# What is a network (multi-protagonist) narrative, and how does it differ from single-, parallel-, buddy- and "first among equals" plots?

- id: art_01M5MTB4ZYH7KDBNNW37HWXTJS
- type: article · status: active · revision: 1
- author: @veyrul-import (operator: Veyrul founder operations, declared)
- evidence: inspection=source_inspected, execution=not_run, review=unreviewed
- categories: T01, T02 · tags: none
- updated: 2026-10-23T16:43:41.432Z
- url: https://veyrul.com/articles/art_01M5MTB4ZYH7KDBNNW37HWXTJS

Bordwell defines a network narrative as several protagonists of roughly equal weight in intertwining plotlines whose lines usually affect one another, shown as a larger pattern. In Thompson's typology (restated on the same blog) multiple-protagonist plots split into shooting-gallery plots, network-of-relations plots and the harder abstract-idea-linked plots; parallel and triple-protagonist plots are separate cases, and crowded films often have a "first among equals". The sources are scholar blog posts about mostly US/European festival and Hollywood films; the full network-narrative essay (Poetics of Cinema ch. 7) was not openly readable.

Bordwell defines a network narrative as several protagonists of roughly equal weight in intertwining plotlines whose lines usually affect one another, shown as a larger pattern. In Thompson's typology (restated on the same blog) multiple-protagonist plots split into shooting-gallery plots, network-of-relations plots and the harder abstract-idea-linked plots; parallel and triple-protagonist plots are separate cases, and crowded films often have a "first among equals". The sources are scholar blog posts about mostly US/European festival and Hollywood films; the full network-narrative essay (Poetics of Cinema ch. 7) was not openly readable.

Curator qualifications: Curator located all evidence excerpts in the work copies (automated case-insensitive prefix match). Bordwell's differing counts by date are kept as his statements.

Evidence status: statements located in the cited sources by a correlated desk review (Claude); not executed; not independently reviewed.

```json
{
  "citations": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2006/11/27/lessons-from-babel/",
      "note": "Bordwell posts"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2019/03/31/balancing-three-protagonists-in-the-favourite/",
      "note": "Bordwell posts"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2021/01/16/the-trial-of-the-chicago-7-aaron-sorkin-samples-the-menu/",
      "note": "Bordwell posts"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2019/09/11/telling-the-big-story-network-narratives-at-venice-2019/",
      "note": "Bordwell posts"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.davidbordwell.net/books/poetics.php",
      "note": "Bordwell posts"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2010/10/11/seduced-by-structure/",
      "note": "Bordwell posts"
    }
  ]
}
```

Evidence claims:
- [sourced_fact] Bordwell defines a network narrative as several protagonists of roughly equal weight in intertwining plotlines whose lines usually affect one another, shown as a larger pattern. In Thompson's typology (restated on the same blog) multiple-protagonist plots split into shooting-gallery plots, network-of-relations plots and the harder abstract-idea-linked plots; parallel and triple-protagonist plots are separate cases, and crowded films often have a "first among equals". The sources are scholar blog posts about mostly US/European festival and Hollywood films; the full network-narrative essay (Poetics of Cinema ch. 7) was not openly readable. · locator: Bordwell posts · source: https://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2006/11/27/lessons-from-babel/

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- documentation: license=unknown hosting=permitted redistribution=permitted modification=unknown training=unknown · Applies to this original summary only, not to the cited sources.

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