I think anytime anyone is creating a plot for anything, they need at least two kind of practical and slightly belligerent people around them. I don't mean the kind of people who would keep them from creating at all. That would be useless. I mean the kind of people who can help them see the plotholes they're creating for themselves.
The writers of the show Secret Circle really needed this. The show is about a town full of witch families. It's an interesting basic concept, but it creates a lot of practical issues along the way.
For instance, they have introduced witch hunters as villains. Witch hunters are a kind of obvious antagonist and could have been handled well. Except, they're not being handled well. Not at all. This is where the practical and belligerent friend (called PBF from now on) really could have come in handy.
Creator: I think I'm going to give our little teenaged witches some new problems.
PBF: Why? Having trouble finding your way out of the quagmire you've already created?
Creator: . . . anyway, Nick's older brother is going to come onto the show to replace Nick. He's with the witch hunter group.
PBF: But . . . won't Nickbrother be a witch too?
Creator: Yes, but he wants Teh Revengence on the town for killing his parents.
PBF: But . . . won't he realize the witch hunters will just use him to do this and then kill him too?
Creator: Well, doesn't that make him seem desperate and tragic?
PBF: No, it makes him fundamentally stupid. Fundamentally stupid people don't make for good antagonists.
Creator: . . . yeah, anyway, so he and his witch hunter group will be staying in town.
PBF: Wait . . . WHAT? How the fuck can they do that?
Creator: Stay in town? You know, kind of in an abandon building or something.
PBF: Are witch hunters like a new phenom?
Creator: Well, of course not. They've been around at least since the Middle Ages.
PBF: So . . . you're telling me that a TOWN FULL OF WITCHES who know that witch hunters exist having warded and hexed this town six ways to Sunday to keep the witch hunters out?
Creator: They gave up their magic after The Accident . . .
PBF: Wards should have been in place no matter what. Either to alarm or to destroy the hunters. It would be suicide not to have wards. They would never give those up.
Creator: Also, there are some witch hunters who are living in the town. They're old families, like the witch families.
PBF: Wait, wait, wait. What? A family of witch hunters lives in the town with the witches?
Creator: Yes . . .
PBF: And they never noticed this? All of these witches never once questioned the family who don't come to the weekly broom dance and frown every time someone cackles?
Creator: Maybe I should rethink this whole thing . . .
You see? See? It would serve the show so well to have someone who does this! It would cut out the stupid and trim the insanity! It would stomp away the What-the-Fuck!
Unfortunately, the show doesn't have that. And it will suffer in its bad writing and craptastic plottage.
However, if you are a writer or plan to be one, perhaps you can take this advice to heart! Find some PBF to come in and listen to what you're working on. Let them rip it to pieces and question you on every little detail. You will be so annoyed and pissed off!
And in the end, your work will be better for it.
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