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I don't think there's anything especially unique or American to to the concept of "relating to characters in a story." Especially something like a sitcom that asks you to just come back week after week, season after season because you just enjoy it.
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May 3, 2020 15:56
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Taear posted:I feel like I only ever see this sorta weird desire to "relate to" the main character from Americans, maybe because in the early 80s and 90s in British TV the main characters were all shitheads so we're used to it and it's not a new concept. STAC Goat posted:I don't think there's anything especially unique or American to to the concept of "relating to characters in a story." Especially something like a sitcom that asks you to just come back week after week, season after season because you just enjoy it. Having to "identify with" or "relate to" with characters is a very American thing, I agree. Taear is picking up on something. I don't really run across it interacting with media from other cultures. It probably has to do with our racial hangups and compartmentalizing over here.
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May 3, 2020 18:01
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It just seems like a weird take to me. Stories have been crafting relatable characters for as long as they've been getting written. The entire point of parables or fairy tales was to create characters you could see yourself in. Connecting with a character has value. It gets you engrossed in the story and invested in the fates of the characters. It lets you relate to the story on a personal level. Even "unlikable" protagonists or anti-heroes are often characters people end up relating with or connecting to in some way, which is how you get shows like Breaking Bad or The Walking Dead where some viewers end up pushing back against the narrative because they like or sympathize with the villain too much. Maybe I'm not familiar enough with non-American sitcoms or contemporary TV and there's some active split there. I can't say. But like... centuries of non-American storytelling has tons of the same hallmarks of relatable characters. Certainly if you "can't" enjoy something unless you can project yourself into a character, that's maybe a weird hangup with something deeper to it. But I don't think that's remotely the same thing as liking or relating to characters in a sitcom. STAC Goat fucked around with this message at 18:24 on May 3, 2020 |
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May 3, 2020 18:18
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Peep show is really good and every single character in that show is The Worst.
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May 3, 2020 18:34
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I also love Its Always Sunny and if I ever felt I related to a character on that show I'd become very concerned.
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May 3, 2020 18:37
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People like to relate to characters even magical Euros. Doesn’t mean every story is like that
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May 3, 2020 18:58
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CharlestheHammer posted:People like to relate to characters even magical Euros. Exactly. And relate doesn’t have to mean “that’s me writ large”. It can be “oh there’s an aspect of my personality” or “I know a guy just like that” etc... And I while I’m no expert on English television I’ve watched enough of it to see relatable characters over the decades. It’s a weird stance to take that it’s an American thing.
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May 3, 2020 20:43
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You don't have to relate to characters to enjoy a show, but goddamn... it helps.
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May 3, 2020 21:38
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cant cook creole bream posted:This is why It's always sunny in Philadelphia is still going strong after 15 years. The hatred just grows and feed of itself. How could Americans devise such a programme?!
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May 3, 2020 22:43
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It's not as hard as you think. Turns out, historically speaking, the US isn't the bubbling cauldron of love and peace that Europe has always been.
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May 3, 2020 22:50
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British sitcoms are about "horrible" people failing, while US sitcoms are about "good" people succeeding.
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May 4, 2020 00:29
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Taear posted:I feel like I only ever see this sorta weird desire to "relate to" the main character from Americans, maybe because in the early 80s and 90s in British TV the main characters were all shitheads so we're used to it and it's not a new concept. Well, my husband is not American and grew up almost exclusively on British TV shows, but yeah, the idea that every single TV show has to have relatable characters is a big one in America. On the other hand, there are shows where it straight-up doesn't work for people. I stopped watching The Good Place because I hated the main character so much.
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May 4, 2020 00:41
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HookShot posted:Well, my husband is not American and grew up almost exclusively on British TV shows, but yeah, the idea that every single TV show has to have relatable characters is a big one in America. I can't watch it because of Jason, the monk. He's dumb in the worst way possible and incredibly irritating. Even the way he says everything is bad.
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May 4, 2020 05:45
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Naw I completely understand where Kaedric is coming from. Long running sitcoms always seem to have that thing where the main characters become overly warm and familiar with each other because the audience and writers are, even when it doesn't quite make sense in-universe.
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May 4, 2020 07:20
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I mean long running sitcoms they should be more familiar. They are spending sometimes years doing whatever wacky thing. It be weirder if they weren’t friends
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May 4, 2020 15:49
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Rupert Buttermilk posted:I can't watch it because of Jason, the monk. He's dumb in the worst way possible and incredibly irritating. Even the way he says everything is bad. Yeah, Tahani was the only character I actually liked. Plus I think I may have mentioned it before in this thread but Kirsten Bell just makes me think of a less-funny Amy Poehler. Like, every time I would watch the show I could imagine Amy saying every single line and just being way better at it.
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May 4, 2020 15:57
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Kaedric posted:If you say so. Outside antagonists that aren't criminals made the show better. Doug Judy episodes are always great, and until recently Wuntch episodes were amazing.
