Newsgroup: it.fan.tv.buffy
Titolo: When supporting characters save shows

http://www.rockrivertimes.com/index.pl?cmd=viewstory&cat=25&id=12524
When I watch House, it’s not for the dramatic diagnoses. (Does every
patient need to have an allergic reaction to their medication and a seizure
in the MRI room?) I tune in for Hugh Laurie’s layered portrayal of Dr.
Gregory House. It’s interesting to watch a British actor noted for his
comic turns in Blackadder and Jeeves & Wooster play an obnoxious,
drug-addicted, genius of an American doctor.
I also watch Veronica Mars mostly because of Kristin Bell’s quick-witted
performance as Veronica. It doesn’t hurt that the vast majority of the
show’s regular and recurring characters are equally fun to watch, but Bell
pulls it all together.
For some reason, House and Veronica Mars are two of a dwindling number of
shows I watch because of the main characters. Quite a few other series, it
seems, I watch despite the leads.
One of the first times I noticed it was with one of my all-time favorite
series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I loved Giles, Willow, Xander—even
Cordelia—but not Buffy. Most of the show’s “Big Bads” were so cool that I
loved it when they defeated Buffy, if only for one episode. Spike and
Drusilla. The Mayor. Faith. It wasn’t until the show’s fifth season
(specifically after Buffy’s mother died) that I softened my take on Buffy.
Once she had a problem her Slayer strength couldn’t solve, viewers could
finally empathize with her.
Frasier was another show where I gravitated toward the supporting players.
I occasionally feel that way with The Gilmore Girls. Recently, I’ve noticed
a similar pattern with Grey’s Anatomy. I love Dr. Bailey, Christine and
Burke, George, Izzy, Alex, and the Drs. Shepherd. But Meredith herself?
Nada.
It’s nothing against the actress. It’s the simpering, self-pitying, Ally
McBeal-without-the-sight-gags nature of the character that annoys me. The
irritating voiceovers don’t help much, either. The height of Meredith’s
irksomeness was her “Pick me!” plea to Dr. McDreamy. Yet, each week I tune
in to watch not Meredith, but her cohorts, screw up their own lives while
saving others at Seattle Grace.
The problem when shows combine brilliant writing with casts full of equally
talented actors is that viewers wind up wanting more screen time for the
secondary characters.
One of the best decisions the producers of Grey’s Anatomy made was beefing
up the role of Alex. In the first season, he was just the arrogant jerk on
rounds with the others. He was on the fringe of the story. This season,
he’s become a more rounded character with a storyline all his own—failing
his Boards. He’s one more reason to watch the show in spite of its main
character.
Be honest. Wouldn’t you rather see Dr. Bailey shopping for baby things than
watching Meredith keep pouting about her love live?
-- 
Jolan Tru, Filippo "Hytok" Simone
L'oracolo sampdoriano di Sunnydale
http://janeway.splinder.com/
http://lacasadeglielfi.altervista.org/

 things than watching Meredith keep pouting about her love live?
Oddio, ora non esageriamo!
-- 
Laz - [ 
http://www.dimensionedelta.net
 ]
[ 
http://www.josswhedon.it
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http://www.miltoncaniff.net
 ]
"I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it."