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Shows with and without a sense of place
Apr. 24th, 2009 11:36 amThis is very fresh meta, thought up last night after ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
greteldragon asked if Leverage was more or less fun than "Burn Notice", so I'm still figuring it out as I type.
See on the whole I like Leverage more, but something bugs me about it and I realised what it is: it's characters step very lightly on the world. You don't get the feeling that there's anything going on when the camera's aren't looking. We never see the characters outside of their work, and they do not seem to have any real outside lives(*). The ONLY character I can think of who turns up in more than one episode (counting the two-part finale as one) is the ongoing antagonist Spencer. There's no sense of place beyond their office (I can't even remember where it's set).
Burn Notice on the other hand is very much set in Miama. The three main characters have family, romantic partners, recurring business contacts, and somewhat separate lives (I don't recall them having many friends beyond each other, mind you). We see their homes and where they hang out in their spare time. Secondary characters can become more or less important in a fairly organic way as the story requires it. This all makes it feel more real to me, and the characters more engaging and 3 dimensional.
Last night I thought of another show like Leverage in this respect, but I've totally forgotten it now.
What do you guys think? Do you see the same difference I do? Does it bother you too or do you like it?
(*)I keep thinking "But what about that episode where we saw Parker's apartment?" and then I remember it was fanfic :)
greteldragon asked if Leverage was more or less fun than "Burn Notice", so I'm still figuring it out as I type.See on the whole I like Leverage more, but something bugs me about it and I realised what it is: it's characters step very lightly on the world. You don't get the feeling that there's anything going on when the camera's aren't looking. We never see the characters outside of their work, and they do not seem to have any real outside lives(*). The ONLY character I can think of who turns up in more than one episode (counting the two-part finale as one) is the ongoing antagonist Spencer. There's no sense of place beyond their office (I can't even remember where it's set).
Burn Notice on the other hand is very much set in Miama. The three main characters have family, romantic partners, recurring business contacts, and somewhat separate lives (I don't recall them having many friends beyond each other, mind you). We see their homes and where they hang out in their spare time. Secondary characters can become more or less important in a fairly organic way as the story requires it. This all makes it feel more real to me, and the characters more engaging and 3 dimensional.
Last night I thought of another show like Leverage in this respect, but I've totally forgotten it now.
What do you guys think? Do you see the same difference I do? Does it bother you too or do you like it?
(*)I keep thinking "But what about that episode where we saw Parker's apartment?" and then I remember it was fanfic :)
