Why do characters grow more two-dimensional as a series begins to decay?
Question from a paid subscriber
That's a fair question, and it's something that experienced TV writers keep their eye on. Here's the problem that we face.
Let's say we have a character and his main comedic trait is that he's deeply insecure. This manifests itself by the way he bullies people. As a writer, we'll explore various scenarios to exploit that trait.
For example: what if he meets someone weaker than him. Does he bully him, or does he take him under his wing as an acolyte?
What happens when he meets someone stronger than him? Does he stand up to him or does he back down?
What happens when he goes on a first date? Is he able to hide his insecurities and keep them in check? Or do they come out?
Sooner or later, we’ll run out of scenarios to explore because we've already explored them. So now as a writer, we are at a crossroads. Here are our choices:
Allow them to grow as a person
In this case, they’re no longer insecure, because they’ve evolved. But then we're taking away the trait that the audience originally enjoyed in this character. Remember, the show became a hit because of how insecure he is.
Moreover, a character who makes smart decisions and is well balanced, is not fun to watch. Correct choices are boring. Mistakes are fun.
You want your character to make bad decisions to get into hot water. That's drama.
So as a writer, you have one more choice.