In the post-network era of US television history, the vast amount of narrative time is a structural feature of scripted shows. We have a plenty of modes of viewing, of new technologies, of stories – and characters growing over time until they become oversized. This paper aims to investigate what happens to characters in the era of plenty, starting with the classical definition of character, then analysing its features in world-building practices. We will find that oversized characters are involved in multiple arcs and tend to experience a variety of events and situations without these substantially changing their profile in terms of self-awareness.
Oversized Character in the Era of Plenty
Luca Bandirali
2018-01-01
Abstract
In the post-network era of US television history, the vast amount of narrative time is a structural feature of scripted shows. We have a plenty of modes of viewing, of new technologies, of stories – and characters growing over time until they become oversized. This paper aims to investigate what happens to characters in the era of plenty, starting with the classical definition of character, then analysing its features in world-building practices. We will find that oversized characters are involved in multiple arcs and tend to experience a variety of events and situations without these substantially changing their profile in terms of self-awareness.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
