01-13-2015, 09:51 AM
Quote:They're also not more realistic now. They're more cartoonish.
Yes, very much so. "The characters used to be one-dimensional, now they've been fleshed-out." is one of my least-favorite, most rage-inducing Canon statements.
A good actor always brings something more to the character; brings something special. I'd almost argue that a good actor is not capable of playing a character in a one-dimensional manner. In many cases, a good actor can rise above a silly situation or mediocre writing.
JP's performance was full of nuance, as you said. And like I've said before, IMO in a sitcom, the depth and the character-development comes from reading between the lines. It's less about *what* the characters do, than *how* they do it, and less about *what* they say, than how they say it. It's in their facial expressions and the look in their eyes. It's not character-driven writing if you have to introduce these contrived situations for the characters to react to, instead of letting the emotions arise naturally from the characters' everyday lives.
It's because the Canon types are so literal-minded that they consider the classic characters one-dimensional. They look at the classic characters' most extreme, quirky, or bizarre traits and they take them at face value. It's a very "surface" interpretation. If you're not sensitive to nuance, if you're not able to "read" these actors' performances, if you need everything spelled-out for you in "big moments" full of hugging and crying, that's the problem.
Anyone who thinks Sheldon was just a collection of quirks and he was just being stubborn and obstinate for no reason, is not very observant at all.
Likewise, the number of people who don't understand that H. wasn't *really* seductive and promiscuous, he was just trying to be, shows how dumb people are.
Plus, it's OKAY for sitcom characters to be sort of exagerrated, grotesque, larger-than-life, whimsical, fantastical. It's a *comedy.* It's okay for them to engage in behaviors that would be unacceptable in real life, because *they're fictional and their actions have no consequences.* Those behaviors just need to be consistent.
Quote:He was proud, hysterical, generous, possessive, passionate, inspired, brilliant....
Maybe this should be added to that "Testimony" thread....