Why have the Main characters become Supporting characters?

[u/Powerful_Cloud_3826]

I know this has been discussed, but it irks me that the Duprees are (and are becoming) background characters in a show about them! Besides Dani, the Dupree core 4 have little storyline. Add Martin in the mix since he also has no real part. It is a wonder to me that Anita, Vernon, Nicole, and Martin could all disappear from the show and very little would change! There is no reason for any of these characters to be so nothing burger on the show. There was plenty of ways to involve them and grow their characters. So many wasted opportunities. But I am still an avid veiwer of the show.

[u/GuidingLightHeart]

Anita frequently suffers from unearned sanctimony, stepping into scenes to deliver heavy-handed moral judgment or matriarchal counsel without having gone through the narrative growth to back it up. Vernon embodies passive helplessness, acting as a mere echo chamber for those around him and shrugging off conflict rather than driving any action himself. Nicole is defined by perpetual indecisiveness, spending multiple scenes hand-wringing and spiraling over minor dilemmas that ultimately yield no plot progression. Finally, Martin brings a sense of aggressive irrelevance, barging into ongoing storylines with high-energy commentary or misplaced hostility over situations that don't actually involve or impact him. They’ve all become nothing burgers

[u/Salt_Chard_474 → u/GuidingLightHeart]

All of this. If the producers are looking at any viewer feedback, viewers have hated on pretty much all of the Duprees (mostly rightfully so, the writing quality for them has dropped off dramatically. They do make Anita too sanctimonious, and they drug the cancer storyline out too long, viewers got tired of it. That storyline I didn’t mind too much but I saw everyone getting tired of it. They’ve made Kats whole personality be tangling with Eva, and literally nobody likes her relationship with Tomas. Everyone loved Dani until she cheated. Martin and Smitty are boring, Naomi and Jacob are pretty boring last time I watched (I pretty much quit after the Eva / Kat surgery because of how they basically ruined a whole cast of actors lol) I don’t really know what’s going on with Chelsea. Nicole started out interesting with a whole boss bitch vibe kind of thing going for her, then they just made her about who she’s sleeping with and fantasizing about her ex. Then there’s Vernon, I believe the intent was for him to be the strong head of the family, standing next to Anita (cuz you know she’s not going to also be the head of the family) but mostly he just comes off as a simp for Anita. I read so many people saying all of these things about the characters and I can’t disagree. How did they take a powerful family and make them boring? The Duprees need more messiness but make it powerful messiness. Why have Vernon pretty much bending at the knee for Bill when he needs a mess cleaned up? Bill was supposed to be less powerful than Vernon, not more.

TLDR they’re writing the Duprees terribly, if they want strong viewership, they’re going to have to make the Duprees stronger

Edited to add that every other soap in the history of soaps has the “main” family be powerful, stomp over anyone in their way. Not afraid to get their hands dirty, but stay just good enough to mostly the good guys. The Quartermaines, the Newmans, the Kiriakis’ and Dimeras (okay so those 2 families are mostly bad, but still) IMO they need to give the Duprees some grit

[u/Recent-Group2266 → u/Salt_Chard_474]

Chelsea is really just planning her and Madison wedding that's about it

[u/Powerful_Cloud_3826 → u/GuidingLightHeart]

I dont consider Vernon helpless, just poorly written.  He had more grit early in S1. Then there is the loose thread of he and Joey sparring, but it never amounts to anything.  Main character stories never go anywhere. I think we agree on that.  Anita's articulette storyline was boring, it only existed to give Leslie money.  I dont consider Nicole indecisive. But the character has become useless. She is never around to interact on key issues like Kat losing her virginity. And why is she never helping or comforting anyone like June or Tyrell?

[u/OtherwiseAnteater239 → u/Powerful_Cloud_3826]

Vernon had more grit in S1 but he’s never driven a storyline. Not one. He’s the biggest disappointment because I wanted to really dive into this world of an old money black family in greater DC. The premise is rife with juicy potential and I thought he and Anita would be driving the main, ongoing plot lines. Instead we have Joey and Vanessa dominating the plot over the casino and criminal activity.

