Omega (Westport) August 2018 PMID 29940828

R.I.P. Kutner: Parasocial Grief Following the Death of a Television Character.

Jocelyn M DeGroot, Alex P Leith

Mentions

29
Peak: 18 in Feb 2021
across 3 sources since Jul 2019

Extended reach

199,949
potential audience

Total likes

3,440

Video views

64,466

Mentions per month

Jul 2019 – Apr 2025

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter22 posts
  • News5 articles
  • YouTube2 videos

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The overall tone reflects deep interest with statements like 'It's deep and it's real' and references to psychological explanations, showing recognition of the emotional and scientific aspects of parasocial relationships. Discussions about how bad series finales 'ruin the whole show' emphasize the significant impact media can have on viewers' emotions, supported by phrases such as 'interesting psychological view' and mentions of personal rewatch reluctance, which underscore the influence of these social discussions in understanding emotional attachments to fictional characters.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions agree that social media reveals genuine emotional reactions to fictional characters and their deaths, aligning with the article's findings on parasocial grief.

InterestHigh interest

The discussions show high enthusiasm, with many referencing psychological aspects and personal experiences with media endings, indicating strong interest.

EngagementModerate engagement

Participants actively share personal reflections, analyze psychological concepts, and discuss media effects, demonstrating moderate to deep engagement.

ImpactModerate impact

The conversations reveal that these social discussions influence perceptions of media endings and emotional responses, albeit on a personal or cultural level rather than broad societal change.

Abstract in brief

  • The study examines how fans experienced grief after the fictional character Lawrence Kutner from House MD died by analyzing Facebook posts, revealing emotional expressions of loss and nostalgia.
  • Fans displayed signs of parasocial grief, including feelings of mourning and advocating for Kutner, showing that relationships with TV characters can evoke real emotional responses similar to those in personal relationships.
  • The research highlights that social media serves as an important outlet for grieving over fictional characters, but it may also cause confusion between fiction and reality, and such grief is often not recognized as legitimate by others.]

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
SciShow
@SciShow · X

Have you ever felt like a whole series was ruined because it had a bad finale? It’s not just because you’re angry at the writers, there’s actually some psychology there. https://t.co/IQJqCBiFtt https://t.co/7eNo694sXy

Feb 18, 2021 · 41 likes · 9 shares · 112,453 followers View post →
Evan Wilhelms
@evanwilhelms · X

@BritGarner @hankgreen @SciShow Maybe this one? About half is on parasocial relationships... https://t.co/SEvwGNrye0

Mar 19, 2021 · 7 likes · 152 followers View post →
OmniPuro
@OmniPuro · X

#ぷろEnglish ◆#今日のリスニング :2021/02/19 Why a Bad Series Finale Ruins the Whole Show https://t.co/DwT1OhAIsL via @YouTube

Feb 19, 2021 · 5 likes · 12,746 followers View post →
Asynca ✍️
@Asynca · X

I normally love SciShow Psych anyway, but this psychological analysis of why bad show endings hurt so much is even more interesting than usual! https://t.co/hBJDFIexDP

Feb 18, 2021 · 5 likes · 2,050 followers View post →
Vivian Sayan
@vivissiah · X

#WritingCommunity #writing https://t.co/qdqW7I68jS This is why I often check the ending before consuming mediaand a reason to think really hard on our endings! We all can use psychology to help our craft!

Feb 18, 2021 · 1 like · 1,748 followers View post →
Xahiel
@NighttimeEspeon · X

:))))) Why a Bad Series Finale Ruins the Whole Show https://t.co/kG8HRUcYjm via @YouTube

Feb 18, 2021 · 1 like · 1 share · 107 followers View post →

All mentions

Terry Blade
@TerryBladeMusic · X

@AdeemTheArtist It's deep and it's real. There's even a scientific explanation: https://t.co/Pv5C7C19ZP

May 21, 2021 · 2,005 followers View post →
∀-99
@galihkhumaeni · X

By the way, saya bikin video YouTube yang ngebahas kenapa orang bisa naksir ke tokoh fiksi. https://t.co/0aFgCPP8h5 https://t.co/dSNSjmxQBc

Apr 6, 2021 · 134 followers View post →
Elise Larsson
@EliseLarsson · X

Why a Bad Series Finale Ruins the Whole Show https://t.co/T2XP7sNLFT via @YouTube #psychology

