Hey It's Franklin
If you've never watched Noggin's 'Franklin' - about a young turtle named, oddly enough, Franklin - then you probably ought to skip this one and wait for something a tad more universal. But for those of you who know the show...you know, anyone with children, grandchildren, godchildren, nieces, nephews, etc. and a TV...I have a question. [No, I have plenty to do, why do you ask?] Franklin's friends are Bear, Snail, Fox, Skunk, JackRabitt (just 'Jack', thank you), Otter, Goose, etc. His parents are Mr. and Mrs. Turtle. So why are Franklin (and later, his sister Harriet) the only ones in the entire series with names? It's not like we don't know he's the star of the show already. I just don't get it.
[I do, too, have a life. Whatever might you be suggesting!]
posted by The Warbler | 11/05/2006 09:13:00 AM
6 Comments:
The writers are using these human names to create a more personal bond between the viewer and "Franklin and Harriet". This will set them apart enough from their animal amigo/amigas and humanize them so the viewer begins to care about these characters. The other characters are really only "props" to create social bonds/action/ derring-do for "Franklin and Harriet" to respond to.
There's a really long name for this TV writing intention and phenomenon, but it is something the show aims for. The writers must create characters that the audience will idenity with and care about. The names help with that. Uh.. just remembered what this might be called:
virtual para-social relationships.
I guess it's why Sponge-Bob Square Pants has got Bob somewhere in his catchy monkier.
they give em names cause it just makes it harder to eat them. Turtle soup is a delicacy.
Can this phenonemon work the other way also? I would prefer less personal bonds and just be known, for now, as 'overweight wench'.
Girlfriend.
I hear ya.
Be forewarned.
In some places "overweight wench" translates into "tender and tasty.
Whoa, did somebody ring the dinner bell? Overweight beves of collosal size roasting slowly on the spit? Arrggh!
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