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    Time in Television Narrative Exploring T - InTRODUCTION

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    MAX SORRIBAS

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    IN TELEVISION NARRATIVE Exploring Temporality in Twenty-First-Century Programming Edited by Melissa Ames UMIVERSIY PRESS OF MISSISSIPPI + JACKSON nesses Tie vey es fests iso mabe he sai of aa ity ses Coop © 2012 Uist ss of ses Ags end Monod athe Ue ices fee Fest ig 2012 ay of ones Cag Pct oo Tin in ne aie eli emp n wepieny epanig / oli by ass es paw nds tapas nin. |S 9761617082904 (hol pope) — BN 97811702943 hot ino sin, 2 ise pags tnd Sos ds, ke, 1978 9281561562012 TH ASOI9—48 o1nosaae oh hy Cpe sn Bow ele For ll who fel that “fine is mover wasted on a good feleision show INTRODUCTION Television Studies inthe TwentyFist Century ‘The trends of contemporary popular television programming have received a great deal of atrention both within and outside scholarly circles throughout the past few decades, even more so as the medium continues to evolve into the rweney-fist century. The increasing complexity and experimental nature of television narratives have been well studied by both academics and layper- sons through various fan forums? This collection adds to this discussion by limiting its analysis of such televiual texts to those solely in the first decade of the new millennium, This colleccion offers an analysis of rwenty-fistecemtury televisual texts exclasively—something thar has not existed heretofore —thus expanding on this discussion and bringing into shasper focus the added com- plexity ofthis medium at present.) THE POST-NETWORK ERA. ‘Much of the recent scholarship on this influcnsial medium has tacked the ‘changes curretly afecting the television industry. These scuies include Lynn Spigel and Jan Olsson Television afer TV: Esa on a Mediu in Transition, ‘Aosanda Lost’ The Television Will Be Revolusionised, and Janet McCabe and Kim Akass Quality TV: Contemporary American Television and Beyond. x the Laver tent, the perioization of television history provided by Jimenie Reeves, Mark Radgess, and Michael Epstein maps out the shifts leading up co the ‘crent post-network or digital era of television: TV I (1948-1975), associated with the network era or broadcast era, TV Tl (1975-1995), the cable era, and TV IIL Ggor-Presend, the digital er. Lote, studying the latter era, desribes tree characteristics of this postnetwork exa—convenience, mobility, and *hearicalty—claiming that these traits have “redefined the medium fiom is 3 ‘nccwork-era form” (50). Similarly, Jason Mitel has demonstrated the ways in which the emergence of new media, along wich changes in the industry. has resulted inthe production of increasingly complex television narratives and al- ternative viewing practices.* Although these studies have been groundbreaking, in reconceprualizing the current elevisual landscape, continued attention is needed to explore the narrative content and stylists of the programs resuleing, from recent production trends, POST-9/11 TELEVISION ‘The scholarship of the past decade that has focused primarily on narrative content has often studied programming through a poses/tt ‘much was going on in the fccional television progsams during cis time pe- Hiod, for the most part media scholarship focused on representations of g/it and the eatly sages of the “war on teerot” by studying print and television ews coverage (Spigel 238). Lynn Spigel points ou that the majority of the ‘work from the academy daring this ime atended eo “the narrative and myth- ic ‘framing’ of the events} the nationalistic jingoism,” and the “competing alobal news ourlets” such as Al Jazeera (238). Bus, as Spigel states, despite these important achievements of the academy, “the scholatly focus on news undecestimaces (indeed, it barely considers) the way the ‘reality’ of g/t was communicated across the How of television's genres, including its so-called ‘entertainment genres” (238) The goal of this collection, in partis to addeess this void by focusing exclusively on fiexional texts and considering how these nactatives work through the tealty ofthis hiscoric decade TELEVISION AND GENRE STUDY (Other recent studies have focused largely on specifi teevisual trends in terms of bourgeoning genres, such as those of realty television end infotainment, which many read asa response o oft.” The attention to the former is not surprising, given that by January 2003, one-seventh ofall programming on ‘major networks was realty based, a wend that continues today (Douglas 63). “The rapid growth in his genre as contribuced increased scholarship theovie~ ing its popularity from both an audience and production standpoint * While the numbers of realty programming, caught scholas' attention during chis ‘imme, the visibility and impact of the other growing genre, infotainment, has «also begun to spark academic discussion? An online poll conducted by TIME ‘magatine in June 2009 reported that Jon Stewart, the host of Comedy Cen- tials The Daily Show (3996-Present), was named che most trusted televised newscaster since Walter Cronkite." The