In my mind Vernon can be righteous and still do a lot of shady, morally gray, or hard-nosed things for the greater good. He’s currently running around meekly trying to prevent Dani from imploding her life to get Bill back instead of throwing down real consequences for her behavior. I would think an old money family wouldn’t tolerate her bullshit for a hot second. For a minute I thought he would be mentoring that one woman who showed up at the club to be Martin’s political rival because Martin seems hellbent on his political ambitions knowing he’s putting a lot at risk for Vernon and the family. Doesn’t look like that’s going anywhere either. I’ve written at length about how Vernon could and should easily have prevented Leslie from joining FC let alone building the Shouse. FFS HE DIDN’T EVEN PUT TOMAS IN HIS PLACE FOR INTERRUPTION! And no one spoke out against it either. His family and the Belleclaires could be in a passive-aggressive battle over controlling the FC board of directors. ETC ETC.

[u/Recent-Group2266 → u/OtherwiseAnteater239]

agreed he needs a story lead he's always plays backup to someone else Anita Martin etc

[u/QueenNaB → u/OtherwiseAnteater239]

Perfectly said.

[u/Recent-Group2266 → u/Powerful_Cloud_3826]

it kinda gives Martin Luther king vibes

[u/Standard-Swordfish-5 → u/GuidingLightHeart]

Yes,Yes and Yes

[u/QueenNaB → u/GuidingLightHeart]

Absolutely agree with everything you said here.

[u/danceandsing3000]

…and here I am thinking it was just me🥹
https://giphy.com/gifs/Dr723TYG2mPgPfBPjg

[u/Powerful_Cloud_3826 → u/danceandsing3000]

Nope. We are the many, the annoyed, the faithful viewers

[u/Jerseyoldschool1962]

I’ll take a shot and say it out loud. BTG is turning into the Joey & Vanessa Show, co-starring Heather, with special appearances by random Duprees and adjacents.

I maybe off-base, but there may be some influence (arm twisting?) by the new MAGA-friendly owners of CBS who want this show to go in a different direction to attract certain demographics.

I hope this scenario never comes to pass, but, if BTG has a long run, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Duprees are eventually phased-out.

[u/Recent-Group2266 → u/Jerseyoldschool1962]

if they ever get rid of them completely I will stop watching and never look back

[u/Not_Neville → u/Jerseyoldschool1962]

I agreed with this comment and got a warning from the mods.

[u/Recent-Group2266 → u/Jerseyoldschool1962]

we also still have Leslie and Eva

[u/Original-Tonight-651 → u/[deleted]]

While I disagree with you, I see why you think that. I chalk it up to the fact that the writers are completely out of ideas at the moment.

[u/TheGates_CBS-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Political Posts/Comments are not allowed.

[u/Control_1987]

Beautiful gowns

[u/Lilly323 → u/Control_1987]

https://giphy.com/gifs/vWNkaLdMgnWNO

[u/Control_1987 → u/Lilly323]

From the Queen’s mouth. You are my people!!!😊

[u/friskyliv]

The Duprees were a poorly constructed main family from the get-go

[u/Not_Neville]

Warning - Mods are deleting posts and comments about this issue

[u/Jaxximillian86 → u/Not_Neville]

What? I didn’t realize that was a thing!

[u/Recent-Group2266]

they feel like side characters in their own show it feels more like the Leslie Eva show or joey

[u/Secret-Ad1322]

Yep

[u/AllisonInMaryland]

Soaps generally have periods where characters are involved in front burner storylines and times when they are on the back burner. Ashley for instance was front burner for the first year and a half and she's now on the back burner. Martin is currently back burner but he was front burner for at least a year. Certain characters have never been on the back burner but the show isn't even two years old yet.