Phineas and Ferb and Using Structure to Reveal Your Theme
So I feel like everyone who had someone under the age of 16 in their household during the time it was airing had seen Phineas and Ferb at some point. And it a perfect, easy to follow show with the same formula every time. The boys wonder what they’re going to do, come up with a plan, make the thing, have fun and it all comes crashing down before they get caught so they can do it again tomorrow.
And so many people have already analyzed this, so I’m probably just echoing other thoughts, but thinking about this structure, and what one of the themes of the show is, it works so perfectly, and I think it could be something to think about.
*I’d like to note I’m not an expert on structure and this is the extreme simplification my mind goes through. I’ve only been learning about structure for about 2 years now and still have a lot to learn!
So, Which Structures Do We Usually See?
Watching shows, you generally see either the cliffhanger, where each event causes another event that leaves each episode on a cliffhanger the next one has to resolve, or a “monster of the week” formula, where they have to solve a singular problem that gets resolved by the end of the episode, until the next one, leading them closer to the “real”, major monster brought at the mid-season finale, and finally fought at the season finale. Both of these can be incorporated into larger structures like three-act, it’s a difference on a smaller scale like theme and conflict and resolution arcs.
Using examples, The 100, Andi Mack, and The Legend of Korra follows the cliffhanger structure. Although there are separate conflicts each episode, they usually stem from a cause in the previous episode. There’s a clear plot-driven storyline, versus character arcs driving most of the cohesive story.
The Office, Miraculous Ladybug, and Tangled the Series follow the “monster of the week” formula. Every episode starts off with a new problem a character is facing internally while a small-term external problem happens as well, and they have to solve them both in the course of that episode. These stories are seen to have more “filler” as they focus more on the protagonists learning lessons and working slowly toward a larger threat (which in The Office would be the climaxes of Jim and Pam’s relationship, MLB confrontations of Hawkmoth, and TTS Rapunzel being betrayed and finding out more of her destiny).
What Phineas and Ferb Does:
Phineas and Ferb follows something like the monster of the week structure...except it’s more like a time loop. Every day it’s the same thing. They don’t really grow that much as characters because nothing happens to them, little consequences are made. Isabella never confesses her feelings for Phineas, they only get busted in that special episode where things resume back to normal anyway after, they never actually find out Perry’s secret.
But isn’t that perfect? The show isn’t about Phineas and Ferb learning new stuff. They already know how to make these things! They know how to be good brothers to Candace, because they are constantly trying to include her and do nice things for her! It’s about them making the most of their time while they can, and not wasting what they do have on sitting around wishing they could build a rollercoaster or go back in time. They’re going to do it.
It could get boring for the same thing to happen everyday, but for them it’s not, because they’re spending time with the people they love and doing these crazy things without any fear holding them back. They’re embracing it.
Summer for them is a larger metaphor for life. It will come to an end, and you want to know you’ve done everything you could. Everyday, they go into their backyard with a choice of just sitting there or doing something. And they use their imagination to take those chances we’re given.
We can learn from these kids to be better, to take risks and make the most of our lives. We can just have fun and live and not worry about when it’s coming to an end, because we’re doing what we can right now.
So how can this be used in writing?
Well, this works perfectly for the theme of the show, because when Candace is shown to be having fun is when she’s agreeing to join in on these adventures and enjoying life without worrying about what she can gain for it. She needs to learn to experience life to the fullest in every moment.
Not every story is about that. If you’re writing about a character learning about their world while a dark threat is slowly looming over them, monster of the week will probably work because they overcome smaller conflicts as they are brought closer to the larger one, able to use their newfound knowledge to solve this one.
If it’s a story about someone’s life as major problems in their life keep escalating, three act will work because these problems are the same throughout the story, their severity and how the protagonist reacts to them is what changes.
Phineas and Ferb aren’t changing throughout the story, so the structure doesn’t need to change. If your theme is about how to overcome something, things are going to need to change as your characters do. If it’s about exploration, they’re going to need a structure that has them able to find something new about the world in every conflict and resolution. If your characters need something to break them down, do it! If they need moments of peace to reflect, do it! This story is about them, and that’s how the audience will understand what it means for them as someone watching them learn, grow, or just live.
