What role does Hills (2004) suggest the fans play in the construction of cult TV? How is new media central to this?
According to Hills (2004), fans play a huge part in the constrution of cult tv shows more than in any other TV genre. It is assumed that Cult TV shows are "created by fans rather than by media producers" (Hill, 2004). Meaning that these shows are created solely for the purposes of the entertainment needs of a specific audience and not for profit or advertisers to please the masses like we often see such as the plethora of talent-type TVs hows like X-Factor, American Idol etc.Fans' dedication to Cult TV shows may even allow the TV show to come back from being cancelled or even warrant a movie to be released. When a specific TV show might be cancelled or is off-season, the show's cult-like status still lives on online via discussion blog and fan fiction that is created by fans online.
One of the best examples of this is Joss Whedon's TV show called "Firefly". That show only lasted for only 11 episodes and many fans were disappointed that the Fox network didn't bother to renew the series for a second season. Firefly's demise became somewhat more of a success when it was released on DVD. The DVD sold over 200,000 copies that "Universal green-lit a small-budget movie, to be written and directed by Whedon" (Russell, 2005) himself. This movie was became Serenity as a result of this which was released in 2005 and became somewhat of a critical success, but didn't become a big enough Box Office hit to warrant a sequel. Still, had it not been for the passionate fans, Firefly would not have had the movie Serenity in the first place, although this hasn't stopped fans to this day petitioning for a second movie to be made...
The same can hold true for Buffy too. It was cancelled from its original channel (WB) after season 5. Although the show averaged around 4.5 million viewers per episode, WB did not think this was high enough to justify paying more than $1.8 million per episode on the series. UPN saw the potential in Buffy's popularity and Buffy moved onto the new station (along with Angel as well) for a further 2 seasons.
Buffy initially reached its "cult like" status due to its unique themes and content it includes over more other mainstream television shows out there. In the episode "The I in Team" we get to witness the first female attraction between the characters of Willow and Tara since Willow feels Buffy is spending too much time with her boyfriend and his commando mates. This was the start of a lesbian relationship that reached its peak in the fifth season in an episode called "The Body" when Willow and Tara finally kissed. The show even aired the first ever lesbian sex scene ever before on network television.
References:
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.
Russell, M. (2005). The Browncoats Rise Again. Retrieved October 2nd, 2012, from http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/757fhfxg.asp
Perhaps the reason why cult shows have such low viewings is because they push the envelope, and present unconventional, or new, ideas?
ReplyDeleteIt could be that this boundary pushing challenges peoples perceptions and views, and they don't want that. But rather want to be stay in their comfort zones with tv shows that say "you're right".
I'm not sure if I'm totally right on this, but after 9/11 I feel American TV Shows have become much more tamer and less controversial. Cult shows that "push the boundary" are not popular because some are violent and America has become more paranoid after 9/11. That's why we see shows like Glee and American Idol be so popular because they are wholesome family shows that a modern America likes to see.
DeleteThe Wilcox and Lavery secondary text kind of back up your idea Damian. They were saying that some episodes of Buffy weren't allowed to air because it was too similar, and too near the timing of the Columbine High School massacre.
DeleteBut at the same time, I sort of disagree. Shows like Fringe the Trueblood are American, and both have a lot of blood and fighting and, well in Truebloods case, sex. Maybe there was a lull and they're working their way out again.
You make a good point Che, although True Blood is on a cable TV channel (HBO) over in the USA and isn't seen by the majority of the USA. As for Fringe, ratings in the USA have plummeted since the first season.
DeleteAs I said above, Glee and American Idol are ratings successes for Fox network. They usually get 10 million viewers or more per episode while the final of American Idol gets 30 million viewers or more.
I kind of agree with your hypothesis on the whole after 9/11 thing. People got away with those kind of shows but now they seem more to be more offensive, and people think so much about how video games and movies that are damaging our kids, after the last shit ten years or so the world has had, people might be more protective and or worried of the possible??
ReplyDelete