WEEK 9- Anita Ibell

Hills (2004) lists a number of defining characteristics of Cult TV that contain similarities to the defining characteristics of popular genres (e.g fantasy, science fiction) discussed earlier in the Popular Genres paper. Can you identify these and discuss why you think that these characteristics are repeatedly viewed as underpinning popular genres?

One of the ways in which Hill (2004) defines Cult TV is as depending on texts. According to this definition, it could be argued that Cult TV programmes are characterised by a number of shared textual attributes- although some of these shared qualities may exist on quite an abstract level if the comparisons stretch over a wide net of Cult TV programs.

Many of these shows constructs immensely detailed, often fantastic and expansive narrative worlds that transcend our viewing experience. Because of this convention, it is then possible for narrative rules to be broken and for questions to be left open throughout the storyline. Hill also reckons that because of these fantastic narratives being developed over a lengthy period of time, the fantastic often takes on 'a quality of everydayness by virtue of its repetition, familiarity and narrative iteration.' and this is one of the reasons it is so popular with audiences. (Hill, 2004. p511.)

I think that the ideas presented by Hill when analysing Cult TV can be applied to all of the primary texts that we have studied throughout this Popular Genres paper. Some of the ways in which popular genres such as fantasand sci-fi deviate from other genres of fiction is how they present an alternative view of reality. exist in fantasy worlds, or have fantastical creatures or conventions, which removes them from traditional realism. Going as far back to the graphic novel focus of Weeks 1 & 2 Herge's Tin Tin also utilises these characteristics- the charater of Tin Tin goes on these big adventures through exotic (though not other-worldly) places, landing himself in situations that would appeal unrealistic to the people reading the text.

'Popular genres are often relatively new or recent, being the products of technological development, especially in terms of the evolution of new media...' (Taken from Week 1 Lecture) Cult tv is activated as anti-mainstream, where it's role is partially to re-value otherwise devalued popular texts through a new structure, new technology.
so shows like Buffy can play on the conventions of sci-fi that was explored first in books such as Man in the High Castle by using newer media (TV) that's relative to a new audience.

Buffy and the Scooby gang are brought together through their involvment with the demon underworld. It's something they can't share with their classmates and the community around them and helps to the characters to form a close friendship. I think that it also helps to connect us with the narrative too because as the viewer, we know something that some of the other characters don't even know, in the same way that when we read a fantasy novel, a comic or a work of science fiction we are transported to another world and remain in that world for the duration of the text. I think the idea of these texts as a form of escapism is also relevant and maybe this is one of the reasons these characteristics continue to be shared as underpinning themes in popular genres of fiction.

Another idea I found interesting when looking over our introductory lecture from week 1, is the way in which fantasy characters are often represented as Jungian archetypes, rather than normal, everyday people. I think as well as being applied to characters like Ged from A Wizard of Earthsea the hero label could be applied to characters in cult TV. Buffy, for example, possesses powers and supernatural abilities and goes through a journey in the way that none of her normal teenage friends do. Despite not being a normal teenager however, she battles moral dilemmas and faces challenges that we can still relate to, such as the way her relationship with Riley is challenged in 'Goodbye Iowa'- even though it is because of murder, demons and other surreal reasons. This idea goes well with one of the definitions of fantasy as discussed in a previous post; "One of the most important elements that fantasy can aim to give is comprehensible form to life, death, good and evil" - through storylines that can clarify philisophical and moral conflicts while not being directly applicable to our own lives." (Attebery. 1980.)

Attebery, B. (1980). The Fantasy Tradition in American Literature: From Irving to Le Guin. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1-10.

Hills, M. (2004). Defining Cult TV; Texts, Inter-texts and Fan Audiences, The Television Studies Reader, in R. C. Allen & A. Hill. London and New York: Routledge.