Renfield from OBX2. I like him the way the Fandom on TikTok likes Rafe.
Okay, I know Renfield has at most 14 minutes of screen time, is morally questionable as fuck, and is hardly anybody's favorite character. I am not claiming he's secretly a good person. I just think there's more to discuss about him than people give him credit for.
Some thoughts:
- I don't need him to be a good person to find him compelling. Sure he's a villain but liking him isn't the same as approving of his actions. He's threatening, self-assured, sometimes cruel, and entertaining to watch.
- His relationship with Carla deserved more exploration. They're half-siblings, and their relationship is shaped by his postition as the Limbrey bastard, family resentment and financial dependence. He can be indifferent toward her while also resenting her. (Season 2 ep 6 where he looks genuinely wounded after she calls him pathetic and says "ever since you slitered out of that tramp and abandoned the family for years, just to come crawling back looking for a payout" vs season 2 ep 7 where he tells his army ranger buddies "half-sister, you know the story just. Just got to wait for her to kick off"). Their final confrontation is more interesting when you consider the history behind it. I mean- me personally? The actions leading to his death felt OOC to me. The laugh after Rafe's joke about the magic scarf being eaten by bugs? That didn't seem like the Renfield we see who'd only said all of 5 words per interaction with caral before then. "Yes, ma'am", "enough- alright?" "we'll find it" "I think they still have the key", "I'll get it done".
- His Army background is a huge unexplored part of his character. Carla literally tells him to "get your friends. The ones you served with". Who was he before he started working for her? What was his military experience like? How did he end up in her employ? And that line in season 2 ep 6 "Ever since you abandoned the family for years". Did they grow up together? What shaped his personality? I don't want a backstory that excuses him. I want one that explains him.
- He has a distinct personality despite his limited screen time. His dry, mocking delivery and the way he talks about power and control make him stand out. “Knowing when you don't have a choice is an underappreciated talent” is such a good example of how he sees the world.
- His death feels like wasted potential. I'm not saying he deserved to survive because he's secretly a saint. I just think he could have had interesting dynamics with Rafe or become an independent character outside of Carla. He could have remained a villain and still been worth exploring. Even then he didn't need to stay a villian. He could've had a similar character arc as shoupe, annoying and an antagonist in the pogues eyes but still semi useful when needed.
- I also think people can be weird about his looks. I'm not claiming everybody has to find him attractive, but he has a rugged, ordinary Southern-man look that I personally find appealing. Genuinely- he's like my exact time and I find him so fine but both the show (season 2 ep 4 "who was that creepy bastard?"- John B) and the fandom trest him like he's ugly.
I'm not saying Renfield is better written than Rafe or that everyone should like him. Rafe has far more screen time and development, so the comparison isn't one-to-one. I'm saying Renfield caught my attention, and I wish the show had done more with the character it introduced. It felt like they gave him all the plot points to be a good character and then gave him a quick death. His death to me almost feels like the Pates were in the writing room like "we have to get rid of this seasons villian before the coastal venture arc".
Anyway, I appear to be one of his approximately two fans, and I would like to know what other people think. Did anyone else find him interesting, or am I alone in this? I find him hot and because I am pathetic 18 year old girl who sees a hot man and thinks "I want to know everything about him", i have decided to put top much effort into a character that the show hasn't mentioned since season 2 back in 2021.