Normally pieces of media revolve around the main characters and how they interact with the world around them, sure it builds a story but it mostly builds a story of the main characters and a surface level view of the world around them. Obviously there are exceptions and minor characters who have effected the main characters growth in an important way sometimes get brought up again in passing thought or sometimes make small cameos.
However, I love it specifically when minor characters are brought up repeatedly both in passing thought and in physical presence because it builds on a stories world in a more in depth way. You aren't only focusing on how the world has effected the main characters, you are also focusing on not only how the world has effected the side characters but also how the main characters have effected the side characters. It builds on how the world is structured and how much of an effect the main characters have had on the world around them through the side characters. It makes the world you're viewing seem more alive in a way because you get to know every aspect about it.
Sofia the First. There's so much to go over that I won't do a complete deep dive.
Cedric. Cedric the person who got hands down the BEST character arc in the show. Cedric's progression as a person from misunderstood to villain to hero was AMAZING. I love how you can actively see the development in his character in most, if not all, of the episodes he's in. I love how in each of those episodes you can SEE the effect that Sofia has on his confidence in every episode he's in. I love that he isn't taken as just a joke. He's taken as a person. He's developed as a person. I might go in depth of each of the episodes he's in but somebody who I think does a really great job of explaining Cedric's growth throughout the show is Rockotar on youtube. (Also I ship Cedric and Greylock.)
Hugo. Hugo's development as character who went from actively pushing gender norms to defying them with the help of Sofia was great in my opinion. He goes from being the antagonist pushing the belief that activities are rightfully separated by gender to defying that separation himself. I love the fact that it isn't shown as something he just thinks, it's a belief that started due to his own father's beliefs. A belief that he grows out of directly due to the help of Sofia. He grows so much in just a couple episodes and it's great.
Of course there are a lot more characters that have shown growth in Sofia the First, some others being Miss Nettle, Princess Vivian, Amber, and Kazeem, but this is getting long. So, I wont go on about characters and I'll keep the scenarios built up short.
Some aspects I liked about Sofia the First were, Sofia's influence to the students and staff members of Royal Prep, The Secret Library, and Sofia's adventures in the mystic isles as a protector, it shows the effect Sofia has on the world around her.
This doesn't mean that shows that don't have this aspect are immediately bad or shows that do have it are immediately good, also some shows just don't have the correct plot for this aspect or they don't focus on the right things for this aspect to really be needed, but it's something that I liked about Sofia the First that I really hope they bring back and stick with. It made the world feel so much more alive than if Sofia just moved on from each character without any real growth among the. It also made it more realistic in a way than if Sofia moved on from each character with them instantly being changed in a single episode.
I may have gotten some things wrong or repeated some things, if I did feel free to let me know. This really was just a yap session on how much I love the story telling in Sofia the First. Let me know if I should continue this with a more focused perspective on certain characters or situations/episodes. (Also I did have to cut like 5 whole paragraphs out so lemme know if you wanna see those.)
If Sofia the First: Royal Magic is a complete flop I will cry and pretend it never existed.