These insights are so helpful - thank you! When I consider the issue of likeability, I always think of Larry David's character in the show Curb Your Enthusiasm. The first few episodes, I could not figure the show out. Larry is an asshole and bad things happen to him and you're just kind of like, "well, yeah, of course annoying things hap…
These insights are so helpful - thank you! When I consider the issue of likeability, I always think of Larry David's character in the show Curb Your Enthusiasm. The first few episodes, I could not figure the show out. Larry is an asshole and bad things happen to him and you're just kind of like, "well, yeah, of course annoying things happen to him, he has it coming!" But a wonderful thing happens the more you watch the show: you are pulled in so close into the minutia of Larry's life, that you kind of... get him. You don't really *like* him, but he's like a hilarious friend you roll your eyes at and apologize for. So when bad/annoying things happen to him, you kind of go "awww, Larry! HAHA". You want to help him, but you also want him to get what he deserves, and feeling that contradiction is really magic! Once that clicked for me, I switched "likeability" for something like "familiarity". Familiarity can breed both love and contempt - and sometimes both! - but either way, it's definitely not boring.
I just finished watching Seinfeld from beginning to end, and it's exactly the same thing, except you have four people to feel that way about instead of one.
Part of Larry David character charm is that he speaks for all of us. We all think what he is thinking but dont say it. Its his honesty that is appealing!
Absolutely, I do eat all the shrimp! Even though I might think there are a few missing, I dont count them out like Larry! ( There should be 20 shrimp per package as advertised). lol
Familiarity is an excellent term to use for n place of likeability. I suppose I always pushed back against the need for a character to be likeable, which really shows in my work. It made for interesting discussion in my writing workshops too. So I must have been doing something right.
I tended to hound any writer I could on this point. More often than not, I go some variation of, a character need not be likeable, merely interesting. I still cling to that, for good or bad 😏
Yes. I too thought about this Georgian entry in terms of the viewer or reader. I remember intensely disliking the narrator/main character of Brideshead Revisited and wondered, at the end, why the novel as a whole was so wonderful. Same with Lolita. I like the distinction between like/dislike and degrees of familiarity. Akin to GS’s in habitation and dislikable but interesting.
(Tried to "like" your comment, but wouldn't let me.) Funny because the actor, Jeremy Irons, who played Charles in the movie version of Brideshead also reads one of the best audio versions of a book I've listened to: Lolita.
My husband loves that show, I like it in smaller doses, but the way you write about Larry is perfect. I also like his best friend's wife, she's hilarious.
These insights are so helpful - thank you! When I consider the issue of likeability, I always think of Larry David's character in the show Curb Your Enthusiasm. The first few episodes, I could not figure the show out. Larry is an asshole and bad things happen to him and you're just kind of like, "well, yeah, of course annoying things happen to him, he has it coming!" But a wonderful thing happens the more you watch the show: you are pulled in so close into the minutia of Larry's life, that you kind of... get him. You don't really *like* him, but he's like a hilarious friend you roll your eyes at and apologize for. So when bad/annoying things happen to him, you kind of go "awww, Larry! HAHA". You want to help him, but you also want him to get what he deserves, and feeling that contradiction is really magic! Once that clicked for me, I switched "likeability" for something like "familiarity". Familiarity can breed both love and contempt - and sometimes both! - but either way, it's definitely not boring.
I just finished watching Seinfeld from beginning to end, and it's exactly the same thing, except you have four people to feel that way about instead of one.
Ah, I need me a little Kramer right now!
Exactly! I love the episode where everyone they've ever met is just testifying about how terrible each one of them is.
One of the G.O.A.T. TV finales, in my humble opinion.
Part of Larry David character charm is that he speaks for all of us. We all think what he is thinking but dont say it. Its his honesty that is appealing!
But do you eat all the 🍤 shrimp in the takeout? 😂
Absolutely, I do eat all the shrimp! Even though I might think there are a few missing, I dont count them out like Larry! ( There should be 20 shrimp per package as advertised). lol
Hahahaha! I like looking back on the show even more than watching it. So many funny "true" moments.
this last season with Tracy Ullman--she was unbelievable. I definitely missed Funkhouser, though. That guy was just brilliant.
Love her.
I also felt this way about It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The characters are so awful that you begin to love them for it.
There is nothing even remotely likeable about Frank Reynolds, and yet.... Best character on tv?? Possibly 😂
Familiarity is an excellent term to use for n place of likeability. I suppose I always pushed back against the need for a character to be likeable, which really shows in my work. It made for interesting discussion in my writing workshops too. So I must have been doing something right.
I tended to hound any writer I could on this point. More often than not, I go some variation of, a character need not be likeable, merely interesting. I still cling to that, for good or bad 😏
Yes. I too thought about this Georgian entry in terms of the viewer or reader. I remember intensely disliking the narrator/main character of Brideshead Revisited and wondered, at the end, why the novel as a whole was so wonderful. Same with Lolita. I like the distinction between like/dislike and degrees of familiarity. Akin to GS’s in habitation and dislikable but interesting.
(Tried to "like" your comment, but wouldn't let me.) Funny because the actor, Jeremy Irons, who played Charles in the movie version of Brideshead also reads one of the best audio versions of a book I've listened to: Lolita.
Love and contempt: I love that, thank you!
My husband loves that show, I like it in smaller doses, but the way you write about Larry is perfect. I also like his best friend's wife, she's hilarious.
Her outfits!
Haha yes! She is so venomous and over the top when she gets mad at Larry. The two of them going at it is one of the funniest relationships on TV 😂
I agree. “You don’t want a tour of your best friend’s new house??? F%#k you, Larry!”
🤣 just reading that I can hear her voice 🤣