Why do the plots of movies and TV shows all seem similar?
Many movies, dramas, plays, and novels have similar plots. Author and radio producer Elian Glaser talks about why commonly used plots are popular and where they originate.
Why does every film and TV series seem to have the same plot? | Aeon Essays
A typical plot type is 'The protagonist, who was living an ordinary life in an ordinary everyday world, is drawn into a new state by a certain event. Along the way, the protagonist meets people with new perspectives, questions his or her way of life, and struggles, while facing powerful difficulties and returning to his or her original world.' In the story, whether the protagonist overcomes the difficulties and ends up victorious or defeated, the protagonist returns to his or her original place with a very different outlook on life and other aspects than the original person he or she was.
This type of story is called the ' Hero 's Journey' and is thought to be one of the common structures of fascinating stories. The Hero's Journey was proposed by mythologist Joseph Campbell in 1949, and Campbell explained that 'hero myths are stories of the 'growth of the soul' that humanity universally desires, so they inevitably become one-dimensional.' According to behavioral scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Hero's Journey can be used not only as a narrative theory, but also as an image that can have a meaningful impact on life.
Researchers point out that applying the 'Hero's Journey' structure common to compelling stories to your own life can enrich you - GIGAZINE
Glaser points to Aristotle's Poetics as the origin of the Hero's Journey. In Poetics, Aristotle defines a well-constructed plot as having three main acts, and further states that elements such as a reversal of events and a change of perception are essential.
Hollywood is a prime example of a popular adaptation of certain story structures such as the Hero's Journey. John York, a leading British screenwriter, said, 'Hollywood has a tendency to commodify and formalize. Different cultures have different styles, but the underlying elements are always the same, so they're commodifying something that's innate.' Many people believe that certain story structures have universal appeal, even if they've been used repeatedly and become clichéd.
On the other hand, there are also voices that criticize the use of common narrative structures. In his book ' Public Opinion ,' American political commentator Walter Lippmann criticized, 'Hollywood (by creating stories with a common structure) appeals to the unconscious and controls the irrational masses.' In this way, some people believe that by repeatedly telling predictable stories, they rob the masses of their subjectivity and halt their ability to think critically.
Glaser partially supported Lippman's opinion, saying, 'Stories are a kind of wish fulfillment,' and pointed out, 'The monomyth of the Hero's Journey runs the risk of making us experience the 'illusion of change.'' In reality, we are just watching a story, but if we can easily simulate the experience by watching the characters change and admiring them, we will neglect the effort that is actually necessary to change.
On the other hand, Christopher Vogler, who previously worked as a script analyst at Disney and published a book titled ' The Writer's Journey ' in which he condenses the concept of the Hero's Journey, says, 'A story that leaves you returning to the old world without changing anything, learning anything, or discovering anything new is worthless. Movies give you an opportunity for a slight improvement (change) in your Hero's Journey,' arguing that exposure to stories can be a catalyst for change.
As another example of criticism of similar narrative structures, Glazer quoted comments made by film director Nakash Khalid, known for In Camera (2023), when interviewing him. When Glazer asked about the surreal, sensory-disturbing structure of In Camera, Khalid said, 'I'm critical of the (Aristotelian) three-act structure. I think it's a very Western, masculine, colonialist idea.' According to Khalid, the Hero's Journey plot of 'one man going on a journey' is an old patriarchal image, and stories should be written in a form that reflects reality.
Screenwriters try to structure every plot in three acts (or five acts with 'reversal' and 'recognition' added) because the Hero's Journey plot is a common sense rooted in humanity, and many works have been successful with that structure, so they try to use it as a formula for box office success, Glazer points out. On top of that, Glazer says, 'Abandoning the three-act structure completely, even if it is desirable, is virtually impossible. Whether you see a strong narrative structure as a good thing or a prison, you need to understand how it is constructed.'
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