On the balance of drama and shipping in a narrative

[cypsiman2]

This is something that will obviously vary from person to person, but for me the level of drama a ship can have and still be enjoyable is inversely proportionate to how much drama is going on on the outside plot. That is to say, if the show is having a lot of very big important drama about big important external things, then I don't need a ton of drama within the character dynamics going on. When the fate of the world is hanging in the balance and its up to our heroes to, I don't know, keep the human race from being enslaved by brain eating aliens, I don't need a lot of bickering between Peter and Paul over who gets to date Betty.

You feel me?

Comments

[sarajayechan]

To me, the best stories are an even mix of interpersonal dynamics and the external conflict. The Avatar episode "The Chase" is a good example, Toph has to learn to get along with the Gaang but they're being chased by the Dangerous Ladies and that's the crux of the episode's conflict. But Asami's romantic jealousy over Mako worrying about Korra in "Out of the Past" is basically going "we know Korra's learning some very important things about the bad guys via Aang's memories, but we have a love triangle we want to draw out."

[cypsiman2]

That is a very good point of comparison. Internal and external conflict need to work together so that it doesn't feel like one is drowning out the other.