Not being chased, just making a break for it.
February 9, 2011 11:08 AM Subscribe
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).
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]
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
[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
Dexter.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:25 AM on February 9, 2011
posted by roomthreeseventeen 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]
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
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]
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]
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
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
posted by thinkpiece at 12:02 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
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
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 12:59 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]
posted by d. z. wang at 1:32 PM on February 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
I think Willow from "Buffy" is like this.
posted by mustard seeds at 1:36 PM on February 9, 2011
posted by mustard seeds at 1:36 PM on February 9, 2011
Road Runner
posted by Arch_Stanton at 2:15 PM on February 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
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
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
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
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
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
'Fall and Rise', dammit.
posted by HandfulOfDust at 5:36 AM on February 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by HandfulOfDust at 5:36 AM on February 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
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
posted by ashirys at 9:50 AM on February 10, 2011
Response by poster: 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
posted by kittyprecious at 7:33 AM on February 11, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by notjustfoxybrown at 11:10 AM on February 9, 2011