Week 9 what role does Hills (2004) suggest the fans play in the construction of cult TV? How is new media central to this?
According to Hill (2004), fandom has enthusiastic passions with cult TV. Once they are into any one of cult TV they will appreciate of the work and keep their loyalty to watch cult TV. Audiences would like to watch cult TV through the fan culture. Fans for cult TV distinguish to other genres TV program because they might make the elements of making TV show. A great cult TV wouldn’t be made for commercial activities; it’s more for fans activities, because “always define themselves against ‘consumers’.”(p.p 4, pg 517). Cult TV would become one of their habits through their lifestyle.
Media helps fans have more than one show or one star, they share qualities with others. They use ‘intersexual network’ to connect cult into their life. There are lost of website use ‘cult’ as a title because that’s what fans would like to see. Internet would be a new stage for fans to collect, share and discuss what they have found about ‘cult’ from their daily life
According to Hill (2004), the definition of cult is more equal fan audience rather than a TV show. In somehow, cult TV shows is made of audiences rather than made by produce, because fandom actually has big effect for propaganda.
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.
We can also see that many cult programs base their storylines and characters around atypical fans. As Darryl pointed out, Buffy is all about teenage angst, so therefore really appeals to teen fans. Look at Twilight! I know this is not cult television but i would certainly describe it as cult! Bonnie Mann writes a brilliant essay regarding Twilight, which explains how so many themes are explored in the series (its pretty funny actually) that are relevant to girls today, and could be part of the reason why the books have so many fans. Because if you do not appeal to the target audience, how will your show become 'cult'?
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