Character Derailment/Live-Action TV: Difference between revisions

Content added Content deleted
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
m (clean up, replaced: [[Yandere (disambiguation) → [[:Category:Yandere)
Line 7: Line 7:
** Alex went back to being a slacker without ambition despite readmitting herself back to Degrassi to get higher marks and pursue a health profession the season before. Her lazy, judgmental, and unreliable attitude caused her second breakup with Paige as well as her character being put on a [[Long Bus Trip]] to Ajax where she has "options".
** Alex went back to being a slacker without ambition despite readmitting herself back to Degrassi to get higher marks and pursue a health profession the season before. Her lazy, judgmental, and unreliable attitude caused her second breakup with Paige as well as her character being put on a [[Long Bus Trip]] to Ajax where she has "options".
** Ashley wanted so badly not to be seen as Craigs' sidekick but a musician in her own light, she ended up accompanying Craig on a European Tour after Spring Break. This is made worse and confusing because she wasn't there to take her final exams so it's unknown if she graduated high school. And considering that Craig now lives in Hollywood further pursuing his music career, it is unknown if Ashley even got hers off the ground during her time in Europe with Craig.
** Ashley wanted so badly not to be seen as Craigs' sidekick but a musician in her own light, she ended up accompanying Craig on a European Tour after Spring Break. This is made worse and confusing because she wasn't there to take her final exams so it's unknown if she graduated high school. And considering that Craig now lives in Hollywood further pursuing his music career, it is unknown if Ashley even got hers off the ground during her time in Europe with Craig.
*** Not to mention her behavior beforehand, which consisted of erasing then-boyfriend Jimmy's rap track from a demo they were collaborating on ''without'' his knowledge or consent--because she was jealous that he had upstaged her.
*** Not to mention her behavior beforehand, which consisted of erasing then-boyfriend Jimmy's rap track from a demo they were collaborating on ''without'' his knowledge or consent—because she was jealous that he had upstaged her.
** In some cases, this started long before season 7. For example, Ellie, from her introduction in season 2 until season 4, was a [[Deadpan Snarker|sarcastic]] [[Goth|goth/punk]] girl who put everyone else before herself no matter how much it hurt her to do so (acting as Marco's beard, taking care of her alcoholic mother, etc.), then [[Stepford Smiler|pretended to be fine when she wasn't and then vented her emotions through self-destructive behaviour]]. She also hated Craig, a lot, and, despite playing a few instruments, was determined to follow her passion for journalism. In season 5, her wardrobe was radically changed, and she became a clone of Ashley- much bubblier than before, petty enough to throw a drumstick at her romantic rival, and willing (though she didn't actually end up doing so) to follow Craig, who she had inexplicably fallen for despite never resolving her relationship with Sean, to Vancouver to start a music career. By her last appearance in season 8, she was practically unrecognizable, both physically and in terms of personality.
** In some cases, this started long before season 7. For example, Ellie, from her introduction in season 2 until season 4, was a [[Deadpan Snarker|sarcastic]] [[Goth|goth/punk]] girl who put everyone else before herself no matter how much it hurt her to do so (acting as Marco's beard, taking care of her alcoholic mother, etc.), then [[Stepford Smiler|pretended to be fine when she wasn't and then vented her emotions through self-destructive behaviour]]. She also hated Craig, a lot, and, despite playing a few instruments, was determined to follow her passion for journalism. In season 5, her wardrobe was radically changed, and she became a clone of Ashley- much bubblier than before, petty enough to throw a drumstick at her romantic rival, and willing (though she didn't actually end up doing so) to follow Craig, who she had inexplicably fallen for despite never resolving her relationship with Sean, to Vancouver to start a music career. By her last appearance in season 8, she was practically unrecognizable, both physically and in terms of personality.
* [[Double the Fist]]: Why is Steve trying to take over the world? Steve who was previously willing to give his life to save EVERYONE on the planet?
* [[Double the Fist]]: Why is Steve trying to take over the world? Steve who was previously willing to give his life to save EVERYONE on the planet?
* Quinn Mallory on ''[[Sliders]]'' went from being a likable boy genius in the first two seasons to a cardboard action hero who had a [[Girl of the Week|different girl each week]] from Season 3 onward. He also didn't seem particularly concerned that Arturo (a father figure) was killed in front of him or Wade (his best friend) had been kidnapped by the Kromaggs.
* Quinn Mallory on ''[[Sliders]]'' went from being a likable boy genius in the first two seasons to a cardboard action hero who had a [[Girl of the Week|different girl each week]] from Season 3 onward. He also didn't seem particularly concerned that Arturo (a father figure) was killed in front of him or Wade (his best friend) had been kidnapped by the Kromaggs.
