{"id":87996,"date":"2024-12-04T22:24:34","date_gmt":"2024-12-04T22:24:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/04\/main-character-syndrome-when-tv-protagonists-are-actually-the-worst\/"},"modified":"2024-12-04T22:24:34","modified_gmt":"2024-12-04T22:24:34","slug":"main-character-syndrome-when-tv-protagonists-are-actually-the-worst","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/04\/main-character-syndrome-when-tv-protagonists-are-actually-the-worst\/","title":{"rendered":"Main Character Syndrome: When TV Protagonists Are Actually The Worst"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Main Character Syndrome isn\u2019t a diagnosis \u2014 it\u2019s a lifestyle!<\/p>\n

The condition might\u2019ve been described in Ye Olden Days as that \u201crecord-scratch\u201d moment when a person entered a room, and all eyes turned to them in wonder.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s that same center-of-attention dynamic, only all the time and in every room.<\/p>\n

\"Max\"Max
(Disney\/Tina Thorpe)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But if everyone truly is the hero of their own story, how is Main Character Syndrome any different from just being alive?\u00a0<\/p>\n

What Are The Symptoms?<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s when someone considers themselves the main character in someone else\u2019s story. This has traditionally been the one job where you can\u2019t be replaced.<\/p>\n

Pulling focus like this doesn\u2019t work well in real life, but it\u2019s surprisingly common on the small screen.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After all, you don\u2019t have to be an actual main character in order to act like one, as many TV protagonists have discovered.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Guillermo\"Guillermo
(FX\/YouTube screenshot)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In fact, a character doesn\u2019t even have to be particularly virtuous.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a nifty trick for a character to blur the lines between who gets your attention and who deserves it. And a TV landscape filled with anti-heroes makes for excellent camouflage.<\/p>\n

So, which questionable protagonists act like their show should be all about them? <\/p>\n

If Main Character Syndrome were a person, that person would be Jennifer Coolidge<\/a>. She remains the premier example in just about every project she\u2019s in, especially The White Lotus<\/a> franchise.<\/p>\n

\"Tanya\"Tanya
(Courtesy of HBO)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Her scene-stealing persona usually presents as being completely unaware of how she affects those around her. <\/p>\n

That absolves her (at least a little bit) of intentionally causing misery to others and also sets her up as the only person in the room who doesn\u2019t realize how awful her character\u2019s actions are.<\/p>\n

But there are other not-so-nice TV protagonists who trick us into seeing them as heroically good. <\/p>\n

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Watch The White Lotus Online<\/p>\n

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Guillermo de la Cruz, What We Do In The Shadows<\/h2>\n
\"Guillermo\"Guillermo
(Copyright 2019, FX Networks. All Rights Reserved.)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our favorite long-suffering ex-familiar has always been positioned as the sole voice of reason in a house of, shall we say, strong<\/em> personalities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Guillermo (Harvey Guillen<\/a>)\u2019s role as an audience stand-in and assumed good guy was based on nothing more than his not<\/em> being a vampire (and, I suppose, that business about him being related to Van Helsing<\/a>).\u00a0<\/p>\n

The series portrayed him as a sweet, innocent babe in the woods at the mercy of a group of vampires.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But was he, really?<\/p>\n

Guillermo helped facilitate countless deaths over the years to feed Nandor<\/a> and the other vampires. Sure, he did it with a \u201cMondays, amirite?\u201d shrug, but\u2026 he did it nonetheless.<\/p>\n

\"Guillermo\"Guillermo
(FX\/YouTube screenshot)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Despite a talent for walking the vampires back from their worst impulses, Guillermo himself almost murdered Nandor at least twice for breaking his promise to turn him into a vampire. <\/p>\n

He also disposed of so many dead bodies in their backyard that a sinkhole opened. <\/p>\n

Guillermo\u2019s sound bites for the documentary crew always sounded reasonable and generous. <\/p>\n

But his actions were more often self-serving and duplicitous, like when he kept his vampire hunter heritage a secret for a very long time (for good reason, but still<\/em>).<\/p>\n

His justifications were understandable after being strung along for a decade of servitude and having to lead a double life on little to no sleep. <\/p>\n

\"Guillermo\"Guillermo
(FX\/YouTube screenshot)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

However, his thoughts and actions can only be categorized as \u201cgood\u201d compared to the vampires around him. And he\u2019s not being honest with himself when he says he wants to lead a normal life.<\/p>\n

We saw that most recently with his office job at Cannon Capital, where he was horrified at Nadja\u2019s murderous interference until\u2026 it kept getting him promoted.<\/p>\n

So, it seems Guillermo is a protagonist who proves that he doesn\u2019t have to be an actual vampire in order to act like one.<\/p>\n

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Watch What We Do In The Shadows Online<\/p>\n

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Main Character Patient Zero<\/h2>\n
\"Carrie\"Carrie
(Photo by Paramount Pictures\/Newsmakers)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Main Character Syndrome has also been known to afflict actual<\/em> main characters, as seen in the recent ret-con of Carrie Bradshaw<\/a> as the iconic symbol<\/a> of that term. <\/p>\n

