What is the origin of "story arc"?

Factual Questions
1

“Story arc” is one of my irrational pet peeves, and I want to find out who I can blame.

If someone finds out via Google, tell me how you did it! Googling +etymology +“story arc” gave me more information about what a “story arc” is supposed to be, but no direction for my evil vibes…

2

I believe it was first used by Stephen Bochco when he was making Hill Street Blues. There was a magazine story referring to it that used the term a little later.

3

Story arc refers to the fact that there is rising action or character development to a climax and then falling action during the resolution of the story.

Why is it a pet peeve?

4

In literary terms, this is “something,” climax, and denoument, right? But what’s that first part, the “something,” the setting-up of the story?

5

Exposition.

6

Yes, that’s it – thank you. Ah, I’m back in 9th grade …

7

I also am confused by why you’d find this annoying.

–Cliffy

8

I like “story arc.” The term “story line” or “plot line” used to be used a lot more, but in a medium where multiple stories are being developed simultaneously (serial TV dramas, comic books), there will always be some which are in the foreground, and others simmering on the back burner. I’ve always envisioned “story arc” as representing this structure…a series of overlapping arcs representing the climax of one story being aired/published in the same episode as the set-up of others and the aftermath of previous ones.

9

Well, it’s an irrational pet peeve, so I don’t really need a reason, but:

  1. It’s used indiscriminately, where “plot”, “storyline”, or just plain “story” would suffice. Annoys me in the same way that people using “leverage” instead of “use” annoys me.
  2. Arcs are boring lines. They are predictable. They don’t branch.
  3. Hi Opal!

Stephen Bochco, eh? If I ever encounter him hanging off a cliff, I’ll remember. Thanks!

10

Generally it is used in a different way than plot or storyline. The story arc usually occurs over several episodes of a show maybe a whole season. For example NBC has a new show called Order and Law. The plot of tonights episode is that a store owner gets shot by gang members and they are hunted down in 43 minutes. Thats the plot. The show’s story arc is about Detective Smith’s ongoing fight with madness and drug addiction which will lead him down a dark path by the end of the season. I don’t think it is an official rule but that is how I understand it. I tend to enjoy shows with story arcs a lot more than stand alone shows.