I think it's incredible how subtle Candace's character changes are over the show's run. Her self-confidence develops sooo slowly, it's absolutely invisible from episode to episode. It's only when you're 3 seasons in, and she's dating Jeremy without having a meltdown, and she's maybe even having some fun with her brothers, that you realise "Huh... she's come a long way :') "
Exactly. And that's how people actually develop. Very slowly and almost invisibly day to day. When you look at a person today and a year from now though you see change and even hopefully progress.
part of the brilliance too is that is almost always Phineas and Ferb's invention or just them that enacts the subtle change in Candace, a lot of episodes feature her just enjoying the time with Jeremy and whatever big thing Phineas and Ferb do, like Swinter, or the one where they make a restaurant.
I always loved the fact that it always worked out for Phineas and Ferb. They were usually oblivious to what happened around them and that made them just that much more lovable. They broke the law and who knows what other rules they broke and somehow never got in trouble. Despite Candice trying her hardest.
@@jojostorm193As I remember it Phineas quite often said he had permits or at least the delivery drivers said so after they asked "aren't you a little young to be building a (insert device/structure of the day)?". What I'd like to know is how they got permission and permits issued within minutes of coming up with the idea of what they were going to do that day...🤔 I can only guess that Ferb sweet-talked the city officials.
It's actually kinda Looney Tunes-esque in a way. The show isn't about seeing the main characters win, as they will never put in any effort and everything always magically works out for them anyway. It's more about the seeing the antagonists stumble and lose, because they are the ones actually trying to overcome an obstacle, even if the universe always conspires against them.
"Swampy and I are just really cocky" Dan is a freaking treasure. I love how he and Swampy stuck to their idea and said "hey, thus is our idea, we love it. We're gonna keep writing it. So there. Dan and Swampy are an inspiration. They are the reason I keep writing my literature thought hardly anyone reads it. It's my idea. I love it. So there. 😊😊😊
@@shogunbirds6589 aww! Thank you for expressing interest! I'm on DeviantArt. It's free to read. I have 2 works in progress. One is called "A Wind in Manhattan " and the other is called "The Demon Hunter". Both are currently unfinished, but I you're still interested, read AWIM first. The first few chapters are a little awkward, but the rest get better. I'd love to know what you think! 😁
@@shogunbirds6589 if you would like to check out chapter one of my (just a draft) chapter one, then check out the pinned comment of my most viewed video.
I think another way this show works is that because Phineas and Ferb have no conflicts, it makes the show feel very fresh. There were already a ton of shows with inventive kids who overcome things like bullying/school/etc. and it was getting real old. The fact we got a show where the title characters are the coolest kids in town who get to enjoy their summer felt so awesome and new.
This format is quite interesting as its also Isabella, Balijeet's and Buford's story. And via them we do get to see a bit of the classic school bully, nerd and childhood crush stories. But since P&F the setting is the titular character, this makes the show more flexible as they can pop in and out of each characters story when they feel like doing an episode with these characters. And your main characters dont have to be the one having all the conflicts and drama which i think is more true to my life experience.
This is what is called "Flat Character Arc". In a normal story, the world around the character changes them, making them going through a new knowledge or personality. Meanwhile, the flat character does the opposite: They are the one who change the world based on their believes. The characters around the flat protagonist are the ones who change.
See also: Back To The Future. Marty, despite ostensibly being the main character, doesn't grow or learn as a character at all in the first film. Instead, it's his actions that change George McFly, resulting in a new reality for him once he returns to 1985.
I think this proves that even with tons of experiences on storyboards and whatnot. There will always be those great outlier stories that don't follow any rules established.
I never thought that what Phineas and Ferb are doing is the "a story" because they always just like: hey let's build something And everything is ok for them I completely agree with Dan (He's obviously right he made it)
It still kinda counts as a story tho, even if they don't change by the 3nd of it. They're at the center of it all (they're even the title) and a lot of screentime is spent following them. Change or not, that's still a story imo
@@highdefinition450 Technically, yes. They are still doing stuff and we watch them go through the cycle of decide to make something, make it, it disappears in some way at the end. However, as Dan says, they are really the setting. They don’t face any obstacles or challenges, they don't grow and develop, they just exist and do something which sets the stage for Candice's story to be told. Candice has development, maybe not in relation to busting the boys, but in other areas of her life. We only ever really see Phineas and Ferb when they are making something or working towards making something. We get to see Candice in many different scenarios and see that she has a life outside of her just trying to bust the boys. That is why she is the main character, and why her story is actually the "A Story". The focus might be on Phineas and Ferb and their creations, but the stories being told are about Candice and Doof. Phineas and Ferb are important, but that is because their actions set up the stories and development for the two main characters (Candice and Doof).
