Nostalgia is every where as many shows which had been cancelled or ended long ago are returning. X-Files and Gilmore Girls came back, Young Justice finally got its long awaited season three, and Charmed is getting a reboot. How does this affect how we watch the new season out reboot? How does this affect our perceptions of the old show? Does waiting so long end up paying off?
Great topic! From the moment PrisonBreak ended I have been waiting for it to come back. – Munjeera8 years ago
You might also delve into, which shows get a comeback, why, and who should get to decide. Are there shows that haven't received a comeback, but should? What makes a show popular enough to warrant one? – Stephanie M.8 years ago
I think that sometimes shows shouldn't come back because they are rarely as good as the original and sometimes try too hard. I would love friends to come back, but i know that i'll only be disappointed because it can never recreate the magic of the past.
Maybe try and identify where comeback shows go wrong and some examples of this. – Emefa18 years ago
This could be a super interesting topic. Another thing to think about is the effect it can have on a new audience who didn't grow up with the original shows, and whether they should update it to fit the times or keep it as it was? Or perhaps what to update and what not to? This definitely raises a lot of questions, I like it! – Sarah A.7 years ago
Would be very interested to hear the perspective on the idea that Prison Break will be returning - is it legitimate for shows to return and pretend that the seemingly final last episode was never meant to be final? Is it okay for us to accept this re-writing of the planned narrative after the fact? – jessfaith09127 years ago
Great topic. It's such a grey area with a lot to explore, you have those who are all about the reboots (I am a sucker for nostalgia) and those who are against them. Plus, reboots tend to get a whole lot of criticism, mainly because people have so many expectations. – MikaylaMargaret7 years ago
Not that I ever watched the show to begin with, but it might be useful to mention the upcoming Will & Grace reboot, which is set to ditch its original ending because it was inconvenient. I can't imagine fans are going to be very happy about that. Sometimes tinkering with the story like that can hurt the original. – AGMacdonald7 years ago
Examine the incorporation of branded marketing in the history of film and TV, and how the normalization of sponsored content has allowed for successful films like The Lego Movie to branded documentary series like Margot vs. Lily by NikeWomen. Is it changing the world of advertising or is it changing the world of entertainment?
Game of Thrones has seen incredible, groundbreaking success, such it has developed a devout following. The success is due to multiple factors. Two of which are duration and quality. The fact that GOT is indeed a television show instead of a film, allows characters to truly develop and grow. Films generally have a time limit of three hours to develop any characters. Films on the other hand, have quality that tv shows usually do not. Game of Thrones is able to connect these two aspects, tv show length for development and film like quality. Fans are able to become much more invested than other movies or shows. In the future, we can hope that other TV shows look to invest in the higher quality, and produce great shows like GOT.
The showrunners for Star Trek: Discovery have named Game of Thrones as an inspiration for the format of the show. – AGMacdonald7 years ago
I sincerely hope that the success of GoT inspires other writers/producers to make series with a similarly long game view.; either book adaptations, as GoT, or stand-alone series.
– JudyPeters7 years ago
There are a number of TV shows and film franchises that have an almost cult-like following (e.g. Star Wars, Supernatural, MCU, Harry Potter, Star Trek, Doctor Who, BBC Sherlock). What's the appeal? How or where do these "fandoms" start? Why do they exist? What do these "fandom franchises" have in common? And does it say something about our society that these are the shows that have gained fandom followings?
