Flanderization

Flanderization is the process through which a complex fictional character's essential traits are oversimplified to the point where they constitute their entire personality, or at least exaggerated while other traits remain, over the course of a serial work. The term Flanderization was coined by TV Tropes[1] in reference to Ned Flanders of The Simpsons, who was caricatured over the show's run from a friendly and good-hearted neighbor (among other characteristics, while maintaining his Christian faith) into a dogmatic, evangelical "bible-thumper".[2] Flanderization has been analyzed as an aspect of serial works, especially television comedies, that demonstrates a work's gradual decline.

A visual demonstration of flanderization; over time, certain features of the character are exaggerated while details are lost, to the point that the character becomes merely a caricature of their initial self.

Definition and etymology

Flanderization is the process through which a single element of a character's personality, often an originally mild element, is inflated in importance over the course of a work until it becomes the character's primary defining trait.[3] The term was coined by TV Tropes,[1] a wiki focused on popular culture, in reference to the character of Ned Flanders.[2] Flanders himself is a complex example of flanderization, having undergone the process in the middle seasons of the show before once again returning to a similar portrayal to his original one.[4] Originating as "perhaps the only genuinely well-meaning, good-natured person in Springfield", Flanders was originally intended to be an ideal ("annoyingly perfect"[5]) neighbor who served as a contrast and foil for Homer Simpson. As a devoutly religious and church-going man, his faith was intended to serve as a contrast to Homer's lack of religious sophistication. However, over the course of the show's run, Flanders was simplified into a religious fundamentalist whose Christianity was his primary defining characteristic.[6]

While flanderization is primarily discussed in the context of fictional characters, it has also been applied to real people and historical events.[7]

Examples

Flanderization is a widespread phenomenon in serialized fiction. In its originating show of The Simpsons, it has been discussed both in the context of Ned Flanders and as relating to other characters; Lisa Simpson has been discussed as a classic example of the phenomenon, having been even more flanderized than Flanders himself.[8] The specific case of Ned Flanders has been discussed as a symptom of the general decline of The Simpsons, once one of the most popular sitcoms in television history and once known for how dynamic its characters were.[9]

"It's ironic that the act of reducing a character to a single trait is called 'Flanderization', when Lisa Simpson is the most Flanderized character in TV history."

Amelia Tait, Vice News[8]

Other works have also been criticized for Flanderization. Several characters in the American version of The Office, such as Kevin Malone, have been referred to by the term.[10] Family Guy has also been highlighted as a prominent example, particularly with the characters of Brian and Peter Griffin.[11] Other television shows criticized for flanderization include SpongeBob SquarePants,[12] Silicon Valley,[13] and Dragon Ball Super.[14]

Though the primary reference for Flanderization is in television, other fictional media can also have characters exhibit Flanderization. Many film characters have been described as being Flanderized in a sequel or franchise compared to their original portrayal.[15] Flanderization in cinema is particularly prevalent in horror films, especially slasher films.[16] Flanderization has also been described as a pitfall for tabletop role-playing games, where complex characters are often played for long periods of time by amateur writers. The practice of building roleplay characters around single quirks has been mentioned as a frequent cause of Flanderization.[2] As well as player characters, non-player characters in role-playing games are frequently flanderized, due to the need for a single game master to play multiple characters.[17]

Flanderization has also been discussed in the context of real-world phenomena, such as subcultures that are Flanderized by the mainstream culture into simpler and more accessible forms; one example of this is the beatnik stereotype of the Beat Generation.[7] Another example of real-world Flanderization is the tendency for musicians, especially those associated with social media such as TikTok and SoundCloud, to simplify their musical personas after finding some commercial success. Musicians accused of Flanderization include Lil Pump, Lil Yachty, and Flo Milli.[18]

Interpretation

Flanderization has been described as symptomatic of a decline in writing quality and the mass success of a product under the capitalism structure.[3] It has been used as an argument against making sequels for a work[19] and described as "a lesson for other shows" whose characters have not gone through the process.[3] Some works have consciously attempted to avoid flanderization, such as Rick and Morty.[20]