* The arc dealing with Olivia's discovery of her half brother on ''[[Law and Order Special Victims Unit]]'', an until-then realistic show with realistically sensible characters, reduced Olivia to possessing all the common sense of your average soap opera character. She and Cragen even note later that she was [[Not Himself|Not Herself]].
* The arc dealing with Olivia's discovery of her half brother on ''[[Law and Order Special Victims Unit]]'', an until-then realistic show with realistically sensible characters, reduced Olivia to possessing all the common sense of your average soap opera character. She and Cragen even note later that she was [[Not Himself|Not Herself]].
** A worse derailment happened much earlier. In the very first episode, Olivia's mother appears (played by Elizabeth Ashley), and the mother and daughter seem to have a loving, complex relationship, with Olivia's mother being more at peace with the facts of Olivia's conception than Olivia is. [[Retcon|Retconning]] Olivia's mother into an alcoholic, who emotionally abused Olivia because she reminded her of her rape, is a lazy way the writers have capitulated to people's assumptions, with a 2-dimensional character, probably just to provide a source of easily tapped melodrama without having to work at real story-telling.
** A worse derailment happened much earlier. In the very first episode, Olivia's mother appears (played by Elizabeth Ashley), and the mother and daughter seem to have a loving, complex relationship, with Olivia's mother being more at peace with the facts of Olivia's conception than Olivia is. [[Retcon]]ning Olivia's mother into an alcoholic, who emotionally abused Olivia because she reminded her of her rape, is a lazy way the writers have capitulated to people's assumptions, with a 2-dimensional character, probably just to provide a source of easily tapped melodrama without having to work at real story-telling.
** Even before Olivia lost her common sense to {{spoiler|her brother possibly being a rapist [[In the Blood|like their dad]]}}, Elliot had gone from a more or less [[Badass Normal]] cop to a whiny, creepy psycho who's this close to [[Overprotective Dad|keeping his daughters locked at home so they don't fool around]] and is a big fan of the [[Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique]].
** Even before Olivia lost her common sense to {{spoiler|her brother possibly being a rapist [[In the Blood|like their dad]]}}, Elliot had gone from a more or less [[Badass Normal]] cop to a whiny, creepy psycho who's this close to [[Overprotective Dad|keeping his daughters locked at home so they don't fool around]] and is a big fan of the [[Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique]].
* Amy in ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' went from being an everyday witch to being a [[Card-Carrying Villain|cartoonish bad girl]] for no reason at all. Shortly afterward, Willow inexplicably became addicted to magic (an effect not been shown in the series before) and started doing morally dubious things like wiping her girlfriend's memory of an argument they had had.
* Amy in ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' went from being an everyday witch to being a [[Card-Carrying Villain|cartoonish bad girl]] for no reason at all. Shortly afterward, Willow inexplicably became addicted to magic (an effect not been shown in the series before) and started doing morally dubious things like wiping her girlfriend's memory of an argument they had had.
Line 25: Line 25:
** Not to mention that in the earlier seasons, Ray was a witty [[Deadpan Snarker]], and was quite clever (or at ''least'' possessed average intelligence), and his newspaper column actually won a national award. About halfway through the series, however, his IQ appeared to suddenly plummet. A character who had been the [[Only Sane Man]] at the beginning of the series suddenly became the [[Butt Monkey]]. This was seemingly done to make his wife Debra appear smarter so that the show could use the [[Parenting the Husband]] trope.
** Not to mention that in the earlier seasons, Ray was a witty [[Deadpan Snarker]], and was quite clever (or at ''least'' possessed average intelligence), and his newspaper column actually won a national award. About halfway through the series, however, his IQ appeared to suddenly plummet. A character who had been the [[Only Sane Man]] at the beginning of the series suddenly became the [[Butt Monkey]]. This was seemingly done to make his wife Debra appear smarter so that the show could use the [[Parenting the Husband]] trope.
* ''[[The King of Queens]]'' went through something similar. In the earlier seasons, Doug wouldn't hesitate to call on Carrie for her underhanded antics, and she would learn her lesson. As the show went on and [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism|slid down the cynical end of the scale]], Doug became a gutless complainer, and Carrie's anger problems and superiority complex got to the point that, in the real world, they would have landed her in a straitjacket long ago.
* ''[[The King of Queens]]'' went through something similar. In the earlier seasons, Doug wouldn't hesitate to call on Carrie for her underhanded antics, and she would learn her lesson. As the show went on and [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism|slid down the cynical end of the scale]], Doug became a gutless complainer, and Carrie's anger problems and superiority complex got to the point that, in the real world, they would have landed her in a straitjacket long ago.
