Page 30 - A Handbook Genre Studies in Mass Media

PROCESS

mother, suffers the anxieties of being a parent in this modern age, and is
burdened by troubles in his “waste management” business. As a result,
he suffers from anxiety attacks and goes into therapy. But Tony leads a
secret life—much like the fantasy world of the audience. As a mob boss,
he is a ruthless killer who simply takes what he wants from his weaker
prey. And although Tony is overweight and balding, he is continually
engaging in extramarital affairs with gorgeous women.
Genres also offer an escape into a world as it could be. For instance,
the adolescent dramatic series Gilmore Girls (CW network) presents a
portrait of an ideal relationship between the mother, Lorelai Gilmore, and
her daughter Rory. Media critic Alessandra Stanley explains:

“Gilmore Girls,” [a story] in which the mother and daughter get along
splendidly and converse in arch, screwball comedy shorthand, is a mother’s
pipe dream, but all teenage shows traffic in the adult fantasy that teenagers
and parents can come to an understanding in a crisis (AIDS, condoms,
eating disorders, death of a grandparent). 19

Providing Comfort. Popular genres serve as vehicles through which
individuals are able to put their own lives into perspective. Talk shows
like Dr. Phil provide a public arena for what formerly had been “private”
problems such as spousal abuse and alcoholism.
In the face of social upheaval, audiences often turn to genres for their
very predictability. To illustrate, in the aftermath of 9/11, the audience
for situation comedies increased over the previous year, in part because
the familiarity of the genre provided a degree of comfort to the audi-
ence. Robert Thompson, director of the Center for the Study of Popular
Television at Syracuse University, argues that

a sitcom can be an anesthetic to the sad and horrible images we see.
Watching Friends is like watching Gomer Pyle during the Vietnam War.
It was terribly comforting to watch Marines not fight any battles. Just as
it’s terribly comforting to watch Ross and Rachel not mourn the loss of
any friends. 20

Genres can also provide a safe way for people to contend with uncer-
tainties in their own lives. For instance, the monsters in the horror genre
may serve as external manifestations of those dangerous elements within
human experience that comprise the underside of seemingly safe areas
of life. Colin McGinn observes:

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