Anyone get "that into it"?

[Locke]

Quote from another thread..

I have an "ability" I guess with movies/tv where I empathize directly with characters, I get pulled in. Even if it's complete horseshit tele or film, I get sucked in. So much so, my wife has told me while I'm watching shows that I've never even seen, my face will show emotion of the main star or even mouth lines that I can't possibly know.

Anyone else had anybody point this out to you? Or am I a psycho?

[Georgerv]

I do the same thing, not sure it's a particularly healthy habit.

[Romo]

I do, Im a sucker for when a character who I've never seen or heard of before is dying... a few tears guaranteed

[Locke]

Either you guys are egging me on, or I've found redemption. <3

MAN fuck all.. empathy is a dickhead, eh?
Though to to be fair it can make some fairly mundane shows really spectacular.. and let's face it, fuck the rest of the world if they hate it.. if we like it.. SCORE.

[Chewy]

Nope, you have a mental illness.

[Hanley!]

It happens to be a good bit too, but the film/show has to be trying to make some kind of emotional connection. In a really shallow action movie, I'll just be along for the ride and even if I kinda enjoy the film, I won't really care if someone dies. But if the film puts any focus at all on the emotional side of things, I'll start emphasizing to a ridiculous degree.

Some character deaths have left me upset for days. Even after watching the How I Met Your Mother finale (which I hated), I couldn't help feeling really bad for the mother. This fictional character who I hadn't even known for very long. It just felt like she had been used, and even though she wasn't a real person, that was hurtful to me.

I think this is part of why I tend to love coming of age films. They're specifically designed to help you empathize with the protagonist. I find it really easy to lose myself in these other characters.

[Kirbi]

I definitely agree with this if the film is particularly good at its job, but often I find it has more effect on me almost the other way around - i.e. if a film aspires to not be shallow, but the main character(s) is one I can't empathise with for some reason, then I might not be able to invest in the film at all.

This generally happens where the character is a fucking dick, and the performer can't pull off a sheen of humanity under all the dickery.

I do find this to be a problem I have with all media though - if I can't empathise, I will not enjoy.

[ShaneOfan]

Some shows have the ability "West Wing" did it a few times. Tale of Two Cathedrals comes to mind.

[Hanley!]

Some shows have the ability "West Wing" did it a few times. Tale of Two Cathedrals comes to mind.

I was sick while binge-watching the season of the West Wing where the President's daughter was kidnapped and Toby had the babies. There was more than a few tears shed, I'm not ashamed to admit.

That's something that I've always found too actually: if I watch things when I'm sick, I get more emotionally involved. Shows can make me tear up a lot more easily when I'm not feeling well.

[Kirbi]

Some shows have the ability "West Wing" did it a few times. Tale of Two Cathedrals comes to mind.

I was sick while binge-watching the season of the West Wing where the President's daughter was kidnapped and Toby had the babies. There was more than a few tears shed, I'm not ashamed to admit.

"Babies come with hats."

[ShaneOfan]

Also a handful of M*A*S*H episodes... hell a few dozen of them can bring a tear to the eye. Henry's death, the one where they wanted the soldier to live until Dec 26th, the one where the Vietnamese lady kills her "chicken"

Also Scrubs. For a show that could be damn funny there are some damn sad parts as well.

[UTK]

This definitely happened with me and Breaking Bad, and it's happening with me and Game of Thrones now.

[Kein]

No. Most of the people I am drawn to die. In fact very often. I see myself in them, and I see it coming, but they don't leave me emotional.

[SortaCreative]

I'm still not over Boromirs death.

[Babes]

I get emotionally attached during most TV shows, movies... hell even books I do. I have a very empathic personality and adapt easily to different situations so I see myself easily in others perspectives. @Shaneofan can attest he often finds me in tears over random things like commercials etc.