in america we have had several series kill off key characters. some of the series used plot devices to bring them back. two of the series had to drop off a character due to either actor reluctance to continue and an actor being sent to jail. these recent series's are Lexx, Buffy the Vampire Killer, Ally McBeal and Dark Angel. Farscape began to regularly use killing off main characters as a normal plot device in the second year. i've noticed these shows (except Farscape) began to have serious rating problems and/or loss of energy and interest in the shows afterwards. i'm sure there are other examples. off the point, but related, i've heard one kiss of death to tv shows is to have characters who are not having sex but want to that suddenly have sex (northern exposure, for example) or to have characters marry (the scarecrow and mrs. king)(everyone exclaimed only one series ever beat this particular jinx, a series with older stars who were rich and led a racy, detective-like life). do you think, as i am, that killing off key characters will destroy a show's future? in lexx's case everyone kinda knew that MM wanted to leave in the third season, so the 4th season went to he** both for viewers and the writers?
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