* In the pilot and first few seasons of ''[[Three's Company]]'', Chrissy was an innocent but reasonably savvy and intelligent young woman. By the third or fourth season, she had become the living stereotype of the [[Dumb Blonde]]--completely naive and illogical, with asymmetrical platinum ponytails.
* In the pilot and first few seasons of ''[[Three's Company]]'', Chrissy was an innocent but reasonably savvy and intelligent young woman. By the third or fourth season, she had become the living stereotype of the [[Dumb Blonde]]—completely naive and illogical, with asymmetrical platinum ponytails.
* Dwayne Wayne from ''[[A Different World]]'' went from being a nerd with a crush on Denise Huxtable, to a super hip and cool teacher other students looked up to within a short period of time. Likewise with Whitley Gilbert, who was the stuck-up, snobbish, rich southern princess, and then turned into a compassionate teacher and love interest of Dwayne. This is likely due to the fact that Lisa Bonet left a huge hole in the show when she left (the show ''was'' originally built around her character), so the writers was forced to make Whitley do a unconvincing [[Heel Face Turn]] in a short amount of time.
* Dwayne Wayne from ''[[A Different World]]'' went from being a nerd with a crush on Denise Huxtable, to a super hip and cool teacher other students looked up to within a short period of time. Likewise with Whitley Gilbert, who was the stuck-up, snobbish, rich southern princess, and then turned into a compassionate teacher and love interest of Dwayne. This is likely due to the fact that Lisa Bonet left a huge hole in the show when she left (the show ''was'' originally built around her character), so the writers was forced to make Whitley do a unconvincing [[Heel Face Turn]] in a short amount of time.
** Both characters evolutions took place over several seasons. That's realistic and hardly a short amount of time. It's FREDDY's derailment that makes no sense--over ONE season break, she goes from being a rebellious, flaky (yet, somehow, brilliant student) hippie-esque love child, to a perfectly coiffed, suit-wearing, pre-law student, fawning and gushing over Ron, who she couldn't stand. Similarly, Ron goes from adoring Kim and hating Freddie to lusting after her.
** Both characters evolutions took place over several seasons. That's realistic and hardly a short amount of time. It's FREDDY's derailment that makes no sense—over ONE season break, she goes from being a rebellious, flaky (yet, somehow, brilliant student) hippie-esque love child, to a perfectly coiffed, suit-wearing, pre-law student, fawning and gushing over Ron, who she couldn't stand. Similarly, Ron goes from adoring Kim and hating Freddie to lusting after her.
** Seriously, with Whitely and Dwayne, those changes happened over the course of 6 seasons. That's [[Character Development]] not derailment.
** Seriously, with Whitely and Dwayne, those changes happened over the course of 6 seasons. That's [[Character Development]] not derailment.
** Speaking of Denise Huxtable, on [[The Cosby Show]], she went from spirited, spunky, funky, intelligent, and independent, to flaky, clueless, free-loading, moron who dropped out of school but didn't bother to look for a job because "it's my summer vacation".
** Speaking of Denise Huxtable, on [[The Cosby Show]], she went from spirited, spunky, funky, intelligent, and independent, to flaky, clueless, free-loading, moron who dropped out of school but didn't bother to look for a job because "it's my summer vacation".
Line 98: Line 98:
** Dr. Foreman was perhaps the earliest victim of [[Character Derailment]]. In the first season, he was ambitious and unsentimental, but had several [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]] moments to make up for it. One or two episodes into the second season, he stood back and did nothing while a patient's heart failed because he didn't like the guy. Later in that same season he pulled a professional dick move on Cameron, then when he was mortally ill, ''stabbed her with a dirty needle'' in a desperate attempt to get her to save him. To say he [[Took a Level in Jerkass]] would be an understatement.
** Dr. Foreman was perhaps the earliest victim of [[Character Derailment]]. In the first season, he was ambitious and unsentimental, but had several [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]] moments to make up for it. One or two episodes into the second season, he stood back and did nothing while a patient's heart failed because he didn't like the guy. Later in that same season he pulled a professional dick move on Cameron, then when he was mortally ill, ''stabbed her with a dirty needle'' in a desperate attempt to get her to save him. To say he [[Took a Level in Jerkass]] would be an understatement.
