When we think of our favorite TV shows we often think first of our favorite characters.
That's because as gripping as the plot might be, as fun as the special effects are, what we connect with are the characters.
The hero, the villain, the love interest.
Are they compelling, what are their ambitions, their hopes and weaknesses? How would they react to pain, to stress, to achieving their goals? Whether it's the cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Spartacus or whatever other favorite show of yours, it's the characters that draw us in.
So how do you go about creating a compelling mix? The first character must by the hero.
Now, he need not be a goody-two-shoes; he can be as conflicted as Tony Soprano.
But he needs to grip the audience.
They need to admire him, feel pity for him, root for him, be involved with his story.
Whether it's Malcolm Reynolds from Firefly or Spartacus himself, you need to be impressed by the hero, admire him and root for him.
Then you need to create those around him.
This is where you need to be aware of stereotypes and tropes.
The cold but beautiful scientist chick, the wise old African American, the nerdy white guy who's good at computers, the Asian martial artist.
These have all been done to death, so watch out.
If you choose to go that route, be sure you're doing something new and innovative.
You can create such roles as the love interest, the best friend, the competitor, the tech guy, and so forth.
It's great if you can create a rival for your hero, somebody that at first competes and blocks him, but ultimately they fight together and achieve greater power for uniting their strengths.
Think of your favorite characters in books and movies and write them down.
Then ask yourself: how original are they? Why do they captivate you? Then seek to replicate that same effect with your new creations.
Often you'll find that they are completely original.
Which puts the onus on you to be the same!