What shows have you seen with really good character development?

[Storyteller.]

One of my favourite things when watching TV is to see the characters develop over the course of the show, but it seems like a lot of shows these days are willing to sacrifice that kind of character development for the sake of the plot (especially if that plot relies on convoluted storylines or numerous plot twists). So, what are some shows you've seen (or even just heard about) where the characters are the focus and are allowed to change and grow throughout the series? Feel free to explain how the characters change/what you like about them if you're so inclined!

[MsNobleEleanor]

I have a few! I love this stuff.

I have been watching Heartland (CBC) since day one and it develops with the characters. It even shows actual struggles people face, not all of it. The relationships, marriage, grief, even parenting, running a business, single parenting, divorce, even widow...

Another one is Dawson's Creek. This one grows a little slow but it's sweet as they go through school and into College. I actually enjoy it.

Gilmore Girls showed from the beginning of high school and it was amazing. I enjoyed it and then they did, Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life, man that was so amazing as it progressed. I loved it!

Awesome question!

[Dawn.]

I guess it's Coronation Street for me.

[Celyn]

I love character development. I feel I'm more interested in character development and the relationships between characters than I am the plot sometimes!

My favourite is probably Once Upon a Time, specifically Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold and Regina/Evil Queen. I feel that out of all the characters on the show, they are the ones that we really get to know. Their characters are in almost every episode, but over the course of the show we learn so much about them; I feel they are the characters with the richest backstories. And it's so heart-warming to see the development as at the end of the show they are nothing like how they were at the beginning.

I feel this way about Peter Parker/Spiderman (Tom Holland), especially his character in the Avengers films, and how he was the enthusiastic but bored friendly neighborhood spiderman but had to overcome challenges to be a hero, including realising that being a hero isn't easy and that it's not always the action packed saving the day kind of stuff. In a way, Iron Man/Tony Stark as well as he kind of became a father figure to Peter, even though he himself didn't have a great relationship with his own father.

I also love the Doctor Who series, though that's more about the relationships between the doctor and his companions and they can't really be compared since each companion is different and the Doctor also regenerates. But I really enjoyed the Doctor and River Song (Doctor's wife) storyline as that spans several versions of the Doctor but their timelines only intertwine at certain points so sometimes one is a stranger to the other and yet the other has all the knowledge of what they are going to do and be like in the future. It's really good watching it back and being able to notice that. I particularly love the husbands of river song episode <3

For those in the UK, the soap EastEnders as well. There are characters on there who have struggled a lot (storylines of domestic abuse, substance abuse etc) and it's so satisfying when things go well for them or you find yourself desperately wishing that things work out for them. Also, the hospital series Holby City...the CEO of the hospital, Henrik Hanssen, is often quite a serious and distant person, but it's been really enjoyable watching him letting his guard go down when he had to baby sit his grandson or when getting close to a colleague. Or being vulnerable when opening up about his past abuse as a child to help someone else having gone through the same thing. Also, briefly, the relationship between Merlin and Arthur, in the show Merlin and how close they became even though for most of the show, Arthur often didn't treat Merlin very well as he saw him as just a servant but they became more like brothers <3

[NeuroBeautiful]

The Good Place. All the main characters grow so much!

I would say Gilmore Girls had fairly decent character development — particularly in regards to Paris, Lane, Luke, and Jess. As for the main two stars, Lorelai and Rory, I would say their character development was written poorly. I think the writers (at least in season 4-6) thought they were writing mother and daughter a certain way, to show how they grow and explore new possibilities and relationships... but that was just not the case at all. I think Jess Mariano is the MVP of character development in "A Year in the Life" movie; while Rory Gilmore was on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Another show that had mediocre character development was FRIENDS, particularly Chandler Bing. His persona in season one was very different from that in season ten. Some fans say it might've been because of his relationship with Monica Geller; but I like to believe he was able to do it mostly on his own. The poorest character development on that show would probably have to be Joey or Phoebe, depending on how "character development" is defined.

As for shows I didn't see from beginning to end, I say Danny Messer had significant development for a good part of CSI New York. He was an immature player in the beginning of the series who took dangerous/careless risks with his job; but by the end (when I stopped watching), he was a family man with a loving wife, daughter, and steady career.

I'm really blanking right now so I might come back to this or edit this someday. (Or just create a fresh blog entry. )