tns oneshots

tns opinions

Hi guys! Today I thought I'd just share some of my tns opinions with you, so you can get to know me better. I promise a one shot will also be out soon.

I'd love if you would also give your opinions since I love hearing everyone's different viewpoints! these opinions are gonna be kinda random and scattered around various topics, so let's get started!

1. Richelle deserves better

Richelle is a fan favourite character, we all know that and so does the next step themselves.  I feel like she deserved better plots. Like for example, Noah had a bunch of well rounded plots, like about proving himself, getting set back with an injury and then coming full circle with dance captain. This really rounded off his arc well. But I feel like Richelle sudden character development came out of nowhere in S8, so this is what I would've done for her each season:

S4 - I think this is the main one which I was annoyed at. RICHELLE HAS BEEN WORKING FOR YEARS TO MAKE IT ON TO A TROUPE AND WHEN SHE MAKES IT, IT'S NOTHING? (probably bc the focus of the season was ralfie and jiley tbh). I think instead of recycling the Noah plot and having her doubt herself (bc we know that's not in character for richelle), maybe have her struggling to make friends or something? Maybe she puts so much focus into dance, a troupe don't really like her because she never really talks to them unless it's for dance, and she's never invited to social stuff and always excluded? And she could feel like she's losing Noah, her only friend on the team, as he gets closer to Amanda? And maybe she could have an emotional outburst, maybe at regionals, feeling really alone all the time and the way her teammates have treated her slowly destroying her mental health? Idk maybe something more deep bc I love it when we see a softer side to the tougher characters (Emily, Richelle etc) because it makes them seem more human.

S5 - I think the snapping hip plot was a good idea, but executed badly. Maybe when she gets  dance captain, she thinks she'll lose it if she comes clean about her injury. Maybe we could see her being missing from rehearsal because of doctors appointments, or her on the phone with her parents and they're telling her to stop dancing. Also I think it should've dragged on for longer, like it started whilst she was still on TNS east, and continued into S6 (as I will mention later).

S6 - I think Richelle's injury should've dragged out for around the first half of the season, and she should've taken it a lot more easy at the beginning. However, maybe she develops some sort of fear after her injury, and it stops her from dancing to her fullest potential. She could say "I'm marking it just to be on the safe side" but in reality, her doctor gave her the approval note ages ago and she's afraid because of the pain the last time she danced. I think it would be good for Richelle's character to be scared, and maybe it would be good for her to talk to Emily (because of their bond and Emily also went through something similar) about her worries and her and Michelle could help her by giving her privates etc. Maybe this could also cause some jealousy among the team because Richelle is getting extra training, but I also think it would be good for Noah to stick her up for her as the dance captain and explain that she's recovering from an injury and she needs those extra lessons to gain her full mobility again. This would be cute bc they obviously have history together and Noah went through the same thing Richelle is now going through. This would give them more buildup for their episode at the end of the season, and I also think they should've had more scenes like this in S6.

S7 - I feel like S6 Richelle was developed ok ish, and this went backwards in S7. I think that maybe her lonliness feelings from S4 could almost return, as now Noah and Jacquie left, and I would have her hanging out and having fun with both of them in season 6. Maybe she could be more quiet around the team, and nobody really talks or reaches out to her because of them all being wrapped up in their own lives. Maybe this is the reason why she decides to go solo, but instead of bailing on the team, she could leave a few days before, and a troupe don't even notice she's missing until they rehearse the 10 person dance. This would make her seem less arrogant and annoying as she was in S7 and instead give us the opportunity to empathise with her.