I kinda reminds me of those "monster of the week" shows. Each build, experiment, adventures, ect are the monsters. Candance, doof, perry, and a few other characters are the main characters who fight the "monster". That experience changes them and more often then not you'll never see that same monster again minus the few exceptions!!
As a kid I didn’t realize this, I was so amazed by what they were building that I wanted to keep seeing it, but what really kept me interested is the story of Candace or of Perry. Because watching them build a bunch of big complex machines is cool and all but it would get boring. The story does keep the show fresh and enjoyable throughout. You kept me entertained for a long time this way without me ever realizing what was happening, thank you.
I respect that SO much. “We just did it to prove them wrong, and we are cocky” like that is the realest statement, and so much respect for being so blunt and honest. Love that
Yeah, it sometimes had an effect on the plot (usually affecting Doof in some way, unless I am misremembering) before it was destroyed or disappeared for some reason (usually Doof's invention). It is a genius way to make a show though. Having the titular characters seem like the main characters and give them enough focus that children watching can enjoy it, whilst also using them to just set the stage for the real main characters (Candice and Doof). Like you said, their creations didn't really have much of an affect on their surroundings. They were just created, existed for a bit, then disappeared or were destroyed. We never saw Phineas and Ferb's lives outside of their creations, they only existed to start the plot of the episode and be a setting for the actual stories. Candice, and even Doof to some extent, were shown to have lives outside of just busting the boys or making inventions. Meanwhile, the only time the boys were interacting with people outside of their friend group was when they were doing something to allow them to finish their creations (e.g. finding a part/material they need).
Welp, if Ferris Bueler's Day Off worked, why Phineas and Ferb wouldn't? Both are stories where the "main characters" (Ferris Bueler and Phineas and Ferb) don't get a character arc and makes the real main characters (Cameron, Candace and Dr. Doof) have their own character growth by doing what they do. Funny enough, I love both of them.
Well Phineas and Ferb is an episodic cartoon while Ferris Beuler's Day Off is a comedy movie and while it focuses on Ferris and his antics, it's really about Cameron learning to stand up for himself while Ferris already learned his lesson in the past. Everything works out for him because it pisses off the principal and Jeanie
Disagree on that whole "real main character" thing. Someone doesn't have to change themselves to be the main character. Look at Goku, Luffy, Superman, SpongeBob in most episodes, WALL-E, and many others. It's called a "flat character arc," a storytelling tool where a character changes others instead of himself, but it makes them no less viable as a main character, nor any less well-written. On the contrary,, it's far more difficult to do a good flat character arc than a regular positive character arc. Ferris Bueller is undoubtedly the main character of his movie. He just has a flat character arc.
But doesn't Cameron spend most of his time going along with Ferris? Even if it's a separate arc I'd still call it part of the main story. The bits with the principal and the sister are separate stories though.
This is an amazing take. Yeah, there's always a story going on with doof, or perry, or candace, hell ecen vanessa! But phineas and ferb just mess around for 10 mins and then go about their day
I love that everything puts itself back together at the end of the day through whatever else happened that day. And the boys are just like. Yeah, it's cool
Oh wow. This is brilliant. I should have been able to figure this out myself, because it’s totally true. I might have to borrow this method of storytelling!
Oh that's a cool analogy. The ring is the most important thing to the world but it's really not that important to the story other than getting the story started
The songs everyone sang throughthe series were the A+ story because i still marvel at how they managed to write and compose a new song in almost every episode and they were always bangers
My kids were little when we watched the premier episode. We were hooked and watched it and enjoyed it together a long time after. Thanks very much for a great cartoon.
Wow so dood being revealed as a loving father and Candice becoming a great sister was actually a result of the shows blueprint, that’s super neat. Thanks for explaining a bit of your creative process
I never thought about that before, but now it makes sense that Candace is basically the main character. Seeing her choices and reactions are pretty much the whole plot of every episode. edit: my postest with the mostest. likes i mean edit 2: Jesus loves you for real (yes I’m one of those people too. When someone means that much to you, you talk about them wherever you can)
The only real challenge that Phineas and Ferb had was "aren't you a little young to do X" followed by "Yes, yes we are" and whoever is just like "fuck it I'm getting paid by how much I sell"
I always loved what Phineas and Ferb were doing, and whenever they would do something to change what Doofenshmirtz or Candice had planned was always so funny
Honestly, that method of storytelling is genius. Not many people tell stories that way bc not many people think it will work bc it’s not what everyone’s used to. What they don’t know is that most often stories that don’t follow a “traditional” pattern are most often the ones that are remembered.
