How to write characters

[u/Informal-Birthday153]

/r/TVWriting/comments/1w3bmek/how_to_write_characters/

Hey . Im taking acting class and in one of the lessons there we were taught (at least from what i understand) that in plays the character has an ultimate goal they want to achieve that arose because of a state/situation they are in (they are poor so their goal is to become rich) and in every scene a character has a goal that is supposed to help them achieve the ultimate goal. So i was wondering if its also true to tv shows , and if it is. How?

Cuz for example a tv show of a few seasons, at the start a character wants to achieve something, if at the end of season they do , by the next season their ultimate goal changes?

(I would also love any advice for how to write a character)

Sorry if i have any grammar mistakes, English isn't my first language

[u/dothemath_xxx]

Yes, this is true in most stories regardless of media.

In TV shows there is a lot of variety. It depends on so many factors: the type or genre of show (for example - contrast a sitcom like Friends versus a serious, tightly-written drama/thriller like 24), how it was written (a small team of writers collaborating on all episodes? Or are individual episodes being handed off to writers in a bullpen?), how it's meant to be watched (is the whole season meant to be binged at once, or is it something that viewers are meant to just pick up an episode whenever they happen to catch it?), what season it's in (has it out-lived the original plot and is now ten seasons in?), etc.

Sometimes, a character might have a goal that lasts the entire length of the show, or the goal creates a multi-season arc. A character can also have a goal that lasts the length of just one season, and is resolved in the season finale.

But it's also very common, especially in sitcoms and other shows that have some amount of "reset" with each new episode, that larger character goals are per-episode. The character has a big goal that they will either accomplish, or not accomplish, by the end of the episode; then they have smaller goals in each scene that move them closer to that big end goal.

And yes, the next episode (or the next season, or the next arc) there is a new big goal.

One thing you'll see that's a bit unique to television shows are "evergreen" goals. These are most common in children's shows - off the top of my head, the protagonists in Ed, Edd & Eddy always have the ultimate goal of buying or otherwise acquiring jawbreakers (a type of candy, if you're not familiar with it). This goal sets up pretty much every episode. It's not a goal that can ever be accomplished - first of all, by the nature of the show, it's usually dangled out of their reach; it's a comedy, so their plans are usually foiled. But even in cases where they do ultimately get the candy...they are kids. Next episode, they want more candy.