October 31, 2008

I need you to

Lately I've been sucked into the first seasons of two prime time soaps--uh, serial adventure shows--that everybody else has been watching for a long time and is probably already tired of: Lost and Heroes.

On both of these shows--and on that X-Files ripoff that looked promising but I've already gotten tired of and quit watching--I've noticed that at least once per episode, somebody--maybe Jack (there's always a Jack, isn't there), maybe Skinny Freckly Federal Prisoner, maybe Humorless FBI Agent--will begin sentences with "I need you to ..." As in, "I need you to tell me where the bomb is!" "I need you to quit bleeding!"

Why? Is it just one person with one particularly annoying mannerism writing all of these characters? Or is it part of some greater mandate?

I need you to explain this phenomenon. Because it's irritating me.

2 comments:

yarmando said...

I think it comes from 1980's child management techniques. "Susie, I need you to share your crayons with Jason." "Zachary, I need you to use your inside voice." I remember reading somewhere how this technique was adopted by kids: "Kristin, I need you to give me that ball before I punch you in the face."

Michael said...

I need you to explain to my why there is a Santana album cover in the middle of a "video" for a song from Sgt. Pepper. And why one of the female figures in the video looks like an ex-girlfriend of mine. Yes, I said "girl."