To what extent have economic factors influenced these shows?
Economic factors have influenced these shows to a large extent. However, for both shows, a more complex approach has been taken to minimise risk and to maximise profit. Rather than targeting a mass, mainstream audience, both shows actively target and engage a niche and cult audience, to construct an audience who will obsessively engage with these shows. Cult TV has a history, and classic examples of TV shows that construct a Cult audience include Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Twin Peaks and The X-files, all well documented successes that paved the way for these two shows.
San Junipero
- References a range of cult and contemporary media tat helps to establish a cult audience. Heaven Is A Place On Earth is a cheesy pop song, here given a new meaning
- The MES of the theatrical poster for The Lost Boys, a cult vampire film with a cult audience
- The reference to Max Headroom additionally situates the narrative within the 1980s, and again is another example of a cult tv show
- Yorkie is established as a marginalised outsider. Her costume, in particular her shorts mark her as queer coded, appealing to a queer audience. Additionally, her glasses and withdrawn performance code her as a stereotypical nerd
- The science fiction elements of this show are unconventional and often difficult for non fans to comprehend . The central themes of uploading consciousness, of simulation and digital life after death will appeal to a cult audience
- Positioned as, or with Yorkie. Yorkie is engaging to a queer audience, as well as audiences who are social outcasts, and feel excluded. Yorkie’s glasses function as a symbolic code, constructing her as shy and nerdy, and therefore she will appeal to a similar audience
- The nerd representation is reinforced with a deluge of intertextuality. The intertextual relay constructed through the Lost Boys poster, Max Headroom, and vintage arcade games such as Bubble Bobble, Top Speed and Gradius. The cult audience are positioned as an obsessive fan, taking pleasure at seeing their favourite things on screen
- The 80s setting constructs an intense sense of nostalgia. Audiences can construct intense nostalgic relationships through media, which is an essential theme that this episode cultivates.
- The single strand narrative allows the show to explore themes and questions of death, simulation, the effects of tech and euthanasia
Les Revenants
- Clearly influenced from the the structure of Twin Peaks, and the use of mysteries and a clearly defined aesthetic instructs the target audience that this will be a cult TV show with the sorts of mysteries that will be worth analysing.
- The soundtrack to LR seems to be a clear intertextual reference to the famous Twin Peaks soundtrack. Clearly paying homage to Twin Peaks. Additionally, the natural, beautiful setting, and the vagueness of the setting and the narrative clearly pay homage to Twin Peaks
- Julie is a queer nerd. She is coded as a non stereotypical representation of a woman, and will resonate with fans who will identify her her status as an outsider.
- Themes of depression, trauma and mental illness. These themes are dealth with in a mature and non-condescending way, and will relate to audiences who have experienced similar.
- The show uses heavy symbolism throughout. The use of the iconography of a dead wolf, and dead animals in the opening sequence are highly polysemic, and encourage the devoted cult audience to interpret this in multiple ways
- Themes of isolation, and growing up in a small town, allows a marginalised and unrepresented audience to engage
- The first scene of Les Revenants is more subtle, however, does make intertextual reference to cult 1991 TV show Twin Peaks. The show also uses conventions from classic zombie films, and features posters for the exorcist, and a brief clip from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
- Starts in medias res, before frankly depicting the deaths of a bus load of teenagers. This grisly and gruesome mode of address appeals to a cult audience
- A theme of mystery and hermeneutics, that encourages the active audience audience to research , discuss and engage with the show
- With various characters, a multi strand and complex narrative is constructed, allowing the show to appeal to multiple cult audiences. It also increases the confusion, deliberately causing points of discussion. Questions the audience are forced to answer include victor’s presence, why certain characters return, and how is this even possible
- Les revenants makes explicit intertextual reference to Twin Peaks. The gentle, countryside atmosphere combined with a serial killer narrative is a clear reference, and weven the iconography of the water pouring in to the lake in both title sequences suggests a deliberate reference. This deliberate reference allows the cult audience to identify Les Revenants as a cult show