Vladimir Propp

He believed some narratives have character roles and functions.

Vladimir Propp analysed a whole series of Russian folk tales in the 1920s and decided that the same events kept being repeated in each of the stories, creating a consistent framework.

Main Theories the villain, who struggles with the hero (formally known as the antagonist)

the donor,

the helper,

the Princess,

a sought-for person (and/or her father), who exists as a goal and often recognizes and marries hero and/or punishes villain

the dispatcher,

the hero, who departs on a search (seeker-hero), reacts to the donor and weds

the false hero (or antihero or usurper), who claims to be the hero, often seeking and reacting like a real hero (ie by trying to marry the princess)

Life on Mars –

Hero – Sam Tyler

Villain –Colin Reams

Princess – Myia

False Hero - Gene Hunt