Monster Characters?

Do monster characters have to have a 'saving grace'? I mean, did Basil Fawlty, Alan Partridge or Blackadder have any saving grace? I suppose Blackadder did at tiems display a sort of charm, but that was usually painted on to get what he wanted.

An idea I have for a sitcom does have a monster character in it, although he is not the main character. His two employees are the main characters and they themselves have some 'monster' qualities, but not to the degree of their boss. I was thinking that perhaps, the boss could have some sort of breakdown at some point and this would be the only thing that marked him out as having emotions.

Anyway, if thats not too confusing then I'd be glad to hear peoples opinions.

None at all. The audience will invent redeeming features if they want to.

Blackadder was sexy, Basil was funny, and you felt sorry for Alan.

The horse freak is right, we invent them.

Someone's been reading "How to become a sitcom writer."

I don't think you have to make a monster character literally a horrible person.

It's more about them being over-bearing towards the other characters.

In the book he describes Del Boy as a monster character, he's not a bad person, but he dominates the scene and everyone else in it.

I think they have to have a justification like 'i was bullied as a child,' 'i never found true love' etc. A good example is David Brent who became the hero of The Office, even though it was meant to be the bloke who dated Dawn, because the audience empathised with him. Anyway if people are like me they like the villians much more than the heroes/heroins.

Welcome to the forum btw Winterlight.

I guess that the character I have in my mind will probably receive some sympathy due to his deluded nature! I just get the feeling that the audience might think 'what a complete tosser'.....

Thanks for the advice.

All characters should have empathy. Even Fawlty, I think the audience feels, has suffered too much. He's overbearing and dominant but this is tempered because he in turn is bullied and this softens our reactions and feelings towards him. In a way, he is the underdog and we all love the underdog, even when he's a tw@t.

All the characters you mention do have a vulnerability and there are times when you sympathise.

In Fawlty Towers I would haver thought Sybil fitted the bill better.

Yes, would agree but even Sybil has weakness and is capable of being hurt by Basil. For example when she cries over Basil's coldness in the Birthday Surprise episode. If each character is capable of weakness to the others then you can have monsters but flawed. It's the flaws that appeal to people and create empathy.