fllowing year, Peeple reported that hhc had been voted the “most influential man of 2010" (Silverman). This sug- gests chat such programming, oxiginally designed for comedic/entertainment purposes, is beginning co supplant traditional news media in interesting ways. Alchough both of these television genres were very influential during the fist decade of the ewency-first century, and while their editing practices might be important co study in terms of remporal play, chese genres have been omitted From this eollecton as they do not fll into the neglected category of tional programming. THE STUDY OF (NARRATIVE) TIME ACROSS MEDIA While all of the studies listed above have been quite instrumental in under- standing the evolving state of clevsion, few of these studies have focused on narcative content across genre or on the televisual aesthetics that have resulted from these nerwork and gente shifis. This eaves room in television scholaeship for studies that nartovetheie focus co specific celevisual characteristics oF this ‘new era of programming, such as chis anchology’s focus on the phenomenon of experimental rime—a subject which has yet to be given attention in terms of tweney-frstcentury programming, ACADEMIA AND TIME {nits focus, this collection deals with particular concept that has fscinaced scholars for cencaries time, These esays wil ina sense, continue the work af philosophers (fiom Aristorle and Augustine wo Edmund Huser! and Martin Heidegger to Friedrich Nietsche and Henei Bezgson)and scientists (uch as Jusae Newton, Albers Binsten, and Stephen Hawking), applying thee thea- fis of time tothe contemporary new media moment in novel ways. Many of the recent studies concerning time have moved away from looking ac time as « philosophical concern and scientific inquiry and have instead studied it im- pact an societal development, For example, the standardization of time (fom the invention of clocks and calendars tothe impact of rllrad schedules and daylight saving) has broughe about incresting inquiries ino humans need to regulate time: This impact on society is often seen in the various ways that time is depicted in cultucal narratives. 5 apucon NARRATIVE THEORY AND TIME Most relevant co this project isthe scholarly work of che late went century i regard to the link berween narrative seucture and time. As Ursula Heise notes, “theorists of nacrative generally age that time is one of the most fine damental parameters through which nacraive 36a gente i organized and un- derstood” (47). Therefore, itis not surprising that scholarly work abounds in this area dating back to foundational texts such as Frank Kermode’s The Sense ofan Ending (i966) andl Walee Benjamins "Storellet” (968) «9 more recent studies like Heise’ oven Chronowchiems (997), which ansyzes the expetimien- tal narratives found in postmodern literature" Scholars have also attempted ‘we theorize how time plays a role in the actual experience of eading literate. ‘One such example is Paul Ricouer’scheory conceming “the fictive experience of time.” which he explains as “the temporal aspect of (the) virtual experience ‘of being-in-the-world proposed by the tex” (100). The essays inthis collection draw upon many ofthese narrative theories working and applying chem to televsual narratives in new ways, POSTMODERN LITERATURE AND TIME [Because this “age is one of unprecedented flourishing for alternative ways of uundecscanding and inhabiting. time,” i isnot surprising cha che cultural nat- ratives ofthe last half century have been obsesed with vime itself (Wood in Nonlneatty, or temporal distortion, is one ofthe most common features of modem and postmodern fiction, Postmodera nove, in particular, are cen- vealyconceaned with the possibilty of experiencing te in an age when tem poral horizons have been drastically foreshortened, ‘The coexistence of these conipeting experiences of time allows new conceptions of history and posthis- ‘ory to emerge and opens up comparisons with recent scientific approaches to temporality, Heise reads "the temporal stuctue ofthe postmodern novel” as “away of deng aesthetically wth an altered culture of time in which ac- ess tothe past and especially coche fre appeats more limited chan before inculrual selPawarcnest (67). Although a complet list of postmodern literary works that rely on experi imental temporality would be coo lengthy to include het, it does seem use- fa to inchade afew key examples thae might have served as predecessor tents for the cinematic and tclessual ime experiments that followed, However, it would be misleading to include only postinadem works that could have served as inspirations for ches later media creations since experimental time, own atleast in the form of the time-travel motif, hae exsted in fiction For cenn- res. Such motifs have surfaced in both canonical and popular texts chrough- ‘out the years with increasing regularity in the most recent decades. Exarnples include Samuel Madden's Memories of the Twentieth Century (1733), Charles Dickens’ A Chrisemas Carol (1843), H. G, Well’ The Time Machine (1833), Alison Ussey’s A Tiaveller in Time (1939). Isaac Asimov’s The End of Eternity {4955}, Kure