I always found every type of story even Candice entertaining. It just feels like every character comes together to make it whole. Phineas and ferb is a modern masterpiece
That's actually why the first Back To The Future worked so well, too. Everyone thinks it's Marty's story but it's actually everyone else's story. Every character other than Marty (Doc, his parents, Biff) go through major character arc's, whereas Marty is static the whole movie. The sequels changed this by attempting to give Marty an arc.
"nothing really changes the boys. They never learn anything, there's never any obstacles they have to overcome" unless it's a movie or a special like "summer belongs to you"
Well even in those cases, the boys don't actually *learn* anything. Their character arcs are, things challenge their beliefs and then they stick to those beliefs anyway. Which, I should clarify, is a very valid and *good* way to write a character. We need more principled characters.
This is the BEST. I didn't grow up with Phineas and Ferb, but my kids did and I loved every second of it. Great to be able to follow Dan in my adulthood. It puts a lot of things in to perspective! 😊😊
My music teacher in college always said that as an artist, you should know the "rules" so that you can break them even harder. Phineas and Ferb is a perfect example of that.
And you definitely proved them all wrong, and thanks to you kids grew up with that much more wonder and imagination in their life. Thank you Dan for those 104 days of the best Summer vacation. ❤️
However, it is important to note that there are in fact times when the two do face problems. The Meap episodes, the Beak episode, and the one where they have to cure Isabella's hiccups are just a few that come to mind
On a related note I have been wanting to ask, when writing ideas for shows and episodes, how do you decide if an idea should be an A Plot, a B Plot, or be mixed with another idea?
Dan is just one of those people that makes me feel better when I’m doubting my writing or art. He just explains it as is while still making it goofy and enjoyable to watch.
The boys don't need a character arch. They are living their best lives while summer vacation lasts. Calling them the setting make so much sense, cuz they really are. They are the background; filling time with montages, shenanigans, and Ferb's quips.
This is literally my favorite "kids" show... My boys started watching it when they were super young and I found myself sitting there watching all the episodes and got hooked
No cause this is actually genius, cartoons with young male leads get more attention and funding from sponsors, while cartoons with animal leads, female leads, and older male leads get less attention/funding. By titling the show so that CEOs assume two young boys are the main characters, this allowed the writers to use the entire rest of the cast to tell quirky and interesting stories from viewpoints that tend to get brushed aside in shows while still getting the associated funding.
@BoulderBro999 why? No one brought up social justice, the female lead thing was just one example out of three, one of which were literal animals (which is something I admittedly disagree with since cartoon animals are generally popular but that's not the point here). Stop trying to bring politics into non-political statements.
@BoulderBro999 why? You're a man, clearly. Having representation matters, but its more subtle than what you think. I experienced this when i was younger. I really liked video games, but when I was young and played multiplayer games with my dad, i would let him play the boy and I would play the girl. Because of games with "set" p1's, like Mario or Sonic, this translated to me always being player 2. When my family got a new 1 player game, it would always go to my brother because i never considered that i COULD be player 1, like it was illegal or something. No one ever told me I couldn't, but my child brain assumed that because People Like Me (girls) were never the p1 character in my Sega Genesis, that i couldnt be player 1. To this day, there's still a lot of franchises that I've never played. Legend of Zelda is one of them
“It’s just the setting.”
That explains why they don’t have some sort of character growth except for the specials. Now it makes sense.
*the more you know*
@@blue.phoenix the less you realise
The roller coaster is probably a good example
@@Roltt they were doing a pbs reference why you gotta hate
@@Calebdotwaleb what hate; he just said something else
Phineas and Ferb aren’t _characters,_ they’re the *conflict.*
Genius. This comment needs more likes, I think that’s absolutely right 😂
Hell Ferb barely even talks!
Thats a very strong sentence
I mean, they’re still characters, just not that main ones…
I would say they are characters, but they aren't protagonists.
I think it's incredible how subtle Candace's character changes are over the show's run. Her self-confidence develops sooo slowly, it's absolutely invisible from episode to episode. It's only when you're 3 seasons in, and she's dating Jeremy without having a meltdown, and she's maybe even having some fun with her brothers, that you realise "Huh... she's come a long way :') "
Exactly. And that's how people actually develop. Very slowly and almost invisibly day to day. When you look at a person today and a year from now though you see change and even hopefully progress.
part of the brilliance too is that is almost always Phineas and Ferb's invention or just them that enacts the subtle change in Candace, a lot of episodes feature her just enjoying the time with Jeremy and whatever big thing Phineas and Ferb do, like Swinter, or the one where they make a restaurant.
