Filler (media)
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In media, filler is material that is added to pad out other, more relevant material.
[edit] Episodic television
In television, filler episodes in a continuity-based series are episodes that are not required to understand the basic story arcs. Filler episodes are often assumed to be used to pad out a weak story, especially if they are perceived to be of poor quality; however, filler episodes are sometimes used to give background to characters and events, or to give writers a chance to show off creativity and deviate from the standard mood of the series. The most common type of filler episode is a 'character episode' which focuses on the backstory or motivations of a single character without actually advancing the plot. Such episodes are useful in series which have large ensemble casts who cannot always be featured simultaneously.
Filler may also refer to a subplot within an episode that serves to increase the running time to the program's usual time. It may also refer to an obscure or old program shown at the bleak hours of night to fill broadcast time without going off air. Often, in the United States, infomercials are shown during these hours.
Filler is tolerated to a certain degree by fans, but still receive much critism. Common complaints about filler episodes include possible contradictions to the main storyline, out of character situations, and events or characters which should have a larger impact on the storyline but which are never brought up again. Filler is more apparent in series in which producers are required to have a specific number of episodes per season.
Sometimes, filler material can be unexpectedly popular and even overshadow the main material. A major example was the creation of the characters Bob and Doug McKenzie of Second City TV fame. The characters were created to fulfill and ridicule CBC's request for two minutes of identifiably Canadian content on the show. The pair became the most popular characters on the show and the signature characters of it.
[edit] Anime series
Filler can also refer to a term regarding some episodes of manga-based anime. Filler episodes are usually used to give the manga storyline time to get ahead of the anime story, as a single anime episode may use several chapters of manga as storyline material.
Anime fillers are met with many of the same critisms as their television counterparts, as well as a few unique ones. Aside from the regular complaints, the fact that the series is based on a manga makes the possibility of plot contradictions all the more probable, since there is often little communication between the two groups. Moreover, in order to avoid such contradictions, the material of such filler episodes are even more limited than normal in that backstory or character development can't occur in order to avoid a clash with future, main-story-arc related material. Some series may even deviate entirely from the manga as a result. Also, long periods of filler can eventually lead to the cancellation of a series, which is the case with Rurouni Kenshin. Since manga artists tend to ignore any developments that occur in filler stories, fillers often further cement the division between the separate anime and manga continuities which may be quite similar without this content, which is most easily noticed in the Dragon Ball series.
[edit] Filler in other media
Filler has a similar connotation nearly everywhere; for instance, in music it refers to songs written and included for the express purpose of completing an album, while the songs themselves are not expected to achieve or sustain much relative commercial success.
In webcomics, filler is often posted when the artist can't make a scheduled update. It is often sketches or preliminary art, reader question and answer pages, or characters acting in situations out of continuity.
