Unlikeable protagonists trope is stale.

[Deleted]

One trend I'd like to see slow down a bit in the new decade is the unlikeable protagonist. The biggest offender of overusing this trope is the sitcom.

I'm so tired of this overly cynical and mean-spirited formula and it's been going nonstop since at least the late 1980s.

I'm not saying to completely rid of this trope, as that's just selfish and unrealistic. Just stop relying on it so much.

Where are my genuinely wholesome comedies at?? Not necessarily something like Full House, but has a unironic sense of niceness.

If not that, find a new formula to run into the ground, studios!

[Moppy]

It's my least favorite trope of all time. Obviously it has its successes - Walter White; Fleabag? - but there are so, so many times I'll just be watching a show that doesn't match up to those high standards and end up internally screaming "why on earth am I supposed to like these people?!"

That said, I'll forgive sitcoms like South Park or It's Always Sunny where it's pretty much the whole point that these are The-Worst-People-On-Earth. Once I'm at peace with that, it makes it all the funnier.

[Cyno]

Are we differentiating between unlikable protagonists and villain protagonists?

[Kyn]

Jan 1, 2020 14:32:09 GMT -5 @ambrosefan said:

Where are my genuinely wholesome comedies at?? Not necessarily something like Full House, but has a unironic sense of niceness.

If not that, find a new formula to run into the ground, studios!

I rewatch the IT Crowd for that. I know it's an older show, but like you say, it's hard to find a show these days where there isn't a sense of almost mean-spiritedness behind the humour.

[Deleted]

Jan 1, 2020 14:48:55 GMT -5 Cyno said:

Are we differentiating between unlikable protagonists and villain protagonists?

Yes, I'm specifically talking about the "good guys" for lack of a better term. So Jerry Seinfeld or something like that.

[Deleted]

It's something that works when it works and doesn't when it doesn't, much like anything else. I've seen deeply flawed protagonists who are still entirely likable and I've seen ones who have no real intended personal problems but I still hate their guts.

[A Platypus Rave]

Jan 1, 2020 14:46:25 GMT -5 Moppy said:

It's my least favorite trope of all time. Obviously it has its successes - Walter White; Fleabag? - but there are so, so many times I'll just be watching a show that doesn't match up to those high standards and end up internally screaming "why on earth am I supposed to like these people?!"

That said, I'll forgive sitcoms like South Park or It's Always Sunny where it's pretty much the whole point that these are The-Worst-People-On-Earth. Once I'm at peace with that, it makes it all the funnier.

Walter White is a Villain Protag.

[Deleted]

Jan 1, 2020 21:23:48 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

Jan 1, 2020 14:46:25 GMT -5 Moppy said:

It's my least favorite trope of all time. Obviously it has its successes - Walter White; Fleabag? - but there are so, so many times I'll just be watching a show that doesn't match up to those high standards and end up internally screaming "why on earth am I supposed to like these people?!"

That said, I'll forgive sitcoms like South Park or It's Always Sunny where it's pretty much the whole point that these are The-Worst-People-On-Earth. Once I'm at peace with that, it makes it all the funnier.

Walter White is a Villain Protag.

I think he kind of rides the line, mostly since while he is pretty damn awful they mostly like to put him up against people worse than he is and the ending is framed as something of a redemption for him.

[Malibu Stacy]

Nancy from Weeds, man. Danger junkie who can't stand the thought of working a legit job and as a result puts her children in all kinds of danger with her dealing, but we're supposed to cheer for her cuz she's so promiscuous she eventually sleeps with the right person who can help her uh, she's so smart and tough!