I wanted to write an article about the TV characters we love the most and how we aim to be just like them, to grow and develop the way they did in the span of a few seasons. But as I tried to write about the magical beings that are Brooke Davis and Blair Waldorf, I began to realize how flawed they are, and how flawed every character is.
I am someone who feels everything so intensely. There is no in between for me, I either absolutely hate something, or absolutely love something. The same applies to people and characters. When I watch movies or TV, I empathize with the characters and feel connected to them. I cry when they cry, get angry when they get angry and laugh when they laugh.
I look up to the characters I see on TV, I want to succeed and grow the way that they have. But I constantly get annoyed by so many characters. I hate Ted Moseby on How I Met Your Mother, seasons 6-9 April Kepner on Grey's Anatomy and even Rachel Berry on Glee for a bit. Yet, as I sat and analyzed why I hated these characters so much, I realized its because they reminded me of myself.
Ted was annoying and constantly focused on what was wrong with his life and how he desperately needed love. April was so incredibly insecure, she never allowed herself to succeed, in fear that she would never be good enough. Rachel was so self absorbed, not because she was innately selfish, but because she wanted to protect herself.
These are all unfortunately, traits and characteristics that I see in myself and don't really like. However, it took seeing them on TV in characters so far removed from me for me to realize how flawed I really am. The truth of the matter is that we are all flawed, and even the characters on TV we look up to do things and say things and act in ways that aren't okay.
Brooke Davis on One Tree Hill started off as the mean girl, a character that we all hated because she got in the way of Peyton and Lucas, and was so selfish and self absorbed she referred to Haley as "Brooke" because she liked that name better.
Blair Waldorf on Gossip Girl was evil and vindictive. She was power hungry and heartless at times.
Through out the course of many seasons, these characters changed. They became full of love, strong, independent and set an example for girls, and boys, who watched them grow on television.
Perhaps that's what happens to us. It is likely that we are only on Season 1 of our lives right now. As the seasons go on, we meet new characters and overcome new obstacles, we change and grow the way they do on TV.
