Marcus Meston
MDIA 1020
Section #3
ARCHETYPES: COME ON, REALLY?
The druggy
archetype is a character that is commonly seen in film. Two of the most popular
shows within the last couple of years have prevalent druggy characters that add
a unique section of the show. In the show Breaking Bad, Jesse Pinkman not only
struggles with his own addiction, but he deals drugs to others. Even though a
lot of actors portraying that archetype are dimwits such as Harold and Kumar or
Cheech and Chong, Jesse Pinkman has serious demons with his meth and heroin
addiction. Many scenes are outlined with Pinkman internally battling with the
horrible reality of drug use on both the mental and physical side.
On the other
hand, the show Girls has a character named Laird, who is in the same apartment
as the main character. He adds quirky comments and odd scenarios that can add
comic relief or a break from some of the serious scenes. This is a difference
between the new trend of stoner comedies such as “The Big Lebowski”, “Pineapple
Express” and “Half Baked”.
I think that
this archetype is alive and well especially in modern film and television. It
has progressed from a light-hearted view of drug culture as evidenced in Cheech
and Chong to the critically acclaimed show Breaking Bad. Girls showed a balance
between the two extremes. I believe this character will be seen in a similar
light as Laird in future films and television.
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