Too Many Problems: First Two Episodes into The Bodyguard
So, I’ve finished watching the newest season of Stranger Things and, while I need to do a blog post on my thoughts on the season, I also found myself without a show to watch over the weekends now that ST has finished (I watched it weekly for the past 8 weeks since it was released and resisted the temptation to binge it). I tried a couple of replacement shows (I’m only watching Defiance on the weekdays as “reward breaks” after I finish a major piece of homework.) One of the shows that I tried was a British series called, Bodyguard. I actually did “binge” it a bit as the trailer promised “action” in the style of Bourne and the first episode didn’t really have it (although it did have an intense introductory scene). The 2nd episode did have the action I was craving, but only for one super-intense and action filled scene in the episode. However, it was what the narrative was doing that caused me concern and made me stop 4 mins from the end of the 2nd episode. I will probably finish the episode, but I’m unsure as to whether I’ll finish the show. I just checked its stats to make sure I had the title correct and it has a ridiculously high Rotten Tomatoes score of 92%. IMDB and TV.com ratings are similarly high at 8.2 & 7.8 respectively as I write this.
Too Many Internal Problems
One of the things that I’m concerned about is how much is actually going on with the characterization of the protagonist. I’m very sensitive to characterization at the moment as this is the primary aspect I’m focusing on in my own fiction to become a better writer. The main character, David Budd, has no less than 4 specific and identifiable internal problems that he’s dealing with: 1) he is an Afghanistan war veteran and is dealing with issues of PTSD, 2) the PSTD has affected his marriage and right now, his wife and him are separated and moving towards divorce, 3) due to the PTSD and war, he is now cynical of all politicians and their motives (esp. in regards to the war), and 4) his son is in need of Special needs services and his inability to (initially) get help for is son is aggravating issue #2). In my mind, that’s too many problems and rather than helping define David’s character, it is pulling both him and the narrative in too many competing directions. However, based on the high scores the show has received, either I’m missing something, or I haven’t watched enough of the show. However, at this early juncture, I feel the show could be much more taut and suspenseful than it actually is (again, the high scores don’t seem to agree with my assessment).
Too Many External Problems
Just as I feel there are too many internal problems that the character is facing, so too I feel the same way about the external problems. I think that the character is put into too many problematic situations so that the narrative seems to lurch from problem to problem. There’s x problem and y problem and z problem and aa problem and bb problem, and so on. They intentionally try to ratchet up his problems. While this makes for good drama in most cases, it feels like I can see the writers pulling strings to get this to happen. Can’t the show have David, the protagonist, work through his multitude of internal problems without piling more and more external problems on him? While one or two external problems might help drive the plot forward, I count–just like his internal problems–no less than four different external problems that he’s facing and it just doesn’t ring true for me as a viewer.
Will I Continue Watching?
Not sure–its a great character who is very well realized. However, I find it tedious to sit through and wish that the writers would tone down the internal and external problems. I’d love to see this complexity stretched through multiple series/seasons, but not jammed-packed into the first two episodes. I’m not sure I’ll return any time soon, but I’ll let you all know if I do.
Thanks and have a great week!
Sidney
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The Independent (Sci-Fi Short-Story)–
3rd Draft of 3 Drafts
Drafting Section 2 (of 3)
Mythic Mag. Deadline = January 31, 2020I, Mage (Fantasy Short Story)
Pre-Production Phase (Planning)
Pre-Writing on Rough Draft & Character Sketch
Mythic Mag. Deadline = July 31, 2020Current Longer Work-in-Progress: Ship of Shadows Graphic Novel
(Sci-Fi) Issue # 2, Currently on Script Page 32
Personal Deadline = December 30, 2019