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May 4, 2020 16:34
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CharlestheHammer posted:I mean long running sitcoms they should be more familiar. They are spending sometimes years doing whatever wacky thing. Yeah, I mean it might be more "realistic" or "relatable" to many if your average office sitcom went 7 years with everyone kind of just tolerating their coworkers as they try and escape and get to the people they actually like. But that would be a very different kind of comedy and watch and probably wouldn't last 7 years.
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May 4, 2020 18:29
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VanSandman posted:Outside antagonists that aren't criminals made the show better. Doug Judy episodes are always great, and until recently Wuntch episodes were amazing. I mean...
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May 4, 2020 21:26
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Red Oktober posted:I mean... He's a criminal, but his presence in the show from a certain point on is not AS a criminal, if that makes sense?
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May 4, 2020 21:58
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VanSandman posted:Outside antagonists that aren't criminals made the show better. Doug Judy episodes are always great, and until recently Wuntch episodes were amazing. Agreed, although again they're doing the same thing with Doug Judy as the rest of the cast. Now him and jake are best buddies, which is fine, but it was funnier when every single episode with Doug Judy was him tricking jake, and jake falling for it. Every time.
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May 4, 2020 22:09
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Kaedric posted:Agreed, although again they're doing the same thing with Doug Judy as the rest of the cast. Now him and jake are best buddies, which is fine, but it was funnier when every single episode with Doug Judy was him tricking jake, and jake falling for it. Every time. strong disagree, trudy judy has added spice to an already delicious dish
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May 4, 2020 22:48
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Lunatic Sledge posted:strong disagree, trudy judy has added spice to an already delicious dish  Nicole Byer is a national treasure.
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May 4, 2020 23:01
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The latest one was still him tricking Jake though.
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May 4, 2020 23:14
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Serperoth posted:He's a criminal, but his presence in the show from a certain point on is not AS a criminal, if that makes sense? Aye, yes it does. For anyone else wanting more
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May 4, 2020 23:15
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McTimmy posted:The latest one was still him tricking Jake though. that too, Doug Judy's still got it even if he's not using it to break Jake's heart
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May 4, 2020 23:25
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Mods, rename the thread to the Doug Judy Appreciation Station
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May 5, 2020 11:03
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Red Oktober posted:Aye, yes it does. This is an excellent show as well. Is there a thread for it? Also I spent forever searching but is there a letterkenny thread?
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May 5, 2020 11:36
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hanales posted:This is an excellent show as well. Is there a thread for it? https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3885749 for WWDITS
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May 5, 2020 11:45
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hanales posted:Exactly. I've never seen anyone from anywhere else stop watching a show with the reason "They don't relate to the characters". Like you're expected to see yourself in them somehow. But others have said that here already.
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May 5, 2020 12:15
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Jesus there are a lot of bad takes in this thread
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May 5, 2020 14:05
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Ishamael posted:Jesus there are a lot of bad takes in this thread Sure, but Taear is right this time.
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May 6, 2020 00:31
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Quick question (since I haven't found a Parks and Rec thread yet). We've binged through The Office, B99 and P&R and are wondering what to watch next. Which of these shows should we tackle next (and is vaguely appropriate for mid-teens too). Community Arrested Development IASIPhilly Curb My Enthusiasm Those are the shows I always see talked about but I don't know anything about them really.
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May 20, 2020 10:58
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Community Sunny is a judgement call on the teens. Also The Good Place
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May 20, 2020 10:59
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kaesarsosei posted:Quick question (since I haven't found a Parks and Rec thread yet). We've binged through The Office, B99 and P&R and are wondering what to watch next. Which of these shows should we tackle next (and is vaguely appropriate for mid-teens too). Community is very watchable for teens and up. Always sunny has some real inappropriate stuff and stuff that hasn’t aged super well. I’d watch a season or two before deciding to watch with your kids since every family is different. I think arrested development is fine but I haven’t watched it in a few years. I’ve never liked curb so I can’t really comment. E: also hell yeah the good place
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May 20, 2020 11:21
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I asked a similar question after finishing The Good Place and was directed towards Superstore, and I loved it. Also The Detour, but again it's probably best to try a couple out before showing your teens.
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May 20, 2020 12:03
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I'm recommending Party Down, a little bit because it fits in nicely with all those shows (and shares a few actors) but mostly because I think more people should watch it
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May 20, 2020 12:49
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Leocadia posted:I'm recommending Party Down, a little bit because it fits in nicely with all those shows (and shares a few actors) but mostly because I think more people should watch it Absolutely this. Party Down was very good and it’s a shame it got canceled as it was hitting its stride
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May 20, 2020 13:59
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Psych Second movie is coming out soon so now's the perfect time!
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May 20, 2020 14:24
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I didn't give Psych a chance for so long, and when I did watch it for the first time, I kicked myself hard for not taking a lot of people's advice about it. Because, a lot of people told me to watch it. One of the first episodes I saw was "Tuesday the 17th," and from the homage title card at the beginning to the best Rick roll ever at the end, it was excellent. Maybe it's not a great first episode, but it does serve as a good example for the show.
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May 20, 2020 16:26
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