, but what happens when the show begins to lose its sizzle? What happens when the twists and story-lines no longer seem to gel, and the show seems inconsistent? Is it time for some fresh and innovative material or is it time to put the show to bed? 

After five seasons of unadulterated drama and nail-biting cliffhangers, I decided to cancel my existing contract with Aiden. The network was not happy, but at the end of the day, I had to do what was right for me and essentially him.

The production that had become our relationship was no longer viable in its current format. Of course the network tried all it could to salvage the show...focus groups, new surroundings, the reintroduction of Doctor Moriarty. They were willing to do whatever it took to improve the ratings, but somehow, it simply wasn't enough. It was clear that our relationship had taken a slow and steady decline for the worse, despite all the efforts made to revitalize the brand, leaving us with one of two choices: we could either cancel abruptly or end the relationship on a high note...

"What happens after the initial shock, pain and anger subsides is something beautiful and unexpected. You start listening to one another. Communicating. The break up sex is incredible. You find humour again and gradually begin to enjoy each others company, despite the harsh circumstance that brought you here in the first place. True, there's a greater possibility of things ending on bad terms, but when you have characters with as much history as Aiden and I, ending the relationship with as much integrity, dignity and respect seemed like the right thing to do."

The last few episodes of a series can be particularly emotional, especially when certain things that are said and done happen to bring up old feelings that you thought had long since gone. The physical attraction and the emotional connection reignited over that final candle lit dinner scene, one hot night of passionate sex...is it all just another gimmick to please the crowd or is this actually for real? Could there still be a chance of saving the show or is it all simply too little too late?

When the future status of a relationship is pending, and the uncertainty of not knowing what happens next looms over you like the plague, the best thing to do is try to be kind to one another. We all handle break ups differently, some with a vengeance and others with a strong sense of amicability. At the end of the day, it's not about giving your audience what they want, it's about doing what's best for you. Who knows...perhaps a spin off series of the original might find itself crossing over from time to time but until that decision is made, the power to control the end is entirely up to you. 

When it comes to the cancellation of our favorite relationship, I couldn’t help but wonder, why is the final season always the best?