Friday, October 8, 2010

Moonlighting

I'm thinking about romance and mystery. Does every sleuth need a love interest?

After I post this, I'm going to watch Bones. I love this show despite the fact that I have to watch with one hand over my eyes, because I don't enjoy the sight of maggots writhing in decaying flesh or flesh sliding off bones. The sight of horrible remains in nasty places. I don't watch this show to guess who did it, either. The mystery is usually a simple one. I knew the killer in last week's episode the first time he was on screen.

No, I watch it for the sex. Or maybe better to say the sexual chemistry between the two main characters, Bones and Booth. (Those names break my rule for never naming characters starting with the same letter. In this case, I think it was the writers planting the idea that these two belonged together). They don't have relationship outside of their marvelous work one, but the viewers have always suspected something. Last season he finally put his feelings for her on the table, but she rejected him.

So now he's brought home a girlfriend but the fans are clamoring for a Booth/Brennan hookup. The question is would that mean the end of the show?

The trope is that once you satisfy the unspoken needs between two main characters, the show will die. Everyone points to Moonlighting as the prime example of this. But that show was on the air more than twenty years ago. Haven't times changed?

What do you think? Do you like a little romance with your mystery? Does consummation mean the end of the fun?

8 comments:

Camille Minichino said...

Speaking from the vantage point of a fun-filled 33-year marriage, I say no, the fun gets better and better!

It might be trickier in fiction!

Dru said...

I like romance in my mystery and the fun will continue as the relationship is explored.

Terri Thayer said...

I agree with both of you, Dru and Camille. Things should just get more interesting, right?

Becky Levine said...

Personally, I would welcome a chance to see Bones & Booth sharing living space. If that wouldn't be tension, I don't know what would!

Linda O. Johnston said...

As both a romance and mystery writer, I always make sure that my romances contain suspense or mystery, and my mysteries contain some romance. Wouldn't have it any other way! In mysteries, it doesn't hurt to keep some aspects of the romantic interests mysterious, too.

Terri Thayer said...

Becky, that would be fun. As long as Booth doesn't open the refrigerator...

I'm with you, Linda.

scrapbookangel said...

I don't know if anyone will remember Hart-to-Hart but they were madly in love. Romance oozed from the few episodes I watched in reruns and I think the show was a pretty good mystery as well.

When reading I like to see a love interest to humanize the character. Shows vulnerability and give the reader a respite from the excitement of the mystery.

Monica Ferris said...

So long as there are human beings of the opposite sex in a book, some one of them, or a pair, or . . . will find romance. Whether or not the romance is expanded upon depends on the author. And whether or not consumation happens to spoil the series depends on the kind of romance that is depicted. If all kinds of problems lead to happy ever after, then the series is finished. if it leads to even more complications, then it will continue.
IMHO, of course.