But I have no extra "keep off the animals!" reflex.

I think this is the real issue. I was pretty certain this show would never go there, but I still could barely follow the scene until they put down the puppy.

Part of the problem with R&I for me is Angie Harmon is not a very good actor. When she does not talk, her body language is convincing enough. She would have been perfectly competent though not great during the silent era. But she cannot deliver dialog convincingly, or get emotion properly into her voice IMO.

Maureen is not charismatic, but is quite well played. For all I know, the lack of charisma may be an acting choice by Sasha Alexander, rather than a personal characteristic, since it is highly appropriate for the character she is playing. As ita ! observed some days ago, most of the characters on that show lack charisma.

I think that characters can have an appeal to the viewer without being charismatic in their world--like Dexter, for instance. No one really has that on the show, since the writing doesn't get to that level, so I think we are left with whatever the actors let leak through.

I've only seen Sasha on NCIS, and she was offputting to me there too, so I don't know.

I think this is the real issue. I was pretty certain this show would never go there, but I still could barely follow the scene until they put down the puppy.

This is me. As I have stated, I cannot abide TV or films where animals are (yes, even fictionally) harmed.

I think it was in Movies that I mentioned my embarrassing meltdown over the trailer for Frankenweenie...even a _cartoon dog_ triggers me.

I just can't bear seeing animals in jeopardy. I can't see anything entertaining or edifying in it.

What is entertaining or edifying about people in jeopardy (ones we may or may not know)?

There is a cultural void here, because I can't put myself in the place where it's always much worse than any person. The world is too big for that, to me.

This discussion reminds me where 5,000 Israeli's in Tel Aviv demonstrated blindfolded against animal cruelty. [link] And you know maybe these same demonstrators care about what is being done to Palestinians and Bedouins. But a lot of people in human rights organizations commented sardonically that the demonstrators wore blindfolds to avoid seeing the cruelty to humans all around them.

Understood.

While I can't speak for anyone else, I can say that I am equally triggered by innocents in jeopardy. It comes down to power over the powerless.

It is absolutely NOT logical in any way.

So much so, that I can't even talk myself out of feeling it.

I know my needle phobia is irrational. Still, I yip and have to hide my eyes when a hypodermic appears on screen.

One thing, for me, is choice. My friend teased me after we saw "Up" because I was glad none of the dogs died - she thought the guy was more important. For me, I think the bad guy made his choices and put himself in jeopardy, where the dogs weren't given a vote. (This argument doesn't cover innocent human victims, obvs).

This is me. As I have stated, I cannot abide TV or films where animals are (yes, even fictionally) harmed.

This is me as well, and my mother's even worse. December a couple/few years ago, I was trying to find out whether I should avoid The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, for rape/assault triggers - at the same time my mother was trying to confirm whether she could see War Horse, because she really wanted to but wouldn't if the horse dies.

There is a cultural void here, because I can't put myself in the place where it's always much worse than any person. The world is too big for that, to me.

I don't think it's necessarily cultural, I think it just varies from person to person. My friend in the paragraph above is more like you, then there's me, then my mom, then there's the friend of hers who switched off The Green Mile (which my mom had recommended to her) because apparently something bad happens to a rat in the prison? It's a spectrum!

Human violence in movies is obviously faked (considering I don't watch snuff films). There's something in my head that says violence against animals on a movie set is more likely, despite all the disclaimers.

It's why the movie Toys is so horrible, because the violence against the toys is real, actual violence. It's OK to blow up a stuffed bunny on camera.