How Age Has Changed My Perspective on Controversial Characters

As a 16-year-old, I know I’m far from grown. And yet, every day, my thoughts, emotions, and opinions feel so different from the day before. A huge part of this is the characters in the TV shows I loveand love to rewatch. When I was younger, my opinions about characters and TV shows and movies were pretty black-and-white. There were the heroes and beautiful princesses I admired, and the villains that I unquestionably hated. But as the movies and shows I watch got more mature, so did my opinions. As I've gotten older, I've realized that age really changes the way you perceive characters now. I found myself relating to and appreciating characters that I used to dislike, and seeing endless flaws and characters I once admired. 

 For example, Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City. When I first watched the show, I just thought Carrie was shallow and self-absorbed. Miranda was smart and witty, Samantha was confident and loyal, and Charlotte was always kind. Carrie, on the other hand, would only talk about herself, Big, and her impressive collection of Manolo Blahniks. Rewatching the show, especially as I've gotten older, has made me view Carrie in a whole different light. I admire her creativity and willingness to take risks in her career. Her life is actually relatable, which a lot of people don't realize. As a teenager, I know my fair share of obsession, and I've seen it consistently through Carrie. While I don't condone her session, I can definitely understand it and cut Carrie some slack in any future rewatches. In addition, I found myself loving Ross Geller from Friends. Anyone who's seen friends has probably ranked the six main characters in their heads. Ross was always at the bottom of mine. He was always whiny, a little annoying, and put a damper on the other characters' funny ideas. As I've grown older, I view him very differently. Ross's intense emotions, awkwardness, and passion for the things he loves resonate with me on a deeper level. There's a stigma in the media that's not often talked about: we punish people for caring too much. Why should it matter? Ross loves his work, he loves Rachel, and he loves how smart he is. Carrie and Ross are two painfully relatable characters just trying to figure out their lives.

 On the other hand are characters I used to look up to and now can't stand. Two strong examples of this are Serena Vander would send from Gossip Girl and Marissa Cooper from the oc. When I was younger, I thought Serena was flawless: effortlessly pretty, popular, and always somehow glowing. Marissa seemed glamorous, tragic, and endlessly intriguing. The mix of attention that was always on them, with the mystery that surrounded them, drew me in. Now, I noticed how selfish and inconsistent they are. Serena, on top of always being late, often makes choices without thinking about the consequences for the people around her. Additionally, I've noticed that many of the plot lines in the OC revolve around unnecessary drama and self-destructiveness stemming from Marissa. The traits I once found enviable now feel frustrating; I see how much their actions harm both themselves and the people around them, making them not just self-centered but a cautionary Tale.