Suspense & Thriller: Drawbacks

Since characteristics of the suspense & thriller genre include high stakes and a protagonist on the run, the potential drawbacks for suspense and thriller stories might include:

·        Desensitization to violence, for many of the same reasons as mysteries.

·        Addiction to an adrenaline rush. Because the characters are often placed in a fight-or-flight situation, our fight-or-flight adrenaline also kicks in providing an emotional rush. That rush can be quite addictive and will require more and more intense situations to create the same high.

·        Paranoia and distrust of those with authority or power. These stories usually deal with people “above” or “outside” the law, who gain the legal immunity they need because their power, money, and/or influence.

·        The temptation to believe we can justify the means by the ends. Because the characters in these stories are frequently backed into a corner where they cannot rely on the law for help, sometimes it makes us think it’s okay take the law into our own hands—that is, extract vengeance or revenge.