Week 9 – What role does Hills (2004) suggest the fans play in the construction of cult TV? How is new media central to this?

Hill (2004) suggests that the popularity of cult TV shows comes mostly from the fact that fans make them so. In other words, this would mean that a program on TV only works if there are people to watch it. In order to thrive and become famous, a show needs an audience that will love it and ask for more; shows that are in demand usually last longer in the production. Some cult TV shows have been broadcasted for decades and still retain their original appeal; others which production has ended a while ago and do rerun are still famous (e.g cult series Friends). In his words Hill (2004) explains that “cult status arises, ultimately, through an audience’s passion for a TV show”. However fans of cult TV don’t only show passion for their favourite programs they also defend their consumption choices because “cult TV is centrally important to cult fans’ ‘lifestyles and identities’” (Hill, 2004). With the advancement of new media, the rising of TV shows to cult status is even more prominent with the space and time in which shows can be accessed becoming broader.