@@jacobemming407and if you don't remember the past like me it feels like you're constantly becoming someone else
Personally, I find that terrifying.@@lunar_moth777
I liked the way you phased that. It's a homelander's way of phasing it. "Perfect down to the last detail." Way and it's honestly beautiful
This is why, when Phineas and Ferb are actually faced with a problem, it hits so hard.
I think Where's Perry is a great example of this
Yeah like when they do actually get caught that one time and were sent off, that actually felt bad.
My favorite example of this is "longest day of summer" or however that episode is called that they go around the world not seeing the sun set
@@esupton783that is called, "The Summer Belongs to You".
@@esupton783yeah phineas was the protagonist perhaps for the first time in the show.
"We're cocky and we like to prove people wrong!"
Yes! Spite is such a fun motivator!
Definitely one of my main motivations, as well as having an expensive lifestyle.
Pure and utter spite
@@boomingbob1579 Pure and uter spite is what gets me out of bed in the morning
@@demi-fiendoftime3825 aye sane that’s how I live off
He definitely pulled it off
"Isn’t this show a little too weird to air?" "Yes. Yes it is"
I turned your 699 to a 700
@@bingojingo2966 I turned their 773 to a 774.
Is this comment unnecessary? Yes, yes it is.
I turned 1.3K to 1.3K
Thank you
I turned 2k to 2k.
When he said "B story" I thought he was talking about The Bee Movie
Me too
I thought he was talking about the episode bee story 😭
Same lmao
Same 😂
SAME
So the “Phineas and Ferb” title is not the “characters” title, but a “setting” title.
nods sagely. like twin peaks.
Or in another word, a catalyst to the story
The titular characters
@@emrysisscreaming3712 parks and rec, and the office too. It really is brilliant when you look at it this way
Yes. Yes it is.
Well, this makes actual sense since both of the "Phineas and Ferb" movies literally centers around Doofenshmirtz & Perry (1st) and Candice (2nd).
The finale revolves around both
“There’s never any obstacles they have to overcome”
That’s probably why Summer Belongs to You was such a powerful episode, honestly.
And where’s Perry
And act your age.
@@corbandybdahlAnd the original Phineas & Ferb movie.
I always loved the fact that it always worked out for Phineas and Ferb. They were usually oblivious to what happened around them and that made them just that much more lovable. They broke the law and who knows what other rules they broke and somehow never got in trouble. Despite Candice trying her hardest.
They said they always had building permits and using remote control made it so their full size vehicles weren't "real cars"
@@jojostorm193As I remember it Phineas quite often said he had permits or at least the delivery drivers said so after they asked "aren't you a little young to be building a (insert device/structure of the day)?".
What I'd like to know is how they got permission and permits issued within minutes of coming up with the idea of what they were going to do that day...🤔 I can only guess that Ferb sweet-talked the city officials.
I've never seen a man more humble about being cocky.
That's Dan for ya.
He totally understands storytelling
And you still yet to achieve the ways of checkmark attent of the tion
@@Godzillaforlyfe2 I love this quote. "Atten of the tion" noice
I mean he did make a whole show that everyone adored
He's a TV show producer, I think he does.
God bless
ruclips.net/video/_wLYLB8b4qc/видео.html
God bless
ruclips.net/video/_wLYLB8b4qc/видео.html
It's actually kinda Looney Tunes-esque in a way. The show isn't about seeing the main characters win, as they will never put in any effort and everything always magically works out for them anyway.
It's more about the seeing the antagonists stumble and lose, because they are the ones actually trying to overcome an obstacle, even if the universe always conspires against them.
God bless
ruclips.net/video/_wLYLB8b4qc/видео.html
God bless
ruclips.net/video/_wLYLB8b4qc/видео.html
Jesus loves you
Yeah but tom really do deserve a w
@@no_idea0537 tom gets a lot of Ws every once and awhile. its really 2/3 Jerry wins and 1/3 tom wins
@@no_idea0537 Tom and Jerry isn't even Looney Tunes lol
I always love products of “they told me I couldn’t so I did”
Candice is the story. Truest words have never been spoken. Doofenshmirtz is the greatest cartoon dad.
Isabella, Balijeet and Buford have more story than P&F.
So “we’re cocky” was the reason behind one of the greatest cartoons ever made
We really need a complete series blu-ray set, I’d buy it in a heartbeat
Is there? Coz I'll buy in a heartbeat (given a reasonable price), to stop...ehem...rewatching in illegal sites ...ehem. 😁😁😁
im pretty sure it already exists?
