Positive, Negative and Neutral Plot Lines

     This will be a basic post on ordinary plot-lines. Let's remember our first rule of Sitcoms :

BEGINNING = ENDING

     Understand this as everything comes back to normal. There are some little changes, such as growing children, and some that are more important, such as Maude Flanders's death. But the main characters, where they live, their jobs, etc... do not change. Homer will always work at the power plant although he gets fired every two or three episodes.

Yet, a plot is defined by the evolution of characters due to a certain event within a particular time lapse. So let's take a look at the three main plot evolutions.



POSITIVE


     Positive evolution in a story is pretty much a "Happy Ending". The main character accomplishes his quest and gets the princess.

Example : Any Miyazaki animated movie.

NEGATIVE


     Obviously, this is the opposite of the Positive evolution : the "Sad Ending". The main character doesn't accomplish his quest and/or the princess is butt-ugly.

Example : Romeo and Juliet

NEUTRAL


     Neutral evolution might seem like there is no story and that's pretty much the case.

Example : This is embarrassing,.... I can't find an example. This is a pretty rare story line. Give me one if you know any.

Ok, now that's set, what is the main plot evolution in most Sitcoms ?

Can we say it's positive ? Not totally. Since the start and finish are the same, that would be a neutral evolution. But most of the time there is a sort of "Happy Ending", so let's say that the typical evolution of sitcom episodes would be Positive/Neutral.
Not much of a surprise really. Let's dig a bit deeper.

     In most episodes, Sitcoms will be Positive/Neutral. But if you extend the time spectrum to a season or even a complete series, things change.
In one episode of Friends (S03 E13), Rachel and Ross split up and Ross sleeps with another woman after their giganormous fight : Negative evolution. But if we look at the entire show, from start to finish, from S01 E01 to S10 E18, all 236 episodes, Ross and Rachel end up together : Positive evolution.
     Another example is The Drew Carey Show : the last episode ends with Drew playing pool in his garden, which he always did and what he'll probably always do, as if all the adventures he ever had never really affected him : Neutral Evolution.

     That's the thing with sitcoms over other types of series : the big picture will be a positive or a neutral evolution to give that good feeling where all things return to normal and probably are for the best. I don't see a Sitcom ending differently (do tell me if you know one). You might say that Seinfeld has a more "Sad" Ending, but that is countered by the conversation George and Jerry have in the prison cell which is the exact same first conversation they had in the very first episode.

Well, that's my point of view, and I'd love to hear yours !

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Thank you,


TRJ