Page 57 - A Handbook Genre Studies in Mass Media
P. 57

CHAPTER 3


                  Table 3.2
                  Plot Characteristics of Genres: Conflict Between Order and Chaos

                  Genre                Focus of Conflict
                  Western              The locale of the American frontier
                  Supercop             The invulnerability of agents of law and order
                                       (includes spies)
                  Detective            Personal initiative in preserving law and order
                  Gangster             Personal ambition as superior to law and order
                                       (includes subgenres of Robin Hood, Big Caper,
                                       prison and film noir)
                  Futuristic science fiction  Technological dependence in a future locale
                  Disaster             Natural catastrophe
                  Fantasy              Heroic triumph in an enhanced environment
                  “Creature feature”   Giant beasts
                  Science fiction       Plausible contacts with extraterrestrial life
                  Psychological horror  Intensely heightened rational fears
                  Horror               Metaphysically based fears (subgenres of man/God
                                       and “powers of darkness”)
                  Musical              Thematic presentation through song and/or dance
                  (includes subgenres
                  of revues, backstage,
                  performance, operetta,
                  and fantasy
                  Comedy               The amusing fallibility of human conflicts and
                                       creations (subgenres include conflict, satire/parody,
                                       complication)
                    Source: Ken Burke, “Charting Relationships in American Popular Film.” International
                  Journal of Instructional Media 25, no. 1 (1998): 87–109.

                  each episode, which pits the contestants against one another. In addition,
                  personality conflicts make up important subplots. For instance, in 2005,
                  after “villains” Rob Mariano and Amber Brkich were introduced into
                  The Amazing Race, the ratings climbed from 10.3 million to 12.4 million
                  viewers within three weeks. Kelly Kahl, CBS’s senior executive vice
                  president for scheduling, said, “What [Mariano and Brkich] brought more
                  than anything is a real sense of competitiveness and controversy—they’re
                  playing the game in a new way. Some in the audience like it and some
                  don’t.”  Host Phil Keoghan agrees: “I think they’ve been incredibly tena-
                        13
                  cious, smart, engaging, and charismatic. That doesn’t mean that people
                  have to necessarily agree with all the choices they’ve made, but there’s no
                  denying that they’ve made for some entertaining moments. They are good

                                                42
   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62