Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Questions Of The Heart - Sort Of

Have you watched a movie/TV show or read a book wherein you wanted the leading lady to end up with her/her leading man’s best friend or any other secondary character other than the leading man? How often does this happen to you? Have you ever wondered about the reason why you felt that way? Was it because the story was flawed, the character of the leading man was unsympathetic, or the acting wasn’t any good? Or you just like the secondary character/actor playing the secondary character better?

Is it a case of you, the audience, rooting for the character that has qualities you are more attracted to? So, did the writer of the story got it wrong for not attributing those qualities to the lead?

Or, could it be that you’re attached to the character because you always go for the underdog? Or, because you don’t want the secondary character’s love to be wasted?

Would you choose the underdog even if your leading man is already in front of you, waiting for you to love him, too?

Or are you overanalyzing yet again?

(well, fee free to answer any of the questions above. : D)

1 comment:

k a r e n said...

Interesting post there!

I think there are several reasons as to why you might feel more inclined towards the supporting character rather than the leading man... it could be that:

a) Like you said, the characteristics/personality of supporting character is much more appealing to you (most of the time, the supporting character is the opposite of the leading man);

b) You feel bad for the supporting character because he's so sweet and loving and he's always the good best friend and you don't want to see his love and efforts wasted because let's face it, good guys deserve to get the gal;

c) Maybe the writer/director did intend for you to feel that way so that you can empathize with the girl in her confusion between the 2 guys;

d) Normally, there is a conflict between leading man and girl (hence the reason for the story) and it just seems so much easier if girl went with supporting character and you can imagine them being happy together instead of having to deal with obstacles with leading man.

e) supporting character is the "safe" choice as he seems to be incapable of hurting girl.

So these are my thoughts on this.. =)