The specific case of Ned Flanders attracts special attention. Debate exists over whether Flanders is a consistently Flandered character or whether he later returned to a more complex, dynamic portrayal.[4][6] The appropriateness of the term "Flanderization" has also been disputed, as many characters in The Simpsons have undergone the caricaturing process, and Flanders himself may not be the most extreme case.[8][9] Flanders' shifting portrayal has also been controversial as representative of a shift in media portrayals of religious people. As both the primary representative of Christianity on The Simpsons and as one of the most significant Christian fictional characters in the world,[21] the simplification of Ned Flanders as a character has been the subject of criticism, study, and reinterpretation.[22]

See also

References
  1. Delos Trinos, Angelo (August 24, 2019). "The Simpsons: 10 Storylines That Have Aged Poorly". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  2. Christensen, Aron; Lindquist, Erica (19 November 2020). "Flanderizing Characters". Loaded Dice 2. Folsom: Loose Leaf Stories. ISBN 9781643190624.
  3. Zachary, Brandon (30 March 2020). "Flanderization: How Ned Flanders Became Synonymous With Bad Writing". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 31 March 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  4. Eames, Tom (18 June 2018). "7 classic TV characters who totally changed from their first appearance". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  5. Emily Lackey, "11 Annoying ‘90s Sitcom Neighbors, Ranked Archived 2021-05-19 at the Wayback Machine", Bustle, Dec. 21, 2015; accessed 2021.03.19.
  6. Tyler, Adrienne (31 December 2019). "How The Simpsons Ruined Ned Flanders". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on 1 January 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  7. Iglesias Rivas, Sara (2014). Allen Ginsberg's "Howl": a literary and cultural analysis (BA). University of Santiago de Compostela. p. 10.
  8. Tait, Amelia (5 June 2020). "Definitive Proof That the Simpson Children Have Aged". Vice. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  9. Henegan, Jacob (29 March 2017). "Why The Simpsons couldn't survive the new millennium". Homi Soit. Archived from the original on 18 February 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  10. Barker, Stephen (8 October 2020). "The Office: 5 Characters That Became Parodies Of Themselves (& 5 That Had Great Character Development)". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  11. Sharp, Nathan (28 August 2020). "Family Guy: 10 Major Ways The Show Has Changed Throughout The Seasons". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 5 March 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  12. Neilan, Dan (17 January 2018). "Let's trace the rise, fall, and much later rebirth of Spongebob Squarepants". The AV Club. Archived from the original on 23 May 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  13. Loofbourow, Lili (9 April 2018). "Silicon Valley is better without T.J. Miller". The Week. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  14. Maverick, Myck (3 February 2021). "Dragon Ball: 10 Ways Goku Is Different Between GT & Super". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  15. Tibbetts, John (18 July 2019). "10 Movie Characters Who Became Total Caricatures In Sequels". WhatCulture. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  16. Young, E (19 March 2019). "Leprechaun Returns is a true return to form". Global Comment. Archived from the original on 20 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  17. Christensen, Aron; Lindquist, Erica (19 November 2020). "De-Flanderizing an NPC". Loaded Dice 2. Folsom: Loose Leaf Stories. ISBN 9781643190624.
  18. Gölz, Yannik. "Die Hoffnungsträgerin der Hoe-Anthems in der Findungsphase". laut.de (in German). Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  19. Supovitz, Ethan (9 April 2020). "Psycho-Pass: 5 Reasons Why We Need More Sequels (& 5 Why We Don't)". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  20. Weiss, Josh (23 October 2020). "Dan Harmon says new Rick and Morty seasons actually 'more on schedule' thanks to pandemic". Syfy Wire. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  21. Pinsky, Mark I. (5 February 2001). "Blessed Ned of Springfield". Christianity Today. Archived from the original on 18 November 2007. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  22. Stefánsson, Stefán Birgir (2013). The Id, the Ego and the Superego of The Simpsons (BA). University of Iceland.
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