I’m a diehard reader so I don’t watch as much television as the average American. Still there are a few shows which have really resonated with me over the years. What makes me put down my book and turn on the TV? It’s not the scenery or even the plot, it’s the characters. Now that I’m trying to write more short stories I’ve discovered that some of the series’ that I love to watch on the screen can also give me some great tips on how to develop the type of characters that people will identify with and want to know more about. For me, a strong protagonist or antagonist needs to be both predictable and unpredictable. Like the rest of us, in “real life” there should be conflict in their lives but they should also have a shot at redemption for the mistakes they make or the trust they break because that’s what we all want too. Having quirks or eccentricities is also endearing because who among us doesn’t have at least one or two of those and we expect others to accept and like us regardless.
The advent of Netflix has made it possible to watch both newer and older television series whenever you want to so I challenge you to think back on specific characters or certain episodes that acquired a special meaning or relevance to you. Watch them again, this time as a writer, and see what you can take away for your own characters.
A few of my favorite television characters include:
Walter White in “Breaking Bad”: Walt is a nerdy high school chemistry teacher and family man who, after being unexpectedly diagnosed with lung cancer, makes it his mission to create the perfect meth laboratory to pay his medical bills. You really have to see the show to believe it! The beauty of White’s character is that he becomes the antithesis of who he was and, though it may shock or horrify you at times, you totally believe his new personae and wait with bated breath to see what left turn he’ll make next. The other characters are tightly drawn too and it’s fascinating to see their responses, which aren’t always predictable, to Walt’s most recent escapade.
Ally McBeal is full of eccentrics with all types of neuroses but, in an interesting dichotomy, they are also very high-functioning. Whoever dreamed that lawyers could have so many layers? The show makes great use of humor, often through interjecting things into scenes that don’t seem to really belong there but which make you think twice. And, best of all, the writers don’t shy away from difficult or sensitive topics, forcing the characters to really stretch themselves at times.
The Shield is a high-intensity drama about an experimental undercover narcotics division housed in a larger city police station. The loosely supervised “Strike Team” uses a variety of illegal and unconventional methods to maintain peace on the streets and the episodes frequently highlight the conflicts that arise between society’s ethics, political expediency, and public safety. Each character, most notably those of Vic Mackey, Shane Vendrell, David Aceveda, and Julien Lowe, are often caught between vice and virtue or having their personal agendas conflict with the altruistic choices their profession demands.
Give these shows a try or find your own. Either way, the winter months are the perfect time to curl up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and get to work!
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Tags: characters, Creative writing, LinkedIn, Netflix, tips for successful writing