Apr 3, 2021 · 238 followers View post →
Evan Wilhelms
@evanwilhelms · X

@BritGarner @hankgreen @SciShow Maybe this one? About half is on parasocial relationships... https://t.co/SEvwGNrye0

Mar 19, 2021 · 7 likes · 152 followers View post →
Elise Larsson
@EliseLarsson · X

Why a Bad Series Finale Ruins the Whole Show. https://t.co/T2XP7sNLFT

Feb 22, 2021 · 238 followers View post →
pseudoDavid
@iNihil · X

Liked on YouTube: Why a Bad Series Finale Ruins the Whole Show https://t.co/DWOAbgGrmE

Feb 20, 2021 · 34 followers View post →
Sally Van Eycke
@SallyVanEycke · X

Feb 19, 2021 · 38 followers View post →
Petra
@PSatkova · X

Interesting psychological view on bad tv shows endings and how they can actually really hurt us. Yeah, I for example know that I will not be able to rewatch #The100 ever again.https://t.co/YiW3e14Npr

Feb 19, 2021 · 1 like · 27 followers View post →
OmniPuro
@OmniPuro · X

#ぷろEnglish ◆#今日のリスニング :2021/02/19 Why a Bad Series Finale Ruins the Whole Show https://t.co/DwT1OhAIsL via @YouTube

Feb 19, 2021 · 5 likes · 12,746 followers View post →
cheryl
@cherylfails · X

RT @NighttimeEspeon: :))))) Why a Bad Series Finale Ruins the Whole Show https://t.co/kG8HRUcYjm via @YouTube

Feb 19, 2021 · 1 share · 330 followers View post →
Xahiel
@NighttimeEspeon · X

:))))) Why a Bad Series Finale Ruins the Whole Show https://t.co/kG8HRUcYjm via @YouTube

Feb 18, 2021 · 1 like · 1 share · 107 followers View post →
Vivian Sayan
@vivissiah · X

#WritingCommunity #writing https://t.co/qdqW7I68jS This is why I often check the ending before consuming mediaand a reason to think really hard on our endings! We all can use psychology to help our craft!

Feb 18, 2021 · 1 like · 1,748 followers View post →
William Wallace
@bill14051 · X

RT @SciShow: Have you ever felt like a whole series was ruined because it had a bad finale? It’s not just because you’re angry at the write…

Feb 18, 2021 · 9 shares · 341 followers View post →
Manifestaloha
@manifestaloha · X

RT @SciShow: Have you ever felt like a whole series was ruined because it had a bad finale? It’s not just because you’re angry at the write…

Feb 18, 2021 · 9 shares · 187 followers View post →
Tux
@tuxedosaurus · X

RT @SciShow: Have you ever felt like a whole series was ruined because it had a bad finale? It’s not just because you’re angry at the write…

Feb 18, 2021 · 9 shares · 308 followers View post →
Evan Wilhelms
@evanwilhelms · X

RT @SciShow: Have you ever felt like a whole series was ruined because it had a bad finale? It’s not just because you’re angry at the write…

Feb 18, 2021 · 9 shares · 152 followers View post →
Sven/Sarah Barth
@pascalwyvern · X

RT @SciShow: Have you ever felt like a whole series was ruined because it had a bad finale? It’s not just because you’re angry at the write…

Feb 18, 2021 · 9 shares · 272 followers View post →
Hurmly
@Hurmly · X

RT @SciShow: Have you ever felt like a whole series was ruined because it had a bad finale? It’s not just because you’re angry at the write…

Feb 18, 2021 · 9 shares · 1,288 followers View post →
SciShow
@SciShow · X

Have you ever felt like a whole series was ruined because it had a bad finale? It’s not just because you’re angry at the writers, there’s actually some psychology there. https://t.co/IQJqCBiFtt https://t.co/7eNo694sXy

Feb 18, 2021 · 41 likes · 9 shares · 112,453 followers View post →
AS
@AkiraSpectrum · X

Why a Bad Series Finale Ruins the Whole Show https://t.co/Qu29G9Gd8E via @YouTube

Feb 18, 2021 · 292 followers View post →
Asynca ✍️
@Asynca · X

I normally love SciShow Psych anyway, but this psychological analysis of why bad show endings hurt so much is even more interesting than usual! https://t.co/hBJDFIexDP

Feb 18, 2021 · 5 likes · 2,050 followers View post →
soldier
@cobeaultsoul · X

:):) https://t.co/ezb3A48OhU

Jul 30, 2019 · 164 followers View post →
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