Sorry, 007: Why we root for heroes who are much more ordinary

“While it’s fun to watch James Bond kick ass, we don’t really identify with him. Most people — myself included — feel overwhelmed by life from time to time. And we can more easily understand and empathize with a character who is in over their head and barely keeping it together.”
— Andy Weir

The author Andy Weir made these comments during an interview in 2022, while discussing the release of his book Project Hail Mary. I started digging into the book over the weekend, and plan to see the film adaptation coming out in a few days, with Ryan Gosling in the lead.

Like his prior book The Martian, Weir has dreamed up a story that focuses on someone who is ordinary (well, sort of) but in extraordinary circumstances. In this case, it’s a science teacher who awakens from suspended animation, unaware of who he even is, gradually piecing together the save-all-humanity mission that gives the spaceship and title its name.

Here’s a Cosmic Shed podcast from almost five years ago featuring an interview with Weir.