I think the social factors your questions allude are very good points of interest in this article. However, I think it'd be just as interesting to explore the impact of companies on fandoms too, because without the desire to make profit a lot of them cease to exist. Perhaps this suggests what should/shouldn't be promoted in society. Going down the rabbit hole of failed tv/book series because of small audience would be cool to learn about. But perhaps looking at "fandoms" generally is too much research for the author. It might be easier to look at the change of Fandoms in the past fifty years by comparing older ones with news ones, while addressing those same questions you've mentioned. Doctor Who or Star Trek against something like Harry Potter would be interesting, particularly as they began before the internet and encompass different generations. – olives2brand7 years ago
I definitely thing the popularity of certain fandoms indicates something about society. Mostly that escapism is stronger that ever. Whether or not this is a good thing is highly interesting! – reneekohler7 years ago
People seem to enjoy that feeling of belonging to a like-minded group, and fandoms operate to satisfy that sort of urge. Who does not like to engage with like-minded people? Is it escapism? Or a need to belong? – JudyPeters7 years ago
Audience fascination with medicine has resulted in a large number of riveting TV series pertaining to the topic being made. Analyse the various aspects and ethical dilemmas of medicine portrayed on various medical shows.(even the lesser known ones)
It should be. But, you should display acuity in choosing products that are not hoax ( giving you only complications.) – droy8 years ago
This one would take research. So many medical dramas that are designed to come across as authentic still take advantage of common misconceptions in order to cut storytelling corners, and since the bulk of what laypeople know about what to do in a crisis comes from what they've seen on TV, this can be really dangerous. On the other hand, medical dramas are a potential way to introduce little-known or misunderstood health issues to a broader audience, and it could be fascinating to explore the impact of this and the nature of the moral obligation this places on the show to be both informative, non-judgemental yet still present an engaging narrative. – Cat7 years ago
The evil twin is, at first glance, a predictable trope where pure villainy is set against the heroism of the central protagonist. Evil is subsequently only something that is external to our hero. But is this all there is? Does having an evil twin make the hero confront another side to himself? What does it mean for the viewer to see someone who looks exactly like the hero we know behave in a completely different manner? Does it make us reevaluate his behaviour, think about what circumstances could make him turn to the dark side? Or is this all negated by the disappearance or death of the evil twin and a swift return to the status quo?
This is a very valid exercise in self-judgment or sizing up of strangers. In a personal sense, evaluating the inherent goodness or bothersome evilness can be cathartic in times of peril or doubt. In dealing with others, it can be a make or break relationship that start productive or end disastrously. Seeing this dynamic in action through the twin phenomena can be insightful for the viewer, and probably transformative for the director as well. I think there is a good reason this narrative exists, it really serves a useful purpose in finding the root cause of positive or negative personalities or situations. Movies and television are littered with the story line, contact me to discuss. – lofreire7 years ago
Interesting topic and questions. I tend to think the evil twin trope is tired and clichéd--if it's played completely straight. However, I like it when heroes are forced to confront "shadow" versions of themselves. For example, I once wrote a character whose nemesis embodied what her worst traits would have been, had she not possessed the morality and inner strength to control her own weaknesses. I think confronting that is a lot more powerful than confronting an evil twin, because it's actually scarier. If a hero has an evil twin, then yes he or she can just say, "Oh, that's the evil me. I don't want it, I have to kill it, I killed it, so let's go back to how things were." But if a hero is confronted with another, unrelated person, the stakes are different. Example: an intellectually gifted but loner hero confronted with an equally intelligent person who uses his or her brain to hurt and alienate others. In that situation, the hero has to confront, "That *could* be me. I can relate to and sympathize with that, so how do I approach and cope with this person?" – Stephanie M.7 years ago
The basic emergence of this cliched trend harkens back to the very existence of matter and antimatter in this universe. Interesting topic. – Vishnu Unnithan7 years ago
It can certainly be used as a lazy trope, undoubtedly; however, it also harks back to the doppelganger concept, which would be an interesting addition to exploring this theme. – JudyPeters7 years ago
Daria was a TV show that ran for 5 seasons from 1997 – 2001. It explores the life of a teenage girl who is a sarcastic realist in a world where her family life and school life are decentralized from her values and morals.
Given the recent rise of political correctness, how important is it for a person to stand for their beliefs even when they are unpopular? An look into the life of the fictional character Daria – Who is she and what does she stand for?
I'm not familiar with Daria, although I've heard a lot about her (should investigate). Love the topic. :) In writing it, be sure to:
(A) Define "political correctness"
(B) Compare/contrast what beliefs are acceptable or unacceptable, and why. How has that evolved? (Example: in the 1950s and '60s, what we now call "liberal" beliefs were highly unpopular for many. But as liberalism and conservatism have evolved, so have our stances on them).
(C) Compare/contrast other characters with Daria. Even if their beliefs aren't obvious, what do they seem to be? How do the characters stand up for what they believe--or don't they? If not, why not? – Stephanie M.7 years ago
Looks so interesting. I'm not familiar with the show either but I find this topic potentially very stimulating and topical. – JulieCMillay7 years ago
The TV show modern family appears to be a dramatised portrayal of a dysfunctional family. The show although, appears to focus a great deal on the need for adaptation to the various changes in social constructs especially in relation to family dynamics. Does modern family replicate the struggles that people come across today? How are we reacting to these rapid changes? Is modern family able to indeed create a parallel between TV and Reality?
