Page 48 - A Handbook Genre Studies in Mass Media

FORMULAIC ANALYSIS

Mature Stage

At this phase, the genre is well established, with many versions of the
genre appearing in the media. Today, the competition for the Tonight Show
on broadcast television alone includes Late Show with David Letterman
(CBS), Conan O’Brien (NBC), Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson
(CBS), and Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC). In addition, talk shows began
appearing in the morning and afternoon slots.
In an effort to appear distinctive, these programs experiment with the
established formula. For instance, breaking with the traditional cadre of
celebrity guests, David Letterman has made a semi-regular of Rupert
G, who owns a deli down the street from Letterman’s theater. Ironically,
by playing with the conventions of the talk show, hosts like David Let-
terman are harkening back to the innovations of their predecessors from
the formative stage, such as Ernie Kovacs.

Formulaic Elements

Formulaic Premise

A premise is defined as the initial circumstance, situation, or assumption
that serves as the point of origin for a narrative. Each genre has its own
distinctive formulaic premise; that is, a characteristic situation in which
characters find themselves. This premise furnishes information about
what the audience can expect when it comes upon a program belonging
to a particular genre.
For instance, a situation comedy is a half-hour series focused on epi-
sodes involving recurring characters. The humor is based on everyday
situations rather than on individual jokes. The characters survive minor
problems—only to face new trials in the next episode.
The premise of a genre begins with a describable worldview. For
instance, scholar Ken Burke describes the premise of the disaster genre
in terms of the following worldview:

[In] the disaster film, a contemporary counterpart to “States of the Future,”
. . . modern society is threatened by natural problems such as earthquakes,
tidal waves, fires, and runaway airplanes. In these sensationalistic break-
downs of the old hero story, some portion of the planet is endangered by a
force beyond control, leaving a bevy of celebrities to scurry out of harm’s
way in time for a sequel. 7

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