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I keep forgetting what GOAT means when I see it on the forums, but I like this sub better: Gregmara.
[adrotate group="5"]Putting this here, although it’s not specific for OUaT, but something a fandom should know about. There is occasionally a bit of confusion it seems, who to call regular, main cast, major character, recurring character, minor character, what means what, so bit of general info to make it hopefully clearer. Let’s find some common ground…
Character status and actor status are connected but are not one and the same.
Characters
main character/ major character: the central character of the overall narrative, the stories revolve around them, protagonist and antagonist as classical model. In TV series there is often more than one main character, so you have an ensemble cast, often called main cast (main cast is also understood as all the regulars on the show, although it might be not quite the same, see below)
supporting character / secondary character / minor character: a character that is not the focus of primary storylines, they serve the story of the major characters. They can have their own backstory, but mostly in relation to main characters; eventually, particular if they become popular, they become main characters
regular character: appearing in every episode or most episodes
recurring character: a character who appears from time to time on a show, effecting the storyline on a regular basis
guest character: a character usually showing in one or a few episodes, being important (only) for a story line of the episode
one shot character: appearing for just one episode, can be a guest characters or a minor character
bit character (> Under-Five): a character having very little dialogue (less than 5 lines) in an episode (different from minor character, who can have more lines)
Red-shirts: often one shot guys or characters who had been recurring extras at best before, who get killed mostly in the first act of the show, to undermine, that there is deadly risk. In other words: their only narrative function is to get killed, at best the audience does care a little for them before they die. Term comes form Star Trek The Originals, where such characters often wore red shirts. No sometimes used as well for guest characters or recurring characters who seemed to have been brought in only to be killed off to create drama for one of the main characters (like Graham)
recurring extra:people in the background, who keep showing up; sometimes becoming very popular, a running joke, like Morn on Star Trek Deep Space Nine. typically non-speaking but might also be an Under-Five
breakout character: a minor, recurring character who becomes a popular character and eventually permanent and main cast. A very good example for such a development is the character Spike on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, also Jonathan, who was first a recurring extra before advancing to minor and then recurring
You can say there are major supporting characters, characters more important than others to the storylines but still not main characters. Dr. Whale fore example is not a main character, but still attracted some popularity and had an episode telling his background story – a supporting character but not a minor one, more of a major minor. And as much as love Red and Meghan Ory, I would count Red this season only as a major supportive character (at best) . Bill the mouse was a typical guest minor character. As you can see, the categories focus on different ways to see a character, and can be sometimes combined for better distinction.
(Distinction between main, major and supporting, minor character is a bit less clearer for TV than for movie because the importance of character can differ between episodes and over the season)
Actor status
regular / contracted role: appears usually on regular basis on the show, and be it just for a few minutes, has to be available (in other words, in this case they don’t pay the actor just for acting but as well for being available), usually credited in the opening credits even if they not appear on the specific episode. Contract sometimes give a guarantee of episodes an actor is in (like 10 out of 12). Most of the time the regulars are the main cast of a show,but that is no necessity. Mostly they are main character, but in bigger ensemble shows it is possible that some regulars don’t get much screen time and appear more as supporting characters
recurring role: appears only if needed (and his usually booked like a guest role, each episode individually, although of course it is possible to book a number of episodes at once to make sure to have the person for the story arc). Recurring roles are credited like guest stars (And before you think, it is always desirable to become a regular on a show, there might be reasons why staying a recurring guest star can makes sense for the actor, they don’t have to be available, they intend to work for other projects as well)
guest star: usually one shot characters, one maybe a few episodes
special guest star: appearance of a popular actor, celebrity
cameo role: brief appearance of a known person typically unnamed or as themselves. Hitchcock for example had cameos in his movies, so did Peter Jackson; not to be mistaken with breakout roles > first noticeable role of an actor
Under-five: role with little dialogue, uner five lines in an episode
extra / background actor: usually all the people not talking
Who appears exactly where in the credits, opening or closing credits, at which position is a science in itself and “fun” for agents to negotiate. There are rules but of course there is room for subtleties, like who gets top billing, named first, who gets extra billing as last in the list of actors. often see as “actor name* starring as *character name*”. Also known as billing.
The importance of a character for the narrative of an episode or the show is something open for discussion at times, it can be a matter of view and interpretation. Status of character and contract status of actor don’t always get fully along, despite what one might think. So someone billed as regular might be of not that much importance for the story arc as a recurring role – in OUaT as good examples Red and Hook. Meghan Ory has been listed for all of the season as regular, although her character often only had little scenes and dialogue and was not crucial for the main story arcs this season, while Colin O’Donoghue was first credited “only” as (recurring) guest star, for the last episodes of the season as regular, but quite sure his character was important for the narrative most of the season.
¯\_(?????? ?)_/¯
@myril wrote:
Fandoms always develop over time their own slang, fanspeak and have a special liking for using acronyms and other forms of blending. It’s not just because of being too lazy to type full words, to reduce the stress on finger muscles and avoid typewriter’s cramp’s, but it helps as well a lot to define as fan. So far so good. But as much as fanspeak creates a warm and fuzzy feeling of being part of a wonderful family, it has as much effects of exclusivity. People new to a fandom might feel intimidated and have a hard time to join discussions, not knowing at times what the established long-time fans are talking about – and not everybody is so confident to ask.
It would be really nice if we would avoid the use of acronyms, but it looks like that is a bit futile to ask, so I have another suggestion:
Let’s make a glossary for the forum. :ugeek:
Gather and explain acronyms we use, other blendings like for example the shipping names and other terms specific to Once Upon a Time fandom.
(maybe there is a way to later put it somewhere easy to find, pin the topic, a glossary site on it’s own)
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.THANK YOU… this is so long over due…. I often see acronyms I can not figure out what they mean.
NONNIE
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.With Once Upon a Time officially renewed for a third season and its Wonderland spinoff picked up, I created separate sections for these discussions.
Season Three discussion—When your post is episode-specific, it should go in an episode-specific section (it may be moved by a moderator). When you want to share spoilers, it should go in the general spoilers unless you know the specific episode.
Wonderland—All conversations focused on the Once Upon a Time in Wonderland spinoff should go here, under appropriate sections just as with Season Three.
You’re welcome 😀
H.O or THO the Home Office – term used in the show for an organisation that seems to have a big deal against magic and allegedly tries to drive it out of our world (and maybe other worlds?), Greg and Tamara are working for it
the t-word – used to avoid using the word timeline because a growing number of forum members are having a crazy fit when reading it, and then are in serious need of some cookies, chocolate, hot chocolate with cinnamon, or alternatively in summer ice cream.
¯\_(?????? ?)_/¯
A few more that have been popping up lately:
RH = Robin Hood
FGM = Fairy Godmother
Nealfire Pan = the belief that Neal/Bae is also Peter Pan or at least “The Pan”the t-word – used to avoid using the word timeline because a growing number of forum members are having a crazy fit when reading it, and then are in serious need of some cookies, chocolate, hot chocolate with cinnamon, or alternatively in summer ice cream.
THIS. Just….this.
"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"
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