When the Plot Doesn’t Matter

What? Is that ever true? Yes, actually. There are times when the plot doesn’t matter because it isn’t the main reason for reading or watching.

Shows & Books Where the Plot Isn’t Important

Ok, yes, they all have plots; however, the plots are very predictable, very simple, or “a series of unfortunate events.” In fact in some of these examples, the plot is almost exactly the same in every episode or book. Or at least so close the differences don’t really matter.

So what is the draw of those stories? Why do people keep reading or watching? There are 2 common possibilities: worldbuilding & relationships.

Worldbuilding Is the Main Draw

Some writers create such detail-rich, interesting worlds and characters that the worldbuilding alone is enough to grab us.

Here Comes the Grump

The cartoon that started me thinking about this entire topic is an old series called Here Comes the Grump. It’s a fairly short-lived series that I enjoyed as a child and that I watched again recently as an adult.

Here’s the interesting thing from a literary standpoint: the plot of every episode is essentially the same (Spoiler alert, but does it really count as a spoiler if they’re all the same?).

1. The narrator introduces the main characters (Princess Dawn, Terry, and the pet, Bip) and the fact that they are running from The Grump while searching for a magical key.
2. The Grump tries to capture the main trio.
3. They are forced to land or otherwise change their mode of travel due to damage taken from Grump’s attack.
4. They encounter a new and unusual land and the people who live there while dodging and battling Grump.
5. They escape and fly off into the sky laughing at some bad joke (why did so many old cartoons end with inane laughter?)

That’s it. That’s the plot of every episode – including the first one.

Yes, that’s right. The exposition and inciting incident don’t even happen on-screen. The closest we as viewers get to those literary sections is the narrator’s intro and the moments when the characters explain their purpose to strangers.

So what is there to watch? Why bother?

The only reason is really #4 in the plot – the new and unusual lands and people. Places like Shoecago where everyone is a shoe, the land of the Bloonywoonies where everyone is a balloon, and the lemonade sea where the people are corks. None of the lands have anything in common beyond the fact that each one has a clear theme, and the people, animals, houses, and behavior are determined by that theme.

As a kid (even as an adult), these different lands and peoples are loads of fun. They’re the main draw of the show – to see what new creatures and characters will be encountered next.

Alices Adventures in Wonderland

Following that line of thought, I realized that the appeal of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is very similar. Plotwise, it follows the series of startling events strategy. While none of the individual adventures really seem to be related to the others, they all contain wild characters, scenarios, and items.

Do we care what order those adventures happen in? Not for the most part. Do we want to try to map out the plot or guess what will happen next? Definitely not.

We just want to enjoy the madness and the vast variety of characters and ideas.

It’s More About Relationships.

When the plot isn’t that strong, and the worldbuilding isn’t that unique, then, the characters and their relationships are generally the main draw.

Sitcoms

While sitcoms generally try to mix up the plots of their episodes, the plot is really just a vehicle for experiencing the characters and their relationships. Do people really watch Friends for the plot? I don’t think so. They watch it because the plot causes the characters to interact in new and interesting ways. It makes them do wacky things, fight, make up, etc. It’s all about the people and their interactions more than it is the plot itself.

Romance Novels

Romance novels are not known for their intricate and varied plots. In fact, even some of the more famous romance novelist re-use the same plots with slightly different characters and actions.

Why does that work?

The short answer is that readers are there for the relationship. For whatever unique aspects the characters have, their conversations, and how they fall in love (well, that and the sex, depending on the type of romance novel).

The goal of the story is a happy ending (pun both intended and not). Some plot twists are fine but not so many that they get in the way of that.

How Do You Know If the Plot Doesn’t Matter?

As a writer, how do you know if you can risk having a weak or almost non-existent plot? I hate to tell you this, but I don’t know the answer. In fact, I’m not sure that you can know for certain until you write it, and it’s either a hit or not.

There are specific genres where you’ll know you have a better chance. People are more forgiving of bad plots with romance novels than with murder mysteries, for example. Kid shows can have simpler plots than adult shows for the most part.

But is there any way to guarantee it? Not that I know of. I’d be more inclined to make the plot as good as I can (which may or may not be that good – I’m still working on that) and then see what happens.

What do you think? Do writers aim for this, or does it happen for other reasons?