Okay, then we have different definitions here. I see stories on a spectrum regarding how the story progresses and why important events happen. The more the characters are reaponsible for what happens, the more character driven a story is.
What you describe I’d call a character study, which is an archetype of storytelling.
Those are not clear cut templates though, there’s a lot of overlap and wiggle room and “things can fit more than one category at once”.
On a side note though, The Expanse is a character driven story under the characteristics you laid down, too. There are many characters studied in relation to their developements under certain conditions, from Camina Drummer and the Belters through Bobby Draper or the Rocinante Crew all the way to Reverend Volovodov; their relations to others and each other, their personal growth, values, etc are often focused closely.
Thanks for agreeing to disagree; this is subjective. For me, I loved the expanse for the plot and the characters, but I’d say my interest in the show was 75% plot/world building and 25% character (mostly Avarasala (and goddamnit why couldn’t they book Jared Harris for a full 2-season arc?!)). Maybe the mix for you is different, and maybe I need to see it again.
But compare that to the reason ANYONE watches a show like Mad Men–probably exactly 0% of people truly are watching it see what the organizational structure of a 50s advertising agency is at the end of a season. That show is 100% character, and not just character exploration, character development (even Draper’s stagnation is sort of in-motion).
Ok. You talked me into it. Time to re-watch the Expanse.
Okay, then we have different definitions here. I see stories on a spectrum regarding how the story progresses and why important events happen. The more the characters are reaponsible for what happens, the more character driven a story is.
What you describe I’d call a character study, which is an archetype of storytelling.
Those are not clear cut templates though, there’s a lot of overlap and wiggle room and “things can fit more than one category at once”.
On a side note though, The Expanse is a character driven story under the characteristics you laid down, too. There are many characters studied in relation to their developements under certain conditions, from Camina Drummer and the Belters through Bobby Draper or the Rocinante Crew all the way to Reverend Volovodov; their relations to others and each other, their personal growth, values, etc are often focused closely.
Thanks for agreeing to disagree; this is subjective. For me, I loved the expanse for the plot and the characters, but I’d say my interest in the show was 75% plot/world building and 25% character (mostly Avarasala (and goddamnit why couldn’t they book Jared Harris for a full 2-season arc?!)). Maybe the mix for you is different, and maybe I need to see it again.
But compare that to the reason ANYONE watches a show like Mad Men–probably exactly 0% of people truly are watching it see what the organizational structure of a 50s advertising agency is at the end of a season. That show is 100% character, and not just character exploration, character development (even Draper’s stagnation is sort of in-motion).
Ok. You talked me into it. Time to re-watch the Expanse.