Weeks 10 and 11 – Buffy.
1) Q. Wilcox and Lavery
(2002) identify 9 defining characteristics of 'quality TV' - can you apply any
of these to other television series that you have viewed recently? Are there
any other characteristics that you could add to their list?
2) What role does Hills (2004) suggest the fans
play in the construction of cult TV? How is new media central to this?
3) Hills (2004)
lists a number of defining characteristics of cult TV that contain similarities
to the defining characteristics of pop genres (e.g. fantasy, science fiction)
discussed earlier in the Pop Genres paper. Can you identify these and discuss
why you think that these characteristics are repeatedly viewed as underpinning
popular genres?
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ReplyDeleteBuffy The Vampire Slayer (Cult TV Show) - How does Buffy deconstruct traditional literary notions of good and evil?
ReplyDeleteBuffy the Vampire Slayer is an American supernatural drama television series created by Joss Whedon under his production tag, Mutant Enemy Productions with later co-executive producers being Jane Espenson, David Fury, David Greenwalt, Doug Petrie, Marti Noxon, and David Solomon.( on March 10, 1997)
The deconstruct notion of good and evil would always be made very clear from the first meeting of the character.
Vampires and Demons. We grow to love Angel (the vampire) as Buffy does as he looks out and protects her. He is the ultimate hero alongside the heroine Buffy.
The horror genre has its own idea of good and evil. The horror arises when evil sneaks up on the good, messing up the world and scaring the reader/viewer with the outcome. Again, it’s inevitable; someone will die, and die horribly.
The horror also ties us into the idea that there is a fine line between love and hate Both such strong and powerful emotions that are both so closely linked. Buffy and Angel love each other and then when he leaves her, she is so hurt, all she wants to do is kill him and make him suffer.
Obviously, in the whole story Buffy between good and evil does not correspond to a strict metaphysical distinction between good creatures and evil creatures.
Reference
-Buffy, the vampire slayer. (Whedon et al., 2001) Whedon, J., Gellar, S., Hannigan, A., Brendon, N., Boreanaz, D., Head, A. and Carpenter, C. (2001). Buffy, the vampire slayer. [Beverly Hills, Calif.]: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.
(Chambliss and Whedon, n.d.) Chambliss, A. and Whedon, J. (n.d.). Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
4) Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Cult TV Show) - How does Buffy deconstruct traditional literary notions of good and evil?
ReplyDeleteBuffy The Vampire Slayer was a very good Cult TV show. It showed a classic traditional literary notions of good and evil. Buffy the good character is a slayer or so called in the movie (chosen by fate) to battle against vampires, demons and other forces of darkness. In my opinion good and evil was shown based around high school life. What teens go through through high school. This gave the show a realistic approach which a lot of the themes or topics were relatable to the audience. Buffy being a Vampire plays her role to save people from demons and vampires. Vampire in the real world is seen as evil or bad but not in this TV show. Buffy the vampire slayer shows that there is no good or evil there are just people who save the world and people who want to destroy it.
Q. Wilcox and Lavery (2002) identify 9 defining characteristics of 'quality TV' - can you apply any of these to other television series that you have viewed recently? Are there any other characteristics that you could add to their list?
ReplyDelete1.Quality TV equals quality pedigree: Buffy’s creator does bring a certain cachet, they are people who are educated and has been acknowledge within high regarded schools.
2.Publicity and Broadcasting problems- Broadcasting has been a problem to good quality television shows which they often struggle to get viewers. Often, they negotiate with other network to help them stay on air. Unfortunately for Buffy the Vampire slayer they were one of the shows that faced these problems.
3. Generally, they have large ensemble cast- Buffy the Vampire slayer had over 20 characters recurring throughout the whole entire series. Which quality TV tends to have in general, where we see them quite often on screen.
4. Have memory. A good memory on a quality TV is often involve in a recurring narrative that will look back or an important moment or moments that has occur to an important character. Characters develop and change as the set goes on. In Buffy the Vampire slayer this was use quite often as it helps the audience remember an important moment or to highlight a climax in the story.
