Contemporary television narratives increasingly depict counterproductive protagonists with ethical violations counterbalanced by emotional vulnerability, psychological depth and relational attachment. By examining how contemporary supernatural television narrative constructs moral sympathy towards counterproductive protagonists through narrative framing techniques; the study does so using qualitative textual analytic methodology through an analysis of selected scenes from supernatural television series The Vampire Diaries, Lucifer and The Originals that centre around characters Damon Salvatore (Vampire Diaries), Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer) and Klaus Mikaelson (Originals). Specifically using the Narrative Framing Theory, the Moral Disengagement Theory and the Character Engagement Theory as theoretical frameworks for analysis, the study examines how dialogue, trauma, emotional vulnerability, confession, relational attachment and self-sacrifice are used as agents of rehabilitation of counterproductive protagonists. The results indicate that narrative framing is the primary method by which audiences are invited to negotiate emotionally morality and sympathise with ethically troubling Contrapositives (antiheroes). Emotional pain, shameful trauma, confession and relational intimacy are repeatedly employed to contextualise ethical transgression enabling audiences to understand violence/cruelty psychologically/emotionally rather than simply ethically. Finally, the study indicates that redemption in supernatural television is constructed relationally (through emotional accountability and recognition) rather than through a complete moral sanctioning of character behaviour. The study adds to the bodies of literature on antiheroes; television studies and media morality by revealing how emotionally connecting and psychologically complex contemporary supernatural television strategically reframes immoral acts through emotional engagement and psychological complexity.
G et al. (Wed,) studied this question.