Week 9 & 10 - Cult TV

2. What role does Hills (2004) suggest the fans play in the construction of cult TV? How is new media central to this?

Cult TV can be thought of as a group of texts, often hailing from the genres of science fiction, fantasy and horror. According to Hill (2004), “The three major definitions of cult TV that I will discuss correspond broadly to different levels in a three-part model of text/inter-text/audience.” The existence of fans is an essential part in improving, developing and making successful material rather than by just media producers. In terms of fan activities on TV shows, in my opinion, it affects not only for the cult TV genre. Hill also describes that the “cult TV” forms an ‘intertextual network’ which almost expresses a communication network that preserves fans on the loop for every kind of popular materials, for example movies, books and comics. Therefore, there is similarity between pop genres’ characteristics and cult TV’s characteristics.

The fans can help promoting the TV shows, because they would find their own appreciation society for the TV shows. “Cult TV” is set apart from the mainstream, and is often distinguished by its high style, innovative subject matter, sexual outrageousness or uncompromising political stance. Anything is set apart from the mainstream, which is always difficult to increase its awareness, especially by the producers of it. Therefore, the fans should play an important role for it. According to Hills (2004), cult TV can be neither made nor promoted as such by the media industry, but instead is entirely reliant on audience devotion. When the appreciation societies are developed to honour a programme, the fans can discuss it with the like-minded people.

The fans of cult television also create toys, costumes or other merchandise items for the programmes. All these side-products always have a huge impact and influence to the public, and they can help building a greater appreciation society for the cult TV. While they are creating such a thing like that, it can make more people recognize the programmes. Hill has mentioned the fans use the inter-texts to link to a wider network of popular materials, which includes comics or novels or other platforms for the fans. He cited Jenkins (1992) “Fans often find it difficult to discuss single programs except through references and comparisons to this broader network. This can be the description of the fans dependence on this inter-textual network.

Hill also points out how the fans can provide the details and create the comments and reviews on the shows or the episodes that they have missed. All those information can help a lot to the new people who may be interested to join in. The fans can now use the social media or communicate with others online. Therefore, if they use the internet wisely it allows them to have a platform to form their appreciation societies.

Personally, I am a big fan of Vampire stories shows. I have watched diverse Vampire series shows. But the origin of those shows is Buffy, showed literary intertextuality and narratives good and evil. In the relationship to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the internet plays a big part in its cult TV fan base. Buffy is one of the biggest Cult TV shows of all time, and has an enormous follower's group worldwide. Fans have created many websites dedicated to Buffy, character analysis, further plot development, alternate endings, but this is only the beginning. Regarding to the research, I did on the internet to find out what kind of online activities Buffy fans participate in and the lists are so huge!. It ranges from quizzes, gaming and role-playing, poetry, visual art and crafts, debate and discussion, and sharing files.

References

Hills, (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.

UK Terrestrial TV; What is cult TV?. (n.d.).  Retreieved  Oct 20, 2014, from http://www.culttv.plus.com/whatis.html