In this chapter, we will be researching and looking at fan culture, how it is defined and its place in society as well as what are the aspects that build up a fan culture base.
TV cult fandom has existed way before ‘LOST’ was first broadcasted, other cult TV fandom include a vast range of narratives from ‘Star Trek’ to ‘Buff the Vampire Slayer’ to ‘Doctor Who’ to ‘Faulty Towers’. What defines a cult fan, and what aspect of a TV show turns it into a ‘cult’?
In relation to television, it is considered that what makes a show a cult television show is the strong loyalty provided by the audience whom think a lot about the show, particularly the world in which it is set. Looking at the history of cult television, the common genre of the cult shows tend to be found in science fiction, fantasy fiction, horror and sitcoms.
The fandom that surrounds a defining cult show is accumulated by the audience involvement with the show other than just watching it, taking part in fan culture activities such as show discussions, theorizing, fan fiction, taking part in conventions and communities etc.
Another trend in a cult TV show is normally the attraction of a narrow audience. Due to an obscure narrative, usually attracting a small level of popularity and critically acclaimed.
It is thought that there are two types of fans, the obsessive individual fan and the hysterical crowd. This is how Joli Jenson describes types of fandom when exploring why and how these two types predominate.
“Fandom is seen as an excessive, bordering on deranged, behaviour.” Joli Jenson states in “The Adoring Audience: Fan Culture and Popular Media”. So it will be researched, debated and concluded in this chapter about fandom and fan culture that will lead to answering one of the questions in this study, are ‘LOST’ fans excessive in their fandom?
An online article by Ishita Sood, posted on the 9th January is a prime example of what many may conclude excessive fandom in relation to ‘LOST’. The headline being “’LOST’ fans win against Obama; State of Union speech postponed”. The article is about how Obama reached an agreement with the executive producers of ‘LOST’ to postpone the State of Union speech that was scheduled on the same night of the ‘LOST’ premier for the final season. According to the article “Obama knew about the conflict which was caused due to the speech.”
Robert Gibbs, the White House spokesman was quoted “I don’t foresee a scenario in which millions of people that hope to finally get some conclusion in ‘LOST’ are pre-empted by the president. I assume it’s a big deal at ABC.” Which could be interpreted as a hint of Obama’s loyalty to the popular cult show, as well as potentially revealing him as a fan of ‘LOST’ too?
Fans were also quoted in the article, two of them suggesting that the most loyal and questionable ‘excessive’. One fan was quoted “Americans against the State of Union Address on the same night as ‘LOST’. I have been waiting all freaking year. I can’t wait for ‘LOST’ another day!! The State of the Union Address can wait!” (Comment here)
Another fan was quoted “I want to know about the state of The Island, not the state of the union, Barrack Obama, I will never forgive you.” (Comment here)
This article could lead to agree with the opinion that media influence is the cause and blame for ‘fan obsession’. Conflicting commenter’s on the article posted by anonymous individuals, in which one wrote “I am so embarrassed to be an American right now because of all the shallow-minded imbeciles out there thinking that a freakin’ TV episode is more important than what the President of the United States has to say on the current condition of the Union. And the scariest thing is, is that those simplistic peons vote!” This could be seen as evidence of Jenson’s statement that “fandom is seen as psychological symptom of a presumed social dysfunction.” Jenson believes that society views fandom is characterized as involvement of social and psychological pathology. She includes comparisons with those of the music genre and football hooliganism, identifying stereotypes that have led fans to being viewed by society in a negative light.
“Fandom is largely reduced to mental and discursive activity occurring without passion, without feeling, without an experience of (perhaps involuntary) self-transformation.” quoted from “Fan Cultures by Matt Hills, the objective in this research is debating whether Hills’s reconsideration of “fan discourse as a justification for fan passions and attachments” in relation to a fan being defined alone and simply just for having ‘fan knowledge’.
