Story and Character Driven Stories

[SolyWack 482]

The way I see these two types of Drives is:

 

Character driven: Non-Interactive entertainment that revolves around character interaction and development. Full on Character driven experiences reset the world after each episode, so no prior viewings are necessary for comprehension.

 

Story driven (or Plot Driven): Non-Interactive entertainment that revolves around plot advancement, usually including adventure. Full on story driven experiences require you watch each episode in order to understand.

 

I see these two as being on a scale. If you add some onto one side you need to take away from the other. This is how shows balance out one another. Most shows never completely commit to one side, but some shows weigh heavily on one side.

 

Examples:

 

-Any sitcom or slap stick comedy show. Seinfeld, How I met your mother, Family Guy, Teen Titans Go, etc are all examples of shows weighing far more on the Character driven side. Their world are "reset" after every episode so you can skip around episodes, only missing minor references, or more than likely, nothing at all.

 

 -Any Adventure, and most Fantasy and Sci-Fi shows weigh more towards the Plot-driven side. Of course there is still character development, but much of it relies on what happens in the world around them as the story progresses. Shows that fall under this category might include Merlin, Pokémon, Steven Universe, Game of Thrones, etc.

 

I always put Mlp in the dead center of the scale, as it is very character driven, but continuity runs deeps, and it is much more enjoyable if you watch it in order. The season premieres and finales definitely help balance the weight.

 

Do you guys agree with this? What do you think when you hear these two terms? 

 

 

[Randimaxis 8,652]

The way I see these two types of Drives is:

 

Character driven: Non-Interactive entertainment that revolves around character interaction and development. Full on Character driven experiences reset the world after each episode, so no prior viewings are necessary for comprehension.

 

Story driven (or Plot Driven): Non-Interactive entertainment that revolves around plot advancement, usually including adventure. Full on story driven experiences require you watch each episode in order to understand.

 

You've got a good grasp on it, I'll give you that.  Both are examples that well define the idea of a story, and you've quite effectively explained them both.  Kudos.

 

I see these two as being on a scale. If you add some onto one side you need to take away from the other. This is how shows balance out one another. Most shows never completely commit to one side, but some shows weigh heavily on one side.

 

Though there are a few cases (VERY few) stories can balance the two exponentially, in most cases you are completely correct.

 

Examples:

-Any sitcom or slap stick comedy show. Seinfeld, How I met your mother, Family Guy, Teen Titans Go, etc are all examples of shows weighing far more on the Character driven side. Their world are "reset" after every episode so you can skip around episodes, only missing minor references, or more than likely, nothing at all.

 

Technically, this can also be said of soap operas, as the setting usually ends up being mostly just background.

 

-Any Adventure, and most Fantasy and Sci-Fi shows weigh more towards the Plot-driven side. Of course there is still character development, but much of it relies on what happens in the world around them as the story progresses. Shows that fall under this category might include Merlin, Pokémon, Steven Universe, Game of Thrones, etc.

 

Dramas and even Horror can also fall into this category, as the characters can be immensely influenced by their surroundings.

 

I always put Mlp in the dead center of the scale, as it is very character driven, but continuity runs deeps, and it is much more enjoyable if you watch it in order. The season premieres and finales definitely help balance the weight.

 

I can see what you're saying.  I actually think it follows the design of any successful show that goes on for a number of seasons: Initially, the stories were character-focused - but as the characters had their stories told, it came to pass that they needed bigger, broader stories to keep them from becoming stale.  And so, the characters who've spent the past couple of seasons "introducing themselves" through character-centralized stories end up interacting with a wider story arc, therefore extending the "fresh" feel of the series.  It's a common practice; watch shows that made it big (Sliders, The Simpsons); the first few seasons mostly familiarize you with the characters (& side characters), and about season 3-5 they'll start going on more plot-driven adventures, instead of retaining focus on development.

 

Thanks for this; it's been a bit since I got to chat about things like this.

[SolyWack 482]

I can see what you're saying. I actually think it follows the design of any successful show that goes on for a number of seasons: Initially, the stories were character-focused - but as the characters had their stories told, it came to pass that they needed bigger, broader stories to keep them from becoming stale. And so, the characters who've spent the past couple of seasons "introducing themselves" through character-centralized stories end up interacting with a wider story arc, therefore extending the "fresh" feel of the series. It's a common practice; watch shows that made it big (Sliders, The Simpsons); the first few seasons mostly familiarize you with the characters (& side characters), and about season 3-5 they'll start going on more plot-driven adventures, instead of retaining focus on development.[/font][/color]

Thanks for this; it's been a bit since I got to chat about things like this.

Your right about that. Mlp was much more on the character driven side in the first season. There were a lot more slice of life.

 

The only normal episode (not premiere or finale) that added anything to the show was Bridle Gossip, where thet introduced Zecora.