@@hazelskiesalt it does not, there’s a handful of episodes on blu-Ray in Japan but no full set
Is it really one of the best tho
"I'm cocky" was basically the starting point for Codex Alera and holy shit its gud.
"Swampy and I are just really cocky" Dan is a freaking treasure. I love how he and Swampy stuck to their idea and said "hey, thus is our idea, we love it. We're gonna keep writing it. So there. Dan and Swampy are an inspiration. They are the reason I keep writing my literature thought hardly anyone reads it. It's my idea. I love it. So there. 😊😊😊
And you should! If it gives you joy, keep writing it!
Where can I find your work? If I have the time and interest (and money if I have to pay) to read I would love to check it out.
@@shogunbirds6589 aww! Thank you for expressing interest! I'm on DeviantArt. It's free to read. I have 2 works in progress. One is called "A Wind in Manhattan " and the other is called "The Demon Hunter". Both are currently unfinished, but I you're still interested, read AWIM first. The first few chapters are a little awkward, but the rest get better. I'd love to know what you think! 😁
@@briannapauls3420 oh where to find it? You can check out my story's chapter one on my most viewed video's pinned comment
@@shogunbirds6589 if you would like to check out chapter one of my (just a draft) chapter one, then check out the pinned comment of my most viewed video.
I think another way this show works is that because Phineas and Ferb have no conflicts, it makes the show feel very fresh. There were already a ton of shows with inventive kids who overcome things like bullying/school/etc. and it was getting real old. The fact we got a show where the title characters are the coolest kids in town who get to enjoy their summer felt so awesome and new.
It kinda bothered me as a kid. It’s weird seeing a show where no characters go through conflict. Even Ruby Gloom had conflict.
This format is quite interesting as its also Isabella, Balijeet's and Buford's story. And via them we do get to see a bit of the classic school bully, nerd and childhood crush stories. But since P&F the setting is the titular character, this makes the show more flexible as they can pop in and out of each characters story when they feel like doing an episode with these characters. And your main characters dont have to be the one having all the conflicts and drama which i think is more true to my life experience.
I think it also allows us the audience to insert ourselves into the story cuz we always had to pretend to do awesome stuff; they get to do it.
Phineas and Ferb's story is just two boys having fun, and that's what makes them so fun.
This is what is called "Flat Character Arc". In a normal story, the world around the character changes them, making them going through a new knowledge or personality. Meanwhile, the flat character does the opposite: They are the one who change the world based on their believes. The characters around the flat protagonist are the ones who change.
God bless
ruclips.net/video/_wLYLB8b4qc/видео.html
God bless
ruclips.net/video/_wLYLB8b4qc/видео.html
Jesus loves you
See also: Back To The Future. Marty, despite ostensibly being the main character, doesn't grow or learn as a character at all in the first film. Instead, it's his actions that change George McFly, resulting in a new reality for him once he returns to 1985.
@@Sky11099 shut upppp
Many shonen protagonists are flat characters
I think this proves that even with tons of experiences on storyboards and whatnot. There will always be those great outlier stories that don't follow any rules established.
you want success? good luck, we don't understand it
@@november5263 Exactly
You gotta learn the rules to break the rules.
Mister Awesome
That’s what I was taught in storyboarding; “learn the rules but know you dont have to follow them 100% as long as the story works”
Every time I learn something about the writing process of this show, I feel stupid for not having noticed it sooner and also think it's genius
I could imagine
“Phineas and Ferb: The revenge of the buildings” directed by Michael Bay, Quentin Tarantino and Zack Sydner
I never thought that what Phineas and Ferb are doing is the "a story" because they always just like: hey let's build something
And everything is ok for them
I completely agree with Dan
(He's obviously right he made it)
and then the few times things go wrong, its either resolved quickly or just told it never happened
God bless
ruclips.net/video/_wLYLB8b4qc/видео.html
God bless
ruclips.net/video/_wLYLB8b4qc/видео.html
It still kinda counts as a story tho, even if they don't change by the 3nd of it. They're at the center of it all (they're even the title) and a lot of screentime is spent following them. Change or not, that's still a story imo
@@highdefinition450 Technically, yes. They are still doing stuff and we watch them go through the cycle of decide to make something, make it, it disappears in some way at the end.
However, as Dan says, they are really the setting. They don’t face any obstacles or challenges, they don't grow and develop, they just exist and do something which sets the stage for Candice's story to be told. Candice has development, maybe not in relation to busting the boys, but in other areas of her life. We only ever really see Phineas and Ferb when they are making something or working towards making something. We get to see Candice in many different scenarios and see that she has a life outside of her just trying to bust the boys. That is why she is the main character, and why her story is actually the "A Story".
