Figure getting tons of questions on new BL, I am wondering if you agree when say co-lead could mean a show like Agent of Shields where all the actors are like the leads and it not just mean a show with just two leads? Also thinking using the word established versus long running makes me think not a show like Castle, Bones or Grey's.
Actually, I’m not. The question count about the Blind Item is at a whopping three, and I’m content for it to stay that way.
To answer your question; not really. Something like Agents of SHIELD, Grey’s or Once Upon A Time is considered an ensemble cast because the major storyline points revolve around all of them. But blind items are tricky because, by their nature, they play up on the drama of the storyline and play the odds for maximum clicks.
So, for example. if Emma or Regina were to “die” on Once Upon A Time, I wouldn’t necessarily classify either of them as co-leads. Emma Swan is the main character, sure, but I’d consider Regina, Charming, Snow White, Rumple and Hook all as relatively of equal importance depending on the episode or the storyline that’s currently running. I don’t watch OUAT anymore, but it’s my understanding that in this current storyline the priority/importance falls on Emma, Regina and Hook so, if one of them were to die, you could technically say that the show killed off a co-lead.
It’s kind of like how the Blind Item for Castle inserted a possibly permanent tag into that article and people are still dwelling on that one thing even though the showrunners have said they’re not going to be apart forever. This co-lead thing is the same sort of situation where there’s just enough spin for maximum freak out and to keep various fandoms arguing that it can’t be their show because “______ [insert character/actor] isn’t a co-lead because ______ [insert show here] is an ensemble cast”.
It’s just click bait spin. Something to get people worked up and to argue in the comments.