“Today, a cult audience is praised by the media and the cult series has gone mainstream – “LOST” is a prime example, with millions of viewers worldwide puzzling over the series enigmas. Its mysteries and meaning. It’s easy to see that the media moguls want watching their shows, the more viewers, the merrier, and the more lucrative a series franchise becomes.”
According to Matt Hills in his book “The Cult TV Book”, fandom and societies perception of being a fan has certainly changed. Of course, this can be mainly identified by the ever fast advances in technology and communication. Before the internet became a commons source for fandom activities, fans weren’t as easily connected or acquainted with one another. Meeting fellow and equally dedicated fans often would only occur at conventions, and of course, this cost money too, and with meeting fellow fans on the internet to discuss their favourite TV shows etc, is of course, a little cheaper then forking our hundreds of pounds on attending a convention and buying a costume to wear for it.
Since the improvements in technology has become widely accessible for the public, fans are able to share their passion for cult TV shows such as ‘LOST’ through the medium of fan sites, forums, videos, blogs, podcasts, avatars etc. The main avenue to this fan culture through fan sites and forums, where fans discuss their favourite TV show as well as contributing with theories and other forms of fan activity such as fan fiction, art and videos.
Merchandise is still a strong and successful pull in consumer consumption of fan culture. There are many stores and online markets where fans can purchase products that relate to their fandom in which they can proudly display their dedications.
Matt Hill reviews Kurt Lancaster’s discussion of fan consumerism and contrasting fan commodity between good and bad. He quotes Lancaster’s discussion “Forbidden Planet is a ‘clearinghouse’ for science fiction commodities that allow people to enter worlds of fantasy... the objects purchased in this store become a means for branching out into other worlds (by reading and fantasising), the participants of which come together in a setting at this bookstore, online or at a convention.” Authored in 1996.
Hills accuses Lancaster discussion as “a betrayal of an anxiety over the commodity-status of its contents, moving all to rapidly from the (‘bad’) fan-commodity to the (‘good’) fan-commodity. From the quote provided alone, Hill’s statement isn’t comprehensible, as the quote is more a statement discussing the availability of fan-commodity and does not provide personal opinion of rash comparison of ‘bad’ and ‘good’ fan-commodities. (comment. Come back to. Not making sense)
Looking at the history of fandom and cult tv, it is a common aspect that fans produced from a particular cult TV show are often represented as acting in bizarre behaviours’ and are often compared as socially abnormal in society. Many have considered that the ‘Trekkie’ fan to be of an absorbed breed. The recently edited “Cult TV Book” by Stacey Abbot addresses the cult audience and the identity of ‘devoted fans’.
This chapter in this book suggests that society’s views of the behaviour of the ‘obsessive fan’ are hardly different to sport and music fans. The sport fan that will attend every game possible, wear team uniform and colours and the music fan that will do their best to follow their favourite artists on tour. Television fans are described as those who “reschedule activities around airings of their favourite TV series, haunts the internet for interviews or the latest casting news, and knows each episode and storyline by heart.”
Hilary Robson, the author of this particular chapter, comments that “these behaviours may seem obsessive, odd and eccentric to the fan” but contrasts the fact that these harmless acts of fandom can escalate to further dramatic acts, such as Edward Seidel. “In 1979, the 15-year-old jumped to his death from an overpass bridge after learning his favourite television series ‘Battlestar Galatica – had been cancelled.” Of course, these type of incidents are rare, however, it is a prime example of how fandom can be taken that little bit too far, and brings up the question whether fan culture can lead to dangerous, clinical obsession.
In “The Cult TV Book”, Pugh illustrates “some fans, often female, wanted the action to slow down enough to give the characters and relationships time to evolve; they wanted more overt emotion and personal interaction than the scriptwriters were given them. They wanted vulnerability in the characters too, so that they could feel with and for them.” This can be applied to many cult TV shows, but specifically in “LOST”, where forum members have debated which of the characters would make better couples, ‘shipping’ them into battles between ‘Jate’ (Jack and Kate) or ‘Skate’ (Sawyer and Kate).
© Copyright 2009 by Zoe Kendell-Taylor
No comments:
Post a Comment