Robert Mckee recently spoke of the fact that even more so in the future than now the great cathedral of storytelling will be long form stream and that characters will need be infinitely more multi dimensional.
We are all familiar with need for diversity and multi dimensional, usually at least 3D lead character in feature perhaps more so in series . (Unless callow or very few traits character serves as change agent.) I've been thinking is it possible to have too many traits though albeit can be revealed slowly over years? There are other factors at play to intrigue reader for the long game such as plot/subplot, reveal, sting etc.
I was hooked on Walter White instantly, who is this crazy weird seed. And why is he driving like a maniac in underpants and gas mask in a crumby vehicle? The rest of the series was intriguing but for me it was characters doing something for some reason more than inner workings of the mind. Though I do agree some contradictions in character are necessary or they can become stale, predictable and boring.
Has anyone begun an "in media res" series where it turned out the lead character had very few traits but you carried on binging the whole series?
OR Has anyone started an "in media res" series and thought WOW great opening but the lead character had so many traits it became hard, confusing or frustrating to follow?
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A trait is a label. But people are a spectrum. A label is useful for conversations.
I have never thought in those terms. I would think a person is not logically consistent perhaps. Or they lack emotional depth. This may manifest as a passive character.
I looked at the circle. I think that is just slicing and dicing something in such fine detail it lacks utility.
Walter had to walk away from his dream. He gave up on that and did what he thought was the right thing. But he wasn’t going to settle on his science, the thing that could have made him great. So once he started being seen as great in something related to science. He was addict to the thought of getting what he always desired.
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I like it when a character's traits are gradually revealed in a feature or series, which I do in my scripts, Debbie Croysdale. If a writer reveals one or two traits at a time, the audience will enjoy seeing that character perform those traits. I think if too many traits are revealed at once, it could become hard, confusing, or frustrating to follow like you mentioned.