Alex Russo in Disney Channel's hit TV show, "Wizards of Waverly Place" (2007-2012), is well loved for her constant antics: pranking her brothers, breaking rules, being lazy and selfish but ultimately having a heart of gold. Why is it that audiences adore "rule breaker" characters? Is it because they can do and get away with things that the rest of us in reality cannot so we live vicariously through them? Or is it because to be good all the time is boring? What other films and TV series star rebel protagonists and why are their immoral actions so appealing to viewers?
The main reason I think we see so many rebel characters is because it is an easy way to introduce conflict into a plot. – Blackcat1302 years ago
I'm not sure delinquents and rebels are always the "best" kinds of characters, per se, but I think their appeal taps into wish fulfillment. Most kids hate where they go to school, and most adults hate where they work, and so the idea of being able to just flout the rules and do what you want is super appealing. This is especially true if, as often happens in these kinds of stories, a character breaks a rule for the greater good, and by the end of the story everyone sees how right they were all along. – Debs2 years ago