Vonneguc’s Slaughterhouse-Five (1969), Philip Jose Farmers Time} Last Gift (1972), Octavia Butler's Kindved (i980), Michael Ceichton's Timeline (4999), Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler: Wife (2003), and Jacob LaCi- is Timely Persuasion (2008). FILM AND TIME ‘OF couse, this focus on experimental time quite obviously did not res ‘encrapped on the printed page. In Time Lape: The Palitis of Time-Travel Cin- ‘me, Chatles Tryon argues that new media technologies often become asto- ity as discontinuous and fragmented As che work in this section indicates, developments in technology science, and medie—along with changes in production and consumption practices— help 1o explain the formal experiments that contemporary elevisual narratives, have taken on. However, these elevision programs also help shape the cultural lenses chrough which viewers perceive and interpret those cechnologial and social developments. Therefore, the relationship between the culturakindus- ‘rial climate and the texts ie produces is reciptocal in nature rather chan simply being one that could be reduced toa mere cause-effect relationship. The esays in the next two sections further showcase this reciprocity. Seation I. Historicizng the Moment: How she Cultural Climate Impact: Tempo- ‘ral Manipulation on she Small Seren Moving away from the frst sections focus onthe scientific and technolo cal advancements of the twenty-first century the essays in tis portion of the text expand their focus to analyze how the historical time pesiod more gener~ ally might have influenced the wave of experimental time narratives on the small seen, In chapter 6, “Temporalty and Trauma in American Sci-Fi Tele vision,” Aris Mowsoutzanis approaches the experimentation of cemporality in recent American Sc+FUTV shows, such as Lost, Fla Forward, Fringe, and The Event, in cerns of thee preoccupation with the topic of psychological rum ‘As a psychopathology tha constantly reams parents ro the traumatic inci- dent, which they compulsively rexperience in nightmares and hallucinations, trauma is characterized by an experience of eamporality that is nonlinear and repetitive fictions of uma often attempt to convey chat aspect of the disease by employing a nonlinest, repeditive, and cyclical narrative, Mousoucaanis’s discussion, however, doesnot read the widening interest in trauma in popular narratives only a8 response to contemporary historical tragedies and criss Instead, it combines this bistoriist approach with one thar ses these telev- sion shows as slf-eflectve tets on the history and Function ofthe medium of television inset While chapter 6 purposely avoids reading the tlevisual creations of the wenty-frs centuty as post-9/tt products (alone), chapter 7 analyzes three programs wich this very argument in mind, In “The Fear of the Futute and the Pain ofthe Past: The Quest co Cheat Time in Herve, Flash Forward, and Fringe’ Melissa Ames analyzes three contemporary fictional narratives chat remediate she tragedy of 9/11. These programs include experimental emporal- ity and center their plo on anxieties concerning time: the longing to corect mistakes of the past, the pani of living in a hypersensitive present, and the fear ofthe premediated futures These shows suggest thar the Fear we feel asa nation postatack unconsciously resurfaces itself and seeks resolution in na racive spaces through repetition and thatthe consumption ofthese ma isa means by which viewers "work chrough” the lingering emotional trauma ‘caused by the attacks. Ths essay suggests that the remporal pay present with- in these programs is crucial eo this working through an infact, embodies the affect of fear that prompts i. Tn chapter, “Lou in Out Middle Hour: Faith, Fate, and Redemption Post 9/11," Sarab Himsel Bureon argues tha both the narrative structure (Bash- backs, flashforwards, and lashsideways) as well as the thematic content of Lat ‘worked together to immerse viewers in the longstanding philosophical and theological debates surrounding free willidesiny and faith/reason, Inher ex- amination she draws a paralel berween Lovtand Milton's Panadse Lost co dem- ‘onctrate that, after ott, Americans refocused on religious ideals given their shattered sense of fecedom, righteousness, and sense of security. Uimateh, [Himsel Burcon draws upon the rhetoric of political speeches contemporary to Loit ro suggest thatthe program emphasized how Americans were (and pethaps sul are) in chee “middle hour” of grief That iy they wished c “do ‘over" the past atthe same rime that they were living in an unstable present and looking to some “Other” to help dem move into che fiatre. Also focusing on this popular mocf of the do-oves, Kasey Butcher’ essay analyzes the ways in which Pushing Dai, the story of a man who can bring the dead back to life with che touch of his fingertip, mirroted the political discourses surrounding the 2008 presidencal election and interacted with the 3007-2008 Writes’ Guild of America strike. "New Beginnings Only Lead {0 Painfal Ends’ ‘Undeading’ and Fear of Consequences in Pushing Date” claims that, on the surface, the show isa candy-colored fairytale romance mixed with a fastcalking