The focus might be on Phineas and Ferb and their creations, but the stories being told are about Candice and Doof. Phineas and Ferb are important, but that is because their actions set up the stories and development for the two main characters (Candice and Doof).
I kinda reminds me of those "monster of the week" shows. Each build, experiment, adventures, ect are the monsters. Candance, doof, perry, and a few other characters are the main characters who fight the "monster". That experience changes them and more often then not you'll never see that same monster again minus the few exceptions!!
This was actually very interesting. It’s even better that we heard from the man, the myth, the legend himself
God bless
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God bless
ruclips.net/video/_wLYLB8b4qc/видео.html
@@Sky11099 God bless
How is he a myth
@@highdefinition450 ...It's.... the saying?
Scott Sterling?
And the fact they never fail is soooo satisfying. it is just one of the 100000 patterns of P&F that make it so funny! 😂😂❤
As a kid I didn’t realize this, I was so amazed by what they were building that I wanted to keep seeing it, but what really kept me interested is the story of Candace or of Perry. Because watching them build a bunch of big complex machines is cool and all but it would get boring. The story does keep the show fresh and enjoyable throughout. You kept me entertained for a long time this way without me ever realizing what was happening, thank you.
I respect that SO much. “We just did it to prove them wrong, and we are cocky” like that is the realest statement, and so much respect for being so blunt and honest. Love that
and Doof usually ends up undoing the thing Phineas and Ferb were doing. He's like an unwitting guardian angel.
Being cocky is only a problem when you can't back it up with action, and boy did you back it up!
I like how no matter what Phineas and Ferb did, it almost never mattered to the plot of the episode, it was just... there.
Yeah, it sometimes had an effect on the plot (usually affecting Doof in some way, unless I am misremembering) before it was destroyed or disappeared for some reason (usually Doof's invention).
It is a genius way to make a show though. Having the titular characters seem like the main characters and give them enough focus that children watching can enjoy it, whilst also using them to just set the stage for the real main characters (Candice and Doof). Like you said, their creations didn't really have much of an affect on their surroundings. They were just created, existed for a bit, then disappeared or were destroyed. We never saw Phineas and Ferb's lives outside of their creations, they only existed to start the plot of the episode and be a setting for the actual stories. Candice, and even Doof to some extent, were shown to have lives outside of just busting the boys or making inventions. Meanwhile, the only time the boys were interacting with people outside of their friend group was when they were doing something to allow them to finish their creations (e.g. finding a part/material they need).
It mattered cuz it was the setting tho
@@calebmorri Candice nuts?
"We're cocky" has the same energy as that tumblr post that said
"Do every thing out of spite."
Except it's better than that Tumblr
He just confirmed that Candace and Doofenshmirtz are the real main characters because they actually go through the most character development.
getting around the "rules" in creative and fun ways has got to be my favorite part of storytelling.
I’ve never heard “B story” in place of “B plot” so I really thought he was referring to the Bee Movie for a minute 😭
Welp, if Ferris Bueler's Day Off worked, why Phineas and Ferb wouldn't? Both are stories where the "main characters" (Ferris Bueler and Phineas and Ferb) don't get a character arc and makes the real main characters (Cameron, Candace and Dr. Doof) have their own character growth by doing what they do. Funny enough, I love both of them.
Well Phineas and Ferb is an episodic cartoon while Ferris Beuler's Day Off is a comedy movie and while it focuses on Ferris and his antics, it's really about Cameron learning to stand up for himself while Ferris already learned his lesson in the past. Everything works out for him because it pisses off the principal and Jeanie
God bless
ruclips.net/video/_wLYLB8b4qc/видео.html
God bless
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Disagree on that whole "real main character" thing. Someone doesn't have to change themselves to be the main character. Look at Goku, Luffy, Superman, SpongeBob in most episodes, WALL-E, and many others. It's called a "flat character arc," a storytelling tool where a character changes others instead of himself, but it makes them no less viable as a main character, nor any less well-written. On the contrary,, it's far more difficult to do a good flat character arc than a regular positive character arc. Ferris Bueller is undoubtedly the main character of his movie. He just has a flat character arc.
But doesn't Cameron spend most of his time going along with Ferris? Even if it's a separate arc I'd still call it part of the main story. The bits with the principal and the sister are separate stories though.
Proving someone wrong is the best!
