Ya know those sitcoms where there is some push pull romance that keeps you coming back for more. I think the Office Jim and Pam romance is a key example. The audience is made to be sooo aware of the right answer. Obviously Pam should dump Roy and be with Jim. It is almost frustrating, why can't these characters see what is so obvious to everyone else, why aren't they aware of the easy way to happiness. And the creators of the show know why we tune in every week. We NEED to see whats going to happen, we NEED to have resolution. I would say 9 times out of 10 eventually the two people come together. Some shows are able to draw us in to a single romantic struggle for a long time, I mean Jim and Pam didn't get together till the fourth season. We all came back week after week for four seasons to see if the inevitable would finally happen.
After there finally is some sort of resolution, it almost seems fruitless coming back. I mean, maybe the Office isn't a prime example because it is actually a really good show that I enjoy a lot still, but I probably don't watch each new episode with as much enthusiasm as I once did.
We love to watch these fictional characters live in romantic tension. It is exciting, thrilling and always keeps us coming back for more.
I am not sure why I wrote this, or maybe I do. I feel like recently I've been more reflective than usual, or maybe just more confused. I am going to spend a day (like 24 hours) at a monastery this week I think. I want to get away and have some alone time to think and reflect. I am having trouble even articulating how I've been feeling lately.
Frustrated
Unsatisfied
Bored
Restless
...I am anticipating something, but I have no idea what.
I'm like ready for some big change. I am living in nervous and exciting tension.
But nothing is on the horizon.
Not to be like whinny. My life is going great! I should be completely satisfied, and maybe that is the problem: everything is satisfactory yet nothing is extraordinary.
Why am I not a traveling French orphan with nothing but a bicycle and a mysterious and enticing aura?
Oh yeah... I don't speak French.
Man, what the fuck am I talking about?
The problem with these push pull relationships is that there is always something preventing the two people to get together. This blockade is strong enough and important enough to keep one or more of the characters distracted. It or they seemingly just complicate the situation.
But without the blockade there is no tension.
Without tension there is no excitement.
Without excitement, you just get the satisfactory.
At first I was routing for Bear to be the MVP, but this was before I saw any game play (yes, I looked up all the starting puppies online before the show), but after seeing this puppy in action, well it was obvious. This puppy, named Jake, didn't make any touch downs (but thats so obvs not what the Puppy Bowl is about) but he played so hard. He gave it his all. Generally I don't appreciate an underdog story (really, there was no way to avoid that), but no one expected Jake to be able to bring it, but he did! He restored my faith in determination and the power of believing in your self!! He is an American hero. 