5. Literary or writer based. The writing is usually more complex than in other types of programming.
6. Quality TV is “self-conscious”. Indirect allusions are made for both high and popular culture, but mostly to TV. The show often reference itself to other shows. Like in Buffy, her close friends were referred to as “the Scooby’s”
7. The mode of quality TV tends towards the controversial. Shows or series like Buffy frequently includes subject that wouldn’t be acceptable to watch on popular TV shows, which gives them a chance to touch on social issues like for example religion which was shown at some episodes on Buffy. They can do this due to its lack of popularity.
8. Quality TV aspires towards realism. The show buffy was mostly made of scenarios that are not real, but due to its relationships that was sustained and build over the series, it leads to believe in some realism and world issues.
9. Creating new genres by mixing old ones. All quality shows integrate comedy and drama. In Buffy the Vampire slayer the recognise genres are supernatural fantasies and gothic romances.
I do not watch supernatural shows or fantasy but I do watch crime drama series like SVU, NCIS, CSI etc. I do see a lot of these characteristics in TV series I watch, most of it to be exact. I see that they have a lot in common with Buffy the Vampire like for example characteristic number 4 (Have memory). I can see that they have a lot in common with TV series I watch (NCIS) for example when one of the suspect on a previous episode comes after one of the detectives for revenge. The difference though between the two is its Popularity. Buffy the Vampire slayer wasn’t as successful as NCIS or SVU which both are respected and currently airing and are both one and two longest running scripted, non-animated U.S primetime TV series. I think the reason for Buffy for not being a popular TV series is that networks are not willing to invest in projects they believe will not be successful or maybe less creators or writers who are not willing to take risk of making a low rating show.
Reference:
DeleteWilcox, R. & Lavery, D. (2002). Introduction, in R. Wilcox & D. Lavery (eds) Fighting the forces: what’s at stake in Buffy the vampire slayer. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield
Week 10-11
ReplyDeleteQ. Wilcox and Lavery (2002) identify 9 defining characteristics of 'quality TV' - can you apply any of these to other television series that you have viewed recently? Are there any other characteristics that you could add to their list?
Quality- of creators or writers usually are graduates from high regarded schools, have worked previously on several quality projects in the past and possibly had a relative who use to work before in the industry before them.
Publicity- the struggle of viewers and against networks, quality shows often do not perform well when It comes to viewer ratings. They struggle staying on air usually they fight for or often negotiate with other network to be funded and to stay on air.
Generally quality TV tends to have a huge cast. Quality shows tends to have a big cast, an example is Buffy the vampire slayer. They had more than 20 characters, this includes recurring supporting characters.
Has memory- often has a continuing narrative and will remember anything that has happened to a character in a previous episode.
Literary or writer based- Shows like buffy often is more complex on telling stories.
Creating new genres by mixing old ones- quality TV often has quality of older genres. Most shows integrate with comedy and drama. In Buffy mix of soap, operas, horror movies etc.
Quality TV is self-conscious- they often make reference itself to other shows. An example is on Buffy, her friends were called or referred as “Scooby’s”.
The mode of quality TV tends towards the controversial. TV shows or series like Buffy, due to its unpopularity in ratings and numbers. This gives them a chance to deal with issues or have scene which would be unacceptable in more watched shows like for example American Idol. Examples of issue that are unacceptable are lesbians kissing, R18, killing etc.
Quality TV aspires towards realism- Even though the show Buffy is not real and based on fiction. The show did a good job on creating relationships with its characters and putting real life issues in their narrative or story which made it more believable or something the audience could understand/ relate.
I personally don’t watch Buffy the vampire slayer, maybe because of my age I have never come across it. But compared to the television show FRIENDS a lot of people my age have seen. Seeing that Friends is a comedy, the quality of the show is not as thought out as compared to Buffy, where Friends is focused on keeping the comedy going. Whereas Buffy storyline was thought out completely. In my opinion the publicity for friends was much bigger because it was show cased on TV, as well as being a comedy that caters to a lot of people, rather than a series about vampires that don’t interest a lot of people. Friends was aired on TV at a time where families would get together and watch in the evening. Friends didn’t have a huge cast, Buffy had a big cast, showing us the quality differences between the two. Friends has memory, it has continuing narrative and people remember certain characteristics from certain characters. An example of this is Joey’s famous catch phrase “how you doin” which everyone knows is from friends. Over all I think Friends was more well known television series than Buffy because of the qualities friends had compared to Buffy.
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