"In television series we identify with characters that in real life we would find detestable". This was the opinion of Alberto N. García, professor of the School of Communication and partner of project 'Emotional culture and identity' of the Institute for Culture and Society (ICS), at the framework of the seminar 'The Lucifer Effect. Antiheroism and television narrative'.

"We keep a perverse loyalty towards the antihero -he explained- because in the story we mix the despicable characteristics of the character (for example, that he is a criminal) with other television or cinematographic elements that make us take his side: the music, the voice-over, the close-ups... And, especially, because they are in situations in which we want him to win".

Among the strategies to reinforce this identification, Professor García emphasized that in the series there is a sustained relationship with the television character over an extended period of time. "This results core topic because we establish a relationship of familiarity with him through the seasons. In that time we can notice many more nuances than in a movie. We are attracted to the complexity," he added. 

Sustained relationship with the character over time.

In his opinion, this alignment with the main character is reinforced because "in the time we spend with him throughout the chapters, we see him in different spheres and we end up appreciating his positive characteristics. Even if we don't approve of everything he does, we empathize with him."

Together with this, he indicated that other factors that favor identification are the presentation of the character as a victim of his circumstances, of destiny, of other people...; and the comparison with other characters of worse moral caliber.

"The villain may have a certain charisma, but his actions are morally wrong and he is always relegated to antagonism. In contrast, the antihero gets dramatic vitamin from his moral contradiction," he said.

This seminar organized by the ICS is related to the forthcoming publication of the book Emotions and TV Series (Palgrave Macmillan), which collects in an expanded form the papers of the international congress 'Identity and Emotions in Contemporary TV Series', organized in 2013 by the project 'Emotional culture and identity' of the ICS with the support of. Zurich Insurance.

Read Alberto N. García's blog 'Diamantes en serie'.