As we have seen in the development of the Marvel Universe, when a single franchise owns a series of titles there are great opportunities for cross-over story telling. This contributes a number of interesting aspects to story telling: it allows for a greater sense of verisimilitude, that the world the story is set in is a real place; it encourages fan involvement in a multitude of stories, which also increases the viewing numbers across multiple shows; and it allows for diversity in story telling. So if it is so successful why do we not see more of this? Why are studios that put forward multiple shows set in a similar universe not including this type of story telling? What are the limitations of doing this?
Most studios do not invest as much into character building and storylines as Marvel. Take DC for example, the time investment either just is not there or they are just not as superb storytellers. – Munjeera7 years ago
Money! Any sort of ideological and/or sentimental lacking rests in corporate interests. And what is corporate most interested in? THE PROFIT MOTIVE. – camerond247 years ago
@camerond24, I actually agree, but this is part of what surprises me. It would actually cost them less to do cross overs and would help cross-promote their other shows, even those with lower viewing would receive a boost. Especially if they employed writers on contracts, which a number of studios do, and use them across multiple shows, this would reduce many costs. Plus advertising could be linked into this. I think it is perhaps considered "too hard" to manage? – SaraiMW7 years ago
Does being part of an acting family detract from individual performance? Or does the family dynamic contribute to the development of the character in ways not otherwise possible? Is the acting a product of the individual drawing from early formative experience or from a constant effort to avoid it and seek a unique path to stardom? Consider the dilemma or the benefit using famous Hollywood families such as Martin Sheen, Drew Barrymore, Kirk Douglas, Henry Fonda, and Julia Roberts.
Breaking away from the Hollywood-centric theme of this suggestion could produce some interesting results, such as: Armendáriz-Marín (Mexican), Asher (British), Banai (Israeli), Depardieu (French), Fox-Richardson-Redgraves (British), Gleeson (Irish), just to name a few.Good topic suggestion anyway. – Amyus7 years ago
In the past, a baker's son would become a baker, and a candlestick maker's offspring would be stuck with waxing the wick. The same with actors. When you grow up in a certain world, you learn the vocabulary and the ins and outs. You also get the connections. And the populace's embrace. Why else would Clint Eastwood's son be acting and Stallone's kids be models? Name recognition. – brandonjudell7 years ago
Don't forget about the Von Trapp family (the real ones). I find them a good fit for this topic. They were somewhat forced to hone their singing talent so they could have the financial means to live through an economic collapse and escape Nazi Europe, and those stakes arguably followed the whole family throughout their American musical career. Maria's eldest biological daughter Rosmarie actually had a nervous breakdown once, partially because Maria did not approve of her leaving the group. I'd love to see the Von Trapps included here. – Stephanie M.7 years ago
Why do films with a car as the main attraction appeal to the audience as much as films with human actors? How does screenings such as Herbie, Christine, Knight Rider, or Smokey and the Bandit compare to established portrayals such as Star Wars, Star Trek, or Terminator in that cinematic rendition? Consider the same effect that animals have on the audience; Lassie, Grizzly Adams, and Mister Ed.
Part of this could be the discussion of iconography such as the Star Trek uniform symbol or any of the superhero symbols. I think key props may do the same job psychologically that iconography in real life does. – SaraiMW7 years ago
Ah, interesting! Consider delving into how these inanimate characters or animals are often humanized to connect with the audience. – Stephanie M.7 years ago
Analyze how Better Call Saul's characters portray problems that people in real-life may deal with everyday. For instance, the talented lawyer who will not be hired by anyone due to lack of good references (or jealousy from those you least expect).
Not only is Better Call Saul a television series that hooks you instantly with drama, it is a series that makes the viewer see everything is not black and white, sometimes there are grays in between.
I definitely agree with the fact that BCS' characters do portray problems! One thing I'd like to suggest is that you narrow down two or three characters as opposed to staying general. Perhaps even write about one character and how they portray issues/problems. – stefanjovanovic7 years ago
With new tv shows coming out every season, what triggered the return of old tv shows? Why are they becoming a trend? and what's coming next?