This is an amazing take. Yeah, there's always a story going on with doof, or perry, or candace, hell ecen vanessa!
But phineas and ferb just mess around for 10 mins and then go about their day
You and Swampy are like Phineas and Ferb.
You'll do it until it fails.
I love that everything puts itself back together at the end of the day through whatever else happened that day. And the boys are just like. Yeah, it's cool
Oh wow. This is brilliant. I should have been able to figure this out myself, because it’s totally true. I might have to borrow this method of storytelling!
I once try to explicit Phineas and Ferb to my dad as “if it were lord of the rings, Phineas and Ferb wouldn’t be the hobbits. They would be the ring”
Oh that's a cool analogy. The ring is the most important thing to the world but it's really not that important to the story other than getting the story started
Me and my dad have never really gotten along until we started watching Phineas and Ferb so I wanted to thank you for making something so amazing
That's actually very wholesome
The songs everyone sang throughthe series were the A+ story because i still marvel at how they managed to write and compose a new song in almost every episode and they were always bangers
My kids were little when we watched the premier episode. We were hooked and watched it and enjoyed it together a long time after. Thanks very much for a great cartoon.
There is definitely a place for static characters in good stories with proactive characters to counteract them.
Wow so dood being revealed as a loving father and Candice becoming a great sister was actually a result of the shows blueprint, that’s super neat. Thanks for explaining a bit of your creative process
I never thought about that before, but now it makes sense that Candace is basically the main character. Seeing her choices and reactions are pretty much the whole plot of every episode.
edit: my postest with the mostest. likes i mean
edit 2: Jesus loves you for real (yes I’m one of those people too. When someone means that much to you, you talk about them wherever you can)
An episode without her wouldn't be any good
Ya the main characters are Candace and Doof
@@idksomerandomguyontheinter2875 they are literally the most relatable people
@@idksomerandomguyontheinter2875 don’t forget perry
God bless, Jesus loves you
God bless
ruclips.net/video/_wLYLB8b4qc/видео.html
God bless
ruclips.net/video/_wLYLB8b4qc/видео.html
“They never learned anything.”
Except they learned a lesson in the specials and the movies.
The only real challenge that Phineas and Ferb had was "aren't you a little young to do X" followed by "Yes, yes we are" and whoever is just like "fuck it I'm getting paid by how much I sell"
I LOVE PHINEAS AND FERB SERIOUSLY WHEN IM STRESSED I’m 41 THIS ALWAYS MAKES ME FEEL BETTER 🤍🙌🏻
I always loved what Phineas and Ferb were doing, and whenever they would do something to change what Doofenshmirtz or Candice had planned was always so funny
Honestly, that method of storytelling is genius. Not many people tell stories that way bc not many people think it will work bc it’s not what everyone’s used to. What they don’t know is that most often stories that don’t follow a “traditional” pattern are most often the ones that are remembered.
He says "cocky" so humbley
I always found every type of story even Candice entertaining. It just feels like every character comes together to make it whole. Phineas and ferb is a modern masterpiece
That's actually why the first Back To The Future worked so well, too. Everyone thinks it's Marty's story but it's actually everyone else's story. Every character other than Marty (Doc, his parents, Biff) go through major character arc's, whereas Marty is static the whole movie. The sequels changed this by attempting to give Marty an arc.
Idk why but I thought you were talking about Marty the Rabbit Boy and his Musical Blender
Also the case for Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. The protagonist might be Ferris, but the hero is Cameron.
And the sister
I’ve literally never seen this show. But I absolutely love this guy and his reactions to everything
No never any obstacles for the boys…
The pool jello monster thing: yessss he forgot about me! I’m freeeeee
These interactions are incredible. This channel is an absolute gem!
"nothing really changes the boys. They never learn anything, there's never any obstacles they have to overcome"
unless it's a movie or a special like "summer belongs to you"
Well even in those cases, the boys don't actually *learn* anything. Their character arcs are, things challenge their beliefs and then they stick to those beliefs anyway. Which, I should clarify, is a very valid and *good* way to write a character. We need more principled characters.
@@brutusthebear9050I mean, in act your age phineas finally learns that Isabella had a crush on him. Bro was denser than Adrien agreste.
I learned back in high school that the show uses all three forms of irony, it came out when I was in high school.
Some stories, the character doesn't always have to learn something. Sometimes, he's just moving to get something done.
"it wouldn't work"
literally everyone who loves Phineas and Ferb *"WANNA BET?!?"*
What you and Swampy made, is awesome.
I just love how he doesn't acknowledge the episode where Candace actually busts them.
I mean that was just Perry's dream
@@vernyulkisasszony4708 I know.
