Eye Candy is a brand new show, but it’s already making waves with its unique portrayal of the core characters.
It’s easy to walk the well-worn path and create characters that have cookie-cutter personalities and specific roles to fulfill. After all, if the formula works, why adjust any of the elements?
Eye Candy‘s creators clearly do not agree with that assessment, however. Each week, they’ve continually surprised us by destroying barriers, busting clichés, and abolishing stereotypes. It’s not easy to carve a new path, but it’s certainly more satisfying.
Below, we’ve taken each of the main characters on the show and broken down the role they could’ve been portraying and the role they’ve actually been taking on in the show. Some are more overt than others, but each character has done something to make themselves stand out from the crowd.
Lindy
Lindy could very well have been a damsel in distress character. Within the first episode, we saw her sister kidnapped, her boyfriend killed, and her being targeted by a psychopath. No one would blame her if she just wanted someone else to solve all of her problems. But that’s not how Lindy operates.
Time after time, Lindy has refused to be the victim. She’s actively searched for the Flirtual killer, oftentimes putting herself at great risk just for the chance to catch him. And while she looks like just another typical 20-something, our heroine is anything but. She’s stunningly beautiful and incredibly intelligent and talented. She’s small and slight, and yet she has no problem going after Connor and taking him to the mat. She’s so much more than she looks at first glance, and that’s everything we could hope for in a leading lady.
Connor
Speaking of Connor, he could have had one of the stereotyped roles on television. How many shows can you think of that portray the gay BFF who’s there simply for the comedic relief and a few snarky one-liners? The list is virtually endless, but we’re happy to report that Connor’s name has not joined the others in that group.
Sure, Connor is the gay BFF, but his best friend is Sophia, not Lindy. In fact, he has an antagonistic relationship with the main character, which often portrays him in a negative light. And, yes, he is good for some snappy comments, but his role in the show’s mystery is intricate and detailed. At one point we’re made to believe he may be involved in the murders, while in another moment he’s being targeted by the killer. And although he probably wouldn’t like to admit it, he and Lindy are more alike than they realize. Connor also refuses to be a victim, and has shown that he’s capable of defending himself and the ones he loves.
Sophia
We would love to see Sophia’s role expanded on Eye Candy, if only because she’s such a strong, independent young woman. As with many female characters, she could be just another damsel, waiting for someone to be her knight in shining armor. Young women in particular are often seen as wild, irresponsible party-goers that are “asking” for what’s coming to them. But not Sophia. She doesn’t go to the club; she owns the club.
Though we don’t know too much about Sophia’s past just yet, we do know she comes from a wealthy family. While that has surely provided her opportunities most other people wouldn’t have had, it clearly has not made her lazy. Despite her young age, Sophia is already a successful business owner. She owns the club IRL, which is a popular hot-spot for those looking to let loose, and it seems she has a hand in most aspects of her livelihood. She’s not one to let other people make the big decisions.
Tommy
Tommy’s character is another one that could have just as easily been a stereotypical role on a show like this. As the lead detective with the Cyber Crimes Unit, many other shows would’ve made him the main character, and we would’ve seen the events of the show through his eyes instead of Lindy’s. While Tommy does have a present and important role on Eye Candy, he is just one of many that make up this ensemble.
Tommy is clearly being set up as the main love interest for Lindy, at least at this point in the season. However, it never feels like his presence dominates hers. She doesn’t need Tommy; she’s strong and capable and independent. And while Tommy has done his fair share of rescuing, Lindy has been right there when he needed help, too, like the time she saved him from the trunk of a car that had been hijacked by the Flirtual killer.
The serial killer
The Flirtual Killer is an elusive beast, and he’s made more interesting by his uniquely mysterious qualities. Serial killers come in a variety of types, and each one has their signatures — the things that motivate and identify them. At some base level, most murderers kill for only a few different reasons. The distinctions are in the details.
The Flirtual killer surprised us first and foremost when we found out he was an “equal opportunity serial killer.” In other words, he had no problem dating and subsequently killing both men and women. And not only were the genders different, but we also saw victims of different heights, weights, sizes, hair colors, and races. As serial killers usually have a very specific “type,” this definitely makes the Flirtual killer wholly unique. What also sets him apart is his intelligence. He’s not only killing his victims, but “fixing” them, and leaving behind evidence in order to tell a story. It’s a fascinating portrayal, albeit horrifically morbid.
George
George is the character on the show that’s probably most removed from everything going on in Lindy’s life. While he definitely knows what’s happening — and has helped her dig up evidence on more than one occasion — his role as a slight outsider allows him to have a more jovial and entertaining role. And just like the gay best friend trope, George’s size could be used as a device to define his character — but it simply doesn’t.
George is wonderfully content in his body, and it shows during every second he is on screen. He’s upbeat, funny, loud, and proud, and we wouldn’t want him any other way. The best part about George, however, is the way in which he breaks stereotypes. At first glance you might know exactly the kind of character George is, but you’d be wrong. Unabashedly a ladies man, we’ve already seen George sweep more than one girl off her feet, and that just adds depth and character to this role.