Not being chased, just making a break for it.

February 9, 2011 11:08 AM

I'm looking for examples of well-drawn TV characters (from multi-season shows, preferably) for whom a major--but not solely defining--aspect of their personalities is a struggle with the desire to run away from difficult situations. Two I have in mind already: Nate Fisher (Six Feet Under) and Nancy Botwin (Weeds).
posted by kittyprecious to media & arts (34 answers total)

Nurse Jackie
posted by notjustfoxybrown at 11:10 AM on February 9, 2011

I think you could argue that this was Buffy's m.o., especially in earlier seasons (like through season 2) and then sporadically throughout the course of the show.
posted by Rudy Gerner at 11:16 AM on February 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

Though actually I think her *desire* to run away is strong throughout the series and is in fact a major aspect of her character. It's the actual running away/escaping that becomes sporadic.

[Sorry for the multiple posts. I'll try to think more/better before responding next time.]
posted by Rudy Gerner at 11:18 AM on February 9, 2011

Don Draper
posted by muddgirl at 11:19 AM on February 9, 2011 [9 favorites]

Wallace.
posted by davidjmcgee at 11:20 AM on February 9, 2011

Dexter.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:25 AM on February 9, 2011

Tim Riggins
posted by Oktober at 11:25 AM on February 9, 2011

Gaius Baltar on Battlestar Galatica.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 11:27 AM on February 9, 2011 [3 favorites]

Sam Merlotte of True Blood
Kenny Powers of Eastbound and Down
Remi "13" Hadley of House
Kate of Lost
posted by Rhomboid at 11:33 AM on February 9, 2011

Arrested Development's Michael Bluth
posted by Sauce Trough at 11:53 AM on February 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

A large part of the Dead Like Me story deals with George running away from the situation she's been put into.
posted by frwagon at 11:55 AM on February 9, 2011 [2 favorites]

Chandler Bing. "Chandler hates Thanksgiving and refuses to eat traditional Thanksgiving food. Chandler also highlights this as the point where he began to use humor as a defense mechanism and started smoking (despite his young age)."
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 11:56 AM on February 9, 2011

Kramer, literally!
posted by thinkpiece at 12:02 PM on February 9, 2011

Karen from Californication.
posted by clearly at 12:12 PM on February 9, 2011

Maxwell Klinger
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 12:36 PM on February 9, 2011

Dr. Richard Kimble
posted by briank at 12:51 PM on February 9, 2011

Mark Green on ER. Would not so much run away as waffle.
posted by adamrice at 12:58 PM on February 9, 2011

As far as ER, I argue that Doug Ross and Carol Hathaway's plot arc has a lot more to do with avoidance and confrontation.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 12:59 PM on February 9, 2011

Josh Lyman
posted by shesbookish at 1:27 PM on February 9, 2011

Naomi Campbell from series 3 and 4 of Skins. Whether it was a cover for her uncertainty whether to identify as homosexual or the other way around is up for debate.
posted by d. z. wang at 1:32 PM on February 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

Jennifer Melfi
posted by doublesix at 1:35 PM on February 9, 2011

I think Willow from "Buffy" is like this.
posted by mustard seeds at 1:36 PM on February 9, 2011

Jez from Peep Show.
posted by hot soup girl at 1:59 PM on February 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

Road Runner
posted by Arch_Stanton at 2:15 PM on February 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

Lorelai Gilmore of Gilmore Girls. Among other things, she runs away from home as a teenager to escape her parents, and goes on a road trip to avoid her own wedding.
posted by badmoonrising at 4:04 PM on February 9, 2011

Dr. Temperance Brennan on Bones? She wouldn't run away from a fight, but when it comes to anything involving strong emotions or love, she's outta there.
posted by katyggls at 4:55 PM on February 9, 2011

The Doctor from Doctor Who and Jack Harkness from Doctor Who/Torchwood.
posted by bettafish at 7:55 PM on February 9, 2011

Arrested Development's Michael Bluth

Buster Bluth also exhibited this...not so much as running away from the family but running away in terror of every challenge by throwing himself into some new obscure academic pursuit.
posted by mmascolino at 8:26 PM on February 9, 2011

Jesse Pinkman
posted by synchronia at 9:22 PM on February 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

The Rise and Fall of Reginald Perrin.
posted by HandfulOfDust at 5:35 AM on February 10, 2011

'Fall and Rise', dammit.
posted by HandfulOfDust at 5:36 AM on February 10, 2011 [1 favorite]

Ikari Shinji

Page quote says it all.
posted by fifthrider at 7:29 AM on February 10, 2011

Aang from Avatar the Last Airbender. It becomes a difficulty for him in mastering all the elements, because his air nature leads him to prefer to run away from or otherwise avoid situations rather than dealing with them directly. It's a trait that follows him throughout the entire series, though he does make some strides in overcoming it.
posted by ashirys at 9:50 AM on February 10, 2011

Thanks for all the ideas. Can't believe I overlooked Buffy Summers and (!) Don Draper. The rest I'm looking forward to digging into.
posted by kittyprecious at 7:33 AM on February 11, 2011