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?
The
defining characteristics of ‘quality TV’ as defined by Wilcox and Lavery (2002)
are:
1.
“Quality
TV usually has a pedigree.”
Grey’s Anatomy’s creator Shonda Rhimes became famous from
the show’s success and has then moved on to make Grey’s Anatomy’s spin-off, ‘Private
Practice’ as well as more recent popular TV shows, ‘Scandal’ and ‘How to Get
Away with Murder’.
2.
“Desirable
demographics notwithstanding, quality shows must often undergo a noble struggle
against profit-mongering networks and non-appreciative audiences.”
Quality TV often struggle with viewer numbers and often have
to fight to stay broadcasted. They negotiate with the network heads to get
funding to stay on air. Buffy also struggled with viewer numbers and was
eventually cut by WB.
3.
“Quality
TV tends to have a large ensemble cast.”
Supernatural is a great example of this. They have 2 actors
in the main cast and in every season they have a great number of recurring and
guest casts.
4.
“Quality
TV has a memory.”
As the series progresses, True Blood characters remember
incidents that happen in previous episodes or seasons.
5.
“Quality TV creates a new genre by mixing old
ones.”
The Vampire Diaries is similar to Buffy because it also
adheres to and mixes up the same genres as Buffy. For example, ‘day-time soaps’,
‘gothic romances’, and ‘Grade-B horror flicks and supernatural fantasies’.
6.
“Quality TV tends to be literary and
writer-based.”
The Vampire Diaries is based on the novels written by L. J.
Smith.
7.
“Quality TV is self-conscious.”
Grey’s Anatomy shows a lot of horrible and difficult medical
procedures and all the main characters are involved in real issues such as
cheating, lying and death of a loved one.
8.
“The subject matter of quality TV tends toward
the controversial.”
Dexter is a good example of this. Controversial themes such
as lying, cheating and the most obvious one, the main character who is a blood
spatter pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department but also
moonlights as a serial killer.
9.
“Quality TV aspires toward ‘realism’.”
References
Lavery,
D. & Wilcox, R. (2002). Fighting the forces: what's at stake in Buffy the
vampire slayer. (Introduction). Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield.
Good Roxy, nice post. I think when Wilcox and Lavery talked about a show being self-conscious they were referring to its ability to reference itself, its fans, its creators, etc. But you have found good examples for each point.
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