This is something I've always wondered. I can't really remember any other American show where the caracthers are consistently referred to by their full names! Personally, I kind of love it and I think it adds to the overall charm of the showm but I'm wondering, is this just a particular style choice of Winnie Holzman's or is this a fairly common trait in America, for people to call others by their full name?
share[deleted]
I agree with the other poster, I think it was mostly Jordan Catalano.
I think it was to make him seem famous or important. Think if you're talking about Katy Perry.....if you keep saying "On Katy's new album...." or "I wonder if Katy likes Target. Katy probably shops at Hollister." By just using the first name, she's no different from other "Katys." But if you use first and last name, she sounds more....I don't know....special. Different.
So if on MSCL, Angela always talks about "Jordan" and only his first name, most of us know a Jordan and we have our connotation. But if it's always "Jordan Catalano" then it's like she's talking about only one person, and he sounds like a legend!
I also always wondered why many characters were called by their last names in this show. There are several scenes where characters say "Hey Catalano" "Hey Graff" etc. Since it's set in Pittsburgh, I wondered if it was an East Coast thing. Did people actually do this in high school?
shareI went to high school in NY and most of the guys called one another by their last names.
shareI don't think it's particularly common in the U.S. but I can tell you that for some reason there are certain people in my high school we referred to by their full names and as an adult there are certain people I and my friends refer to by their full names. No specific reason, sometimes someone just has a great or interesting name. This happened in high school and in my adult life it happens at work, too, but it's not typical. Just some people here and there... :)
I live in Southern California--I can't speak for the rest of the country.
"Your petty vengeance fetish will have to do withOUT Mr. Groin!"
When you refer to someone by their full name, it has the effect of conveying that you perceive the person as incredibly unique and distinctive, either in a good way or a bad way:
"Jordan Catalano actually touched my shoulder today."
"How can Rayanne Graff do that? Who does she think she is?!"
"Bryan Krakow is, like, from another planet. He's seriously a space alien."
It emphasizes that the person you are talking about is very distinctive in some way and somehow 'apart' from the rest of the masses. Referring to the characters by their first and last names really conveyed how dramatic and EPIC various people and experiences feel like when you're a teenager.
Totally agree!
My thought is that they want to eliminate all ambiguity to whom they are referring to. My bet is that it was more a tool for the writers then a depiction of real life.
I tell you what.