I agree with your comments regarding Whedon's obsession with tragic endings, and even about the "unresolved sexual tension 4-ever!" mentality of Hollywood. But--there's an aspect I think you're missing.
Specifically, that UST 4ever thing only (or mostly) applies only to couples who weren't together at the beginning of the story. There are any number of television shows--dramas as well as comedies--in which the first episode shows us a happily married couple. And they remain married throughout the run of the show, despite whatever conflicts and issues they endure.
I think that's because the writers don't see relationship friction as the be-all and end-all of the stories. Their relationship is a given. Oh, they may endure jealousy and suspicion and betrayals and anger and angst--but eventually they overcome those things and the relationship endures.* But when the show is about UST, or at least UST is a big sub-plot, the writers seem to think that allowing the characters to resolve that tension is the kiss of death. And, unless they're willing and able to write about something else once the characters get together...they're right.
And that's the point. Mostly they're NOT willing or NOT able. So they've just flushed the only thing that gave the series any impetus.
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Date: 2008-07-22 10:34 pm (UTC)Specifically, that UST 4ever thing only (or mostly) applies only to couples who weren't together at the beginning of the story. There are any number of television shows--dramas as well as comedies--in which the first episode shows us a happily married couple. And they remain married throughout the run of the show, despite whatever conflicts and issues they endure.
I think that's because the writers don't see relationship friction as the be-all and end-all of the stories. Their relationship is a given. Oh, they may endure jealousy and suspicion and betrayals and anger and angst--but eventually they overcome those things and the relationship endures.* But when the show is about UST, or at least UST is a big sub-plot, the writers seem to think that allowing the characters to resolve that tension is the kiss of death. And, unless they're willing and able to write about something else once the characters get together...they're right.
And that's the point. Mostly they're NOT willing or NOT able. So they've just flushed the only thing that gave the series any impetus.
*There are exceptions, of course.