Quote Originally Posted by Tom Odom View Post
All very well said and understandable. I fear however that the greater US public does not want to know the reality and is more than willing, indeed eager to accept the shorter, glitzier, and ultimately artificial version.

There have been attempts to do what you call for in the past and some have come close. I still like the mini-series Once An Eagle with Sam Elliot playing Sam Damon. There was very little combat shown in the series. A parallel would be the mini-series Lonesome Dove where the western setting was merely a vehicle for the rich character development. Another was Shawshank Redemption; a deliberately long movie to develop the effects of time against the will to survive.

Absent companions,

Tom
I don't know that I'd go that far. I'd say they may have been conditioned to expect that, but given the popularity of the movies and mini-series you mentioned, as well as some you didn't, I'd say that the public (whatever that is) can still be moved by books and visual media where characters are developed and some of those characters die.

Plus, ultimately, we're all somewhat moody in what we read or watch (and we do make up part of that public). Glitz can be entertaining on some days.