Megan Simpson's Writing Portfolio

Shows end.

That’s the worst sentence ever, but it’s a true fact of life. Your favorite television series either will end or has already ended, and that can be really hard on our generation. We get so attached to things: people, clothes, 90s paraphernalia, Netflix. They’re all one in the same. So, what do you do when your favorite series ends? Whether it’s a show you’d watched live every Tuesday at 8/7 central for years, or it’s a show you discovered on Netflix two weeks ago and you’ve blown through six seasons in the time since… you’re gonna need some coping mechanisms. Don’t worry, I’m training to be a therapist. I’m a professional.

Here’s how to survive the end of a TV series.

1. Cry it out.

Do not bottle up those emotions, child. If you do, you’re going to be giving a presentation in your Econ class and start angrily ranting about supply and demand. You may even take it out on your friends: a wrath they probably do not deserve. You’re going to explode at some point and it isn’t going to be pretty. If you must, wait until your roommates leave and scream into a pillow. Or just start crying while they’re sitting next to you and play a fun little game called “just guess why I’m upset, literally just guess.”

2. Watch cast interviews.

I can’t tell you how many interviews, behind-the-scenes tours, and panel discussions I watched when I finished “Being Human.” It helps the grieving process to remember the good times. Remember that cool thing that one girl did in season 4? Well now you can watch her talk about it on Ellen for fifteen minutes. She’ll probably also talk about her strange obsession with hamsters and Ellen will probably scare her and/or make her dance behind people at some point. It will give you the strength to go on.

3. Try going outside.

For like 5 minutes. Remember to wear shades and sunscreen it’s evil on the outside.

4. Read fanfiction?

I put the question mark there because this step could potentially ruin the entire show for you. Don’t get me wrong, if you read the right stuff, it’ll help ease the pain, but I don’t know man… some of that stuff is just out of this world crazy. Believe me, people make up super weird sh*t about shows. Sometimes I read short fanfiction stories and I burst into flames because the plot is so out-of-nowhere #spontaneouscombustion

5. Buy the show merchandise.

Nothing heals a broken heart quite like getting an Amazon box in the mail. Even though those things are next to impossible to cut open (“WHERE ARE THE SCISSORS??? DIDN’T WE HAVE LIKE FOUR PAIRS WHEN WE MOVED IN???? WHERE DOES EVERYTHING IN THIS PLACE GO????”) the sense of accomplishment you feel after you’ve finally torn that package open is unrivaled. Plus, new stuff!

6. Get hooked on a new series.

Let’s be real here, this is my only true piece of advice. The other five things will probably help a little, but there;s nothing like a good ol’ fashioned rebound to get your spirits up again. What’s that quote from Eat Pray Love? “If I love you, I will carry for you all your pain, I will assume for you all your debts… I will give you the sun and the rain… I will give you all this and more, until I get so exhausted and depleted that the only way I can recover my energy is becoming infatuated with someone else.” Yeah. So fling yourself out of your old, broken relationship with Show A and throw yourself onto Show B. God knows you’re both drunk enough to make it happen.