* The second series of ''[[Robin Hood (TV series)|Robin Hood]]'' had character development from everyone, but most notably Guy of Gisborne, who, by the penultimate couple of episodes, is risking his own life to stand up for what he believes in and to defend others; something he would never have done back in the day. This is mostly because of his love for Marian, and he repeatedly defies the Sheriff for Marian's sake. Marian shows Guy friendship, despite working against him in secret, and is very very good at keeping her double-agent status secret. In the finale, Marian suddenly begins flailing about like a muppet, yelling "I LOVE ROBIN HOOD! I'M GOING TO MARRY ROBIN HOOD!" Guy then stabs her through the gut and rides off. ''Two'' characters derailed for the price of one!
* The second series of ''[[Robin Hood (TV series)|Robin Hood]]'' had character development from everyone, but most notably Guy of Gisborne, who, by the penultimate couple of episodes, is risking his own life to stand up for what he believes in and to defend others; something he would never have done back in the day. This is mostly because of his love for Marian, and he repeatedly defies the Sheriff for Marian's sake. Marian shows Guy friendship, despite working against him in secret, and is very very good at keeping her double-agent status secret. In the finale, Marian suddenly begins flailing about like a muppet, yelling "I LOVE ROBIN HOOD! I'M GOING TO MARRY ROBIN HOOD!" Guy then stabs her through the gut and rides off. ''Two'' characters derailed for the price of one!
** It seems to run in the family. The third season introduces Guy's sister Isabella, who seems intelligent, helpful and rational. Robin begins a relationship with her, but when she encourages him to run away with her, he tells her that his loyalties lie with England and the mission. She responds by [[Derailing Love Interests|picking up the nearest sword]] and [[Yandere (disambiguation)|trying to kill him.]] As you do.
** It seems to run in the family. The third season introduces Guy's sister Isabella, who seems intelligent, helpful and rational. Robin begins a relationship with her, but when she encourages him to run away with her, he tells her that his loyalties lie with England and the mission. She responds by [[Derailing Love Interests|picking up the nearest sword]] and [[:Category:Yandere|trying to kill him.]] As you do.
* On ''[[Dirty Sexy Money]]'', Lisa George is shown during the first season and first part of the second season to be a kind, reasonable woman -- flawed, yes, but, you know. A human being. In the show's second season, the writers seemed to realize they could hardly justify Nick just leaving her and hooking up with first love Karen Darling. Thus Lisa became an unreasonable shrew who harped on Nick at every turn. Nick also suffered slightly.
* On ''[[Dirty Sexy Money]]'', Lisa George is shown during the first season and first part of the second season to be a kind, reasonable woman—flawed, yes, but, you know. A human being. In the show's second season, the writers seemed to realize they could hardly justify Nick just leaving her and hooking up with first love Karen Darling. Thus Lisa became an unreasonable shrew who harped on Nick at every turn. Nick also suffered slightly.
* The [[Playboy]] TV series ''Boy Nexxt Door'' has the main character start off as a somewhat nerdy, goofy, naive guy who still had plenty of successes and quite possibly a bright future ahead of him in the adult film industry, and after a few seasons quickly derail into the biggest loser imaginable, who is going to [[Failure Is the Only Option|spectacularly fail at whatever he tries]] no matter what it is, and who women find laughable and pathetic pretty much automatically... nevermind that the whole catalyst for the series was the fact that he had the ability to not only attract numerous hot girls, but actually convince them to let him film it. Apparently with Playboy magazine's [[Magazine Decay|decay]] into a [[Maxim]] clone, the network had to [[Network Decay|follow suit]] and make anyone even slightly uncool [[Butt Monkey|objects of total derision]].
* The [[Playboy]] TV series ''Boy Nexxt Door'' has the main character start off as a somewhat nerdy, goofy, naive guy who still had plenty of successes and quite possibly a bright future ahead of him in the adult film industry, and after a few seasons quickly derail into the biggest loser imaginable, who is going to [[Failure Is the Only Option|spectacularly fail at whatever he tries]] no matter what it is, and who women find laughable and pathetic pretty much automatically... nevermind that the whole catalyst for the series was the fact that he had the ability to not only attract numerous hot girls, but actually convince them to let him film it. Apparently with Playboy magazine's [[Magazine Decay|decay]] into a [[Maxim]] clone, the network had to [[Network Decay|follow suit]] and make anyone even slightly uncool [[Butt Monkey|objects of total derision]].
* Nearly all the characters on ''[[The West Wing]]'' got derailed after John Wells took over from Aaron Sorkin. Examples include:
* Nearly all the characters on ''[[The West Wing]]'' got derailed after John Wells took over from Aaron Sorkin. Examples include:
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Character_Derailment/Live-Action_TV"