# Erin Brockovich: writing underdogs

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/story-nerd-5321719/erin-brockovich-writing-underdogs
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/story-nerd-5321719/erin-brockovich-writing-underdogs.md
Podcast: [Story Nerd](https://stenobird.com/podcast/story-nerd-5321719)
Published: 2026-02-18T17:45:00+00:00
Episode link: https://storynerd.simplecast.com/episodes/erin-brockovich-writing-underdogs-lf4txrwd-4gi_1_E8
Audio file: https://cdn.simplecast.com/audio/ecc02378-71a1-4297-8fb1-cd4d834eddb7/episodes/94471c1a-a00d-43ea-ba22-1a2acc1dbb33/audio/277b0993-d99c-4c69-a072-5dbf41c6ab14/default_tc.mp3?aid=rss_feed&feed=yjW978tJ
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/story-nerd-5321719/episodes/erin-brockovich-writing-underdogs
Duration seconds: 1513

## Resource

This season I'm blowing the idea that ‘characters need arcs’ out of the water. Erin Brockovich is a constant character and she’s an underdog. With the odds against her, she does not change instead, she bends the world to suit herself. This is no mean feat, because the villain is powerful and wealthy. In underdog movies the speech in praise of the villain is essential. It's through this speech that we understand how powerful and how unlikely it is for our protagonist to come out on top. Join us as we unpack how a constant character and speeches in praise of the villain work together to deliver a deeply satisfying story. - M.

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## Transcript

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