Romance has been a central part of television programmes for over eighty years, whether its part of a tragic love story where our heroes are destined for doom, or a quirky romcom where a coffee shop meet-cute is the order of the day.
Friendships have also played a key role in these stories but rarely have they been the focus of the story. Think of all the best friend characters you find in the romance genre; how many times are these friendships thoroughly explored? Or is the character’s main purpose to spur on their friend with an acerbic one-liner before downing a glass of wine and disappearing until the emotional finale? There’s nothing inherently wrong with these stories (I’ve made it very clear that I love a rom-com in all its forms) but I’ve recently noticed that romance is becoming secondary to friendship on the small screen and I think it’s brilliant. Programmes such as Derry Girls, We Are Lady Parts, Big Boys and Everything I Know About Love have placed the story focus firmly on the platonic relationships of its main characters. Yes, there are plenty of love stories that play out, too, but the storylines with the biggest emotional arcs are undoubtedly the friendships. We, rightly, assume that romantic storylines will have an engaging emotional journey from the initial meet, to the will-they-won’t-they, to an inevitable betrayal and, finally, the reunion at the end. These relationships obviously provide plenty of opportunities for drama and comedy alike but if you think of your own friendships, couldn’t you argue the same for those? Platonic relationships can be just as messy, emotional and rewarding as romantic ones. In real life, our friendships usually last longer than the majority of our romantic relationships so it’s been surprising to realise that they haven’t had the same exploration as romantic love. The programmes leading the way in these storylines don’t shy away from the complicated emotions that can come from friendships. For example, Maggie and Birdy from Everything I Know About Love have been friends since childhood and as they navigate adulthood the strong bond they formed many years ago is tested. Throughout their story, as they argue and disagree, you can’t help but root for them as you would a romantic couple because you can see that the love they have for each other is so intrinsic to the people they are. Arguably, Friends and Sex and the City led the charge in this genre and both shows had a huge impact on how their viewers interacted with one another in real life. However, I don’t think we’ve had a show since then that has placed such emphasis on friendship and reached an iconic status. I don’t think we’re there yet, either, but it’s probably inevitable with the growth of such programmes. As viewers demand more stories covering a range of experiences, it makes sense that this element of our lives is finally being explored without the lense of romance. Our friendships can be some of the most powerful relationships we will ever experience in our lifetime; teaching us things about ourselves that we may not realise unless we interacted with certain people. The arts are meant to help us explore and appreciate the multitude of elements that make up our lives and I’m glad that this area of our shared human experience is finally taking the spotlight.
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