Although that\u2019s perhaps not news for many fans of Sex and the City<\/a>\u2018s original run, who have always considered Samantha Jones<\/a> its true star.<\/p>\n

The conceit is that while it\u2019s not ideal to act like the world exists only to be the backdrop for your own life, it\u2019s worse to act like that about the world of your own show.<\/p>\n

Carrie\u2019s self-absorption was always kind of her thing, though, and Miranda called her out on it MANY times (yes, before And Just Like That\u2026<\/a>, Miranda Hobbes had some serious sass). <\/p>\n

However, the tipping point seems to be when other characters are treated like background scenery, not people who also have their own lives in this fictional world.<\/p>\n

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Watch Sex And The City Online<\/p>\n

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Back in the \u201creal\u201d world, there\u2019s a character on that teakwood Titanic fever dream we call Doctor Odyssey<\/a> who would definitely not make room for you on that floating door\u2026<\/p>\n

Avery Morgan, Doctor Odyssey<\/h2>\n
\"Avery\"Avery
(Disney\/Ray Mickshaw)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On a ship that\u2019s full of shenanigans, you could strive to be the calm that you\u2019d like to see. Or, you could be Nurse Avery Morgan<\/a> and add as much drama as possible to the proceedings at every opportunity.<\/p>\n

Avery (Phillipa Soo<\/a>) is extremely competent and super prickly. This sadly reinforces that dynamic where the guys can be fun-loving professionals while the women only get to scowl and keep them on task.<\/p>\n

However, Avery is pretty much a sourpuss all on her own. She\u2019s fantastic at her job and wants to be a doctor but resents how long and hard she\u2019s had to work to pay for every step of her education so far.<\/p>\n

Avery hates the ship\u2019s over-the-top theme weeks, as well as the passengers and their stupid, predictable ailments.<\/p>\n

\"Avery\"Avery
(Disney\/Tina Thorpe)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

She REALLY hated Plastic Surgery Week and told the cruise line\u2019s owner as much, which got her fired (don\u2019t worry, it didn\u2019t stick).<\/p>\n

Avery\u2019s obviously talented but is so bored in her current position that it makes her dangerous. <\/p>\n

She\u2019ll stick to a possibly incorrect diagnosis a beat too long just to antagonize her new boss, Dr. Max, and alternates between encouraging fellow nurse Tristan\u2019s crush on her and cutting him down.<\/p>\n

And in quite possibly her worst crime, she does not attend strip poker night with the rest of the crew!<\/p>\n

It was hard to see all this initially because Avery\u2019s angelic features, intelligence, and calm demeanor read as \u201cgood.\u201d<\/p>\n

But after she rejected Tristan, Avery got jealous when he became interested in a new chef and tried to create problems for them. <\/p>\n

Avery is busy enough with medical school on the horizon and a kinda-sorta love triangle with Dr. Max and Tristan.<\/p>\n

\"Avery\"Avery
(Disney\/Tina Thorpe)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But she still found time this season to get appendicitis during a once-in-a-lifetime storm and almost had to amputate a woman\u2019s arm in a cave. <\/p>\n

Avery is an experienced medical professional who deserves her place on this elite ship\u2019s team. However, she also lashes out in self-destructive ways.<\/p>\n

Anchors away!<\/p>\n

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Watch Doctor Odyssey Online<\/p>\n

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Liz, Shrinking<\/h2>\n
\"\"\"\"
(Apple TV+)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For a gentle hangout show, Shrinking has many seriously frustrating characters. But none can come close to meddling next-door neighbor Liz (Christa Miller), an unstoppable force of annoying nature.<\/p>\n

In the show\u2019s first season, Liz threw herself into helping a widowed husband and devastated teenage girl stay afloat as they all dealt with loss differently.<\/p>\n

A hyper-organized empty nester, Liz had tons of free time and the certainty that she was always right. She took on that role a little too well and became a smothering presence for the grieving family next door.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to see why her husband, Derek, cheerfully spends his days away and just goes along to get along when he\u2019s home. Liz is sharply funny and intelligent, which almost<\/em> makes you like her until the next overstepping thing she does.<\/p>\n

\"Liz\"Liz
(Apple TV+)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Liz\u2019s controlling nature was tamped down in the second season. Her better qualities were allowed to shine with all the characters, and she even went into business with Sean and his food truck.<\/p>\n

Then she sold her half of the food truck to Sean\u2019s semi-estranged father without telling Sean first.<\/p>\n

And\u2026 we\u2019re back<\/em>! To Season One Annoying Levels of Liz!!<\/p>\n

Liz is not subtle about her advanced case of Main Character Syndrome. She sees her fellow characters as projects she can improve and doesn\u2019t listen if they don\u2019t want help.<\/p>\n

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Watch Shrinking Online<\/p>\n

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Take Two Aspirin<\/h2>\n
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Self-involved protagonists have long been a TV staple, even if it does seem like there\u2019s more of them than usual. <\/p>\n

But it\u2019s true that good shows rely on bad characters, so Main Character Syndrome could be responsible for much of the great television currently on television.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your take on frustrating TV protagonists: Love them or leave them?<\/p>\n

Let us know in the comments!<\/p>\n

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