Is the "likeability" of main or supporting characters important for you to enjoy a show/film?

Likeability.....

  • doesn't matter. Just make the story good and I'll enjoy.

    Votes: 18 81.8%
  • matters. What's the point of watching if I don't have anyone to root for?

    Votes: 4 18.2%

  • Total voters
    22

storyteller

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Likeability isn't necessary imo. I just want characters who drive the plot forward in interesting ways. Sometimes, it's the most hateable characters that drive things forward.
 

WIA20XX

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Good Article and Discussion on Don Draper - a character that should not be likeable, but we like - much to the actor's chagrin.
Redditors also chime in on the problem of likeable people that are actually despicable.

 

Roid Jones

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Not always, for example The Boys, I don't especially like any character but I find the the story entertaining
 

Cuban Pete

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It depends. It matters if the protagonista or his main ally is presented as a savior archetype but comes across as a piece of shyt or whiny bytch like say frodo baggins and Sam for exmaple

But in grimdark type fantasy like game of thrones or a hard crime show like breaking bad, no I dont care that theyre all a$$holes, its more realistic that way anyways everybody has a dark side
 

Deltron

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I think my overall view is charisma and story will generally Trump all.

Back to my BttF example, Tom Wilson is charismatic as hell as dumbest bully biff..hated his ass as a kid but its cause he played it so well.
 

the elastic

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I think saying do the characters connect is better than saying likeability.

When you think of Likeable it automatically makes your think of good fair wholesome things.

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Nah, I'm intentionally using the word likeability because it's what the viewers say.

I've seen many conversations where a person specifically points out the likeability (or lack of) of a character. I never really seen people use the word "connect".
 

Uchiha God

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See this is what I mean. Some people care about likeability.

A character being likeable is an all encompassing umbrella. characters will be likeable to different people for different reasons - even when they’re depicted as and generally understood to be pieces of shyt. it doesn’t preclude a show being enjoyable if you don’t find any of the characters likeable.

I think people like having someone to root for, for whatever reason - but again, not finding likeable characters isn’t mutually exclusive with enjoying a show/movie/book
 

obarth

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If anything, I'm more prone to fall for a show that makes me genuinely hate a character. A great example is Walton Goggin's character Shane in The Shield. I know this is a show about corrupt cops, but Shane in particular I hated. It's no surprise Goggins is one of my favorite actors doing it right now. It's easy to have characters you're rooting for in a show you like. It's harder to have characters you genuinely hate in a show you like. Joffrey's another easy one. GoT was really good in that aspect. It was always going to be easy to get people to root for certain characters or houses, but they managed to create some putrid human beings that you couldn't help but tune in to watch every week.
 

the elastic

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It's harder to have characters you genuinely hate in a show you like. Joffrey's another easy one. GoT was really good in that aspect. It was always going to be easy to get people to root for certain characters or houses, but they managed to create some putrid human beings that you couldn't help but tune in to watch every week.
Show went downhill once Joffrey died :francis:
 

jwinfield

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I remember watching the first 2-3 seasons of Girls, enjoying it because of how terrible these people were, then seeing on an after the episode type thing Lena mention how we're supposed to sympathize with them and it immediately turning me off the show.
 

WIA20XX

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Are any of the characters in The Bear likeable?

Everyone is a misfit to some extent and the stressful nature of the show shows them at their worst most of the time. It's a show where the primary draw is tension. There's often a sense of impending doom, and the resolution/release usually just sets the clock back, instead of dealing with the underlying problems.
 

Supa

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The main character not being likeable is why I can't connect with the Dune movies.

Matter of fact, I don't find any of the characters likeable. Great visuals but I find the rest to be bland. Not really invested in the story either.
 
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