This is the BEST. I didn't grow up with Phineas and Ferb, but my kids did and I loved every second of it. Great to be able to follow Dan in my adulthood. It puts a lot of things in to perspective! 😊😊
“so you think you can just have the main story have… no story… like at all?”
“Yes, Yes We Do.”
Phineas and Ferb was always my favorite show when I was little, so I love learning things like this
My music teacher in college always said that as an artist, you should know the "rules" so that you can break them even harder. Phineas and Ferb is a perfect example of that.
you know i feel like a perry the platypus spin off would have worked
this is really cool and makes so much sense actually! never considered the boys as a mechanism for setting!
My man understands storytelling
That is so brilliant
Creates such unique framing and tension to the "A story"
Spite is the greatest motivator, and overconfidence is the second greatest
And you definitely proved them all wrong, and thanks to you kids grew up with that much more wonder and imagination in their life. Thank you Dan for those 104 days of the best Summer vacation. ❤️
This show was literally always a masterpieces and I'm grateful I got to live through it
I liked how Perry went from busting through the door to knocking and just coming in 😂
However, it is important to note that there are in fact times when the two do face problems. The Meap episodes, the Beak episode, and the one where they have to cure Isabella's hiccups are just a few that come to mind
This guy is the definition of “it’s not that deep bro”
When they said the B story the first thing I thought of was the Bee movie
The B story is also Candace as well. Candace and Doofenshmirtz, as shown in a special, are THE MAIN CHARACTERS!
Candice and Doof are the real main characters of the show
On a related note I have been wanting to ask, when writing ideas for shows and episodes, how do you decide if an idea should be an A Plot, a B Plot, or be mixed with another idea?
I’m no story teller but I would say if that story is more important to then this story? If not it’s a B story
Because you're cocky? No, you two are geniuses!
Some of the best ideas exist out of pure unadulterated spite aimed at people you wanna prove wrong lol
Dan is just one of those people that makes me feel better when I’m doubting my writing or art. He just explains it as is while still making it goofy and enjoyable to watch.
The boys don't need a character arch. They are living their best lives while summer vacation lasts. Calling them the setting make so much sense, cuz they really are. They are the background; filling time with montages, shenanigans, and Ferb's quips.
I wont lie, dan making these videos about the show makes me love it so much more, i want to be like him so much with my own writing and art one day
This is literally my favorite "kids" show...
My boys started watching it when they were super young and I found myself sitting there watching all the episodes and got hooked
Most unique cartoon in history, nothing is like it and it definitely shouldn't work because it subverts every rule of how to make a successful show
No cause this is actually genius, cartoons with young male leads get more attention and funding from sponsors, while cartoons with animal leads, female leads, and older male leads get less attention/funding. By titling the show so that CEOs assume two young boys are the main characters, this allowed the writers to use the entire rest of the cast to tell quirky and interesting stories from viewpoints that tend to get brushed aside in shows while still getting the associated funding.
@BoulderBro999 why? A thousand times this
@BoulderBro999 why? you really just read "female lead" and ran with that, huh.
@BoulderBro999 why? No one brought up social justice, the female lead thing was just one example out of three, one of which were literal animals (which is something I admittedly disagree with since cartoon animals are generally popular but that's not the point here). Stop trying to bring politics into non-political statements.
@BoulderBro999 why? Except, as said, _more_ than once, that was just _one_ of three examples. It's really not that political.
@BoulderBro999 why? You're a man, clearly. Having representation matters, but its more subtle than what you think.
I experienced this when i was younger. I really liked video games, but when I was young and played multiplayer games with my dad, i would let him play the boy and I would play the girl. Because of games with "set" p1's, like Mario or Sonic, this translated to me always being player 2. When my family got a new 1 player game, it would always go to my brother because i never considered that i COULD be player 1, like it was illegal or something. No one ever told me I couldn't, but my child brain assumed that because People Like Me (girls) were never the p1 character in my Sega Genesis, that i couldnt be player 1. To this day, there's still a lot of franchises that I've never played. Legend of Zelda is one of them
“We’re just cocky and like to prove people wrong”
An my entire childhood thanks you for being this way😂
Oh my god the way that the a and b stories in phineas and ferb combine though is heavenly
Genius writing!
I can respect that
Gosh, this proves that they’re master storytellers!
Goddamn, it's little videos like this that just make Dan a treasure we all need to protect.
so "Phineas & Ferb" is actually "Candace & Perry"
Candance and Doofensmirtz. Nothing really changes Perry either, though we do see more of him as a character in the specials.
You're an inspiration, Dan!