People are running out of ideas. I also feel as if this generation has an abject fascination with what we consider "retro" or "vintage". MeTv airs these shows twenty-four seven, but one can easily see why they might not be as popular. Most are in black and white, or the special effects are cringe-worthy. Perhaps we love the ideas and story-lines of the older ideas, and with the vast arsenal of special effects and technology in general, feel we can reboot the old shows better than they were before. – Morgan Le Fay7 years ago
When I look at Disney Channel now, nothing catches my attention unless it's something like Raven's Home or Girl Meets World; this too only because the titles are recognizable to shows of the past. This generation knows what they want to watch- the originals played on these channels (I mean I would die to see Smart Guy on Television again) or perhaps brought back in a modern fashion. This is experimental though. It can work to a degree how Girl Meets World did, or it can flop to a great extent and not even our beloved veteran characters can save the reboots. They are popular as they draw off the nostalgia of this generation while presenting something the younger generation can relate to. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. – Kiranpreet Sandhu7 years ago
People are tired of current tv trends and want more substance. The long for shows that have benefit and leave you feeling good at the end of an episode. Families are starving for clean programming that they can refer to a friend, which is few and far between these days. – charisewilson7 years ago
Buffy, Angel, Supernatural, Community, the Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Farscape, Person of Interest, and many other science fiction/fantasy shows have had episodes inspired by the movie Groundhog Day. A character relives a series of events multiple times, occasionally making changes to see what the effects are. There have also been movies revolving around the same idea, including Happy Death Day and When I First Met Her. Explore the reasons why the idea presented in this movie (or possibly originating earlier, if you can find past examples) is such a crowd favorite. Are there deeper meanings to be found here, or is it just a comedy bit that other writers reuse because it's well-liked?
I think it has something to do with our fascination of wondering what we could do differently if we could go through the same day again. After a hard decision, who hasn't thought: "what if I did this instead?" I suppose it's a fun and easy thing to explore for an episode or two in a TV show. A fascinating look at these time loop stories is 2016's "Re:Zero" a fascinating anime about a boy in a fantasy world who after dying discovers that he comes back to life several hours before his death. The disturbing nature of facing unavoidable fates and dying repeatedly to save the people he loves is the emotional core of the show, and showcases the true horror of endless time loops. It's a dark and interesting look on the genre/cliche. – Dimitri7 years ago
An intriguing topic suggestion and one that deserves a broader and deeper investigation. I'd suggest breaking away from the limitations of 'Groundhog Day' to consider how other cultures have addressed the same, or similar theme. Off the top of my head I'd recommend the very clever and fiendishly evasive Korean time-loop tale 'A Day' (2016. Directed by Jo Seon-ho) in which not one, but three disparate characters experience the same day, each from his own perspective. No spoilers as to the outcome, but it is unexpected. – Amyus7 years ago
Excellent feedback. I wouldn't have thought of those examples because I know very little about anime, Korean drama, etc. Considering how other cultures see the concept of quantum do-overs would be a great addition to this article. – noahspud7 years ago
In a large amount of tv aimed at teenagers, realism is thrown out the window. Disney sitcoms and CW dramas seem to exclusively deal in stereotypical characters and not with how teenagers actually act. For me, American Vandal and the Inbetweeners are the best recent examples of accurate portrayals, but I'm sure there's more.
What makes a good portrayal of a teenage character? Which shows do it well? Why do shows aimed at teenagers ditch realism in a way that other shows do not?
I think that a lot of shows ignore how teenagers would typically act because it wouldn't provide enough entertainment or drama. Most teen-based shows are filled with drama and different love triangles, and there may be a glimpse of realistic teenage feelings, but the reactions are only determined in order to create wreak havoc in everyone else's lives. – Lex5i7 years ago
Not enough shows actually show teenagers being kids and having fun. Drinking, partying, sex, and drugs are a huge part of the modern depiction of teenagers and while it has told some interesting important stories - I think it has also glamorized a certain aspect/view of teenagehood that can ultimately be misleading and not accurate. I would love to see more shows about teenagers doing more chill things, and goofing around. This isn't to morally grandstand, I don't think we should avoid tough or controversial topics, but let's not forget how young teenagers can be. I think a great example is the anime "My Hero Academia." The way that the central Class 1A unit function in the show, hanging out and boarding together and dealing with tough classes and societal pressures around their role as "elite students" feels much more real than the way Skins makes you think every kid off the street is a heroin addict. There is a balance. – Dimitri7 years ago
You can also look at shows like 6teen. It's a bit older now but I think it's still relevant to this discussion. One of the main things that tv shows gets wrong about teens is how they talk, often assuming that they are constantly using (outdated) slang. Speech patterns are often quite different in teenagers than adults, but that doesn't come across in shows. – banne7 years ago
As seen in the beginning of Westworld season 2, some of the synths in Westworld have broken free of their programming and have obtained some version of human agency. What are the moral ramifications of this? Can they still be considered malfunctioning property with faulty software? Or are they due the same freedom of choice gifted to humans? I think an analysis of this would be interesting under the scope of certain philosophical ideas
great topic! since you're suggesting that whoever chooses this topic consider what it means to be human through a specifically philosophical lens, here are some theorists to consider for approaching this topic: Rene Descartes, Plato, Hannah Arendt, Jean Paul Sartre, Simone De Beauvoir (anyone who is an Existentialist, really). – ees7 years ago
can plastic fruit be considered fruit? – wateronthemoon7 years ago