crime-drama, but the major tension of the series is 4 push-pull beoween the optimism of Chaeoxte Charles and the pessimism of the Pie Maker, Ned—the programs two main characters. By taking ideolo- es about transmedia,intertexualisy, and genre convention into account, his chapter argues that the larger-than-life world of Dairies can be understood as reflecting similar anxieties in che culture ofits viewing audience, who were faced with a contentious election and a looming economic criss. ‘Sectiom IT. The Fanetions of Time: Analyzing the Efficts of Nonnormative Nar- native Siructurel) “This section, housing perhaps che mos eclectic gathering of essays within thie tot studies the various results of such narrative experiments with time Inthe wake of debates on flei-natratives, narrative complexity, and nacr tive compresion, Gry C, Rustad and Timotheus Veimeulen’s "Did You Get eas’ Temporlicy and Terps Mocaltyin The Wie, Mad Men and Arveted Development” discusses these three programs interme of narrative disitegea- tion, While scholars suck as Robin Nekon and Jason Micell emphasize the extent co which these programs complicate poe fines, Rustad and Vermeulen dow attention co the moments these lines dsspace into the deuals of che image and disperse into che arbitrariness ofthe Would. ka spite of thei sige nificane generic difeences, The Wire, Mad Men, and Arreted Developmen al frequendy begin, interrupt, oF end scenes with monensin which “nothing happens.” Chapter 10 researches the temporal inferences of these particular moment, arguing hac these moment hin at temporality hac oscillates be- ‘meen hanes and chromos becween asruccred, neat uatative and a shizom ati inexplicable chere-ness ofthe worlds and beeen the promise of closure and a radical, inconclusive opennes. Chapter 1t, “Temporalicies on Collision Course: Time, Knowledge, and “Temporal Critique in Damage” proposes an analysis of nacrative temporalites laonuciow 15 in the legal drama Damages. Toni Pape focuses on che show's second season, ‘which constructs two opposing temporal trajectories: while the main narra tive starts atthe beginning and is old forward, the second narrative trajectory stars in the future and regesses into the pas, In this way, the show creates an intricare nework of temporal relations. Drawing on philosophical critiques of “modern time consciousness” this esay argues thar Damages temporal strac- tare rely on an emphatic conception of modern tine. Thus, the sow revels the complicity of these temporalties with a modern knowledge economy and power structures. Secondly this chapter argues that Demagerulimately dis- cards its “modern time consciousness” in favor ofa notion of vime as “nce ligible becoming.” This shift in nareative temporalities simultaneously brings about a shifc in che knowledge economy and power relations represented in the Damages Chapter 12 shifs the focus ro tine’ impact on the Formation of identity rather than knowledge. “Freaks of Time: Reevaluating Memory and Idenicy through Daniel Knauf's Carnivdle” looks into the complex temporal sruc- tures of Carnvite and argues thae chs television series offers layers of time through which it hecomes posible for characters co retrace temporality, sive ‘events and share pasts and/or furures. Identifying these layers a actual and virtual dimensions of time, Frida Beckman proposes that this portayal of timeand space challenges wot only the notion ofa continuous, ius tempo- racy, but also che idea of individual continuity since memories and experi- ‘ences ate not ted co one single mind or body. Rather, there is a repeiton of ‘events traveling across generations. As such complexities need 0 be untied by viewers over the integral interruptions of serial television, Cernindle demands active viewing, I also invites philoso and selfhood. In chapter 13, “The Discourse of Mediu: Tine as a Narrative Device.” Kisti McDie analyzes che character Allison Dubois, a psychi who dreams about past, present, and fure crimes and uses those dreams to help the dis- twit attorney's ofce solve crimes. Although (Medion is primarily an epizad- ic crime drama, ics paranormal elements allow it to challenge gente limits MeDuffie evokes Sarah Kozloffs idea of discourse—how a story is cokd—co discuss the ways episodic crime dramas privilege the process of solving the ime over the crime itself. The paranormal elements in Medium allow ie ro tnilize different temporal structures, such as Bashbacks, visions ofthe fucure, and alternate realities, to further plot and discourse possibilities. This essay demonstrates how Medium is unique and innovative in its ization of chese time devices throughout the series. I inquiries into the nature of time 16 ogucrok Section IV. Moving beyond che Televisual Resorains of the Past: Reimagining Genres and Formas “This section resumes the discussion of how nonlinear naratives might ee- shape existing television genres. Continuing the conversation begun in chapter 13, “Making Sense of the Furure: Narrative Destabilization in Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse" acends co the practice of temporal play in another scence tion program, Casey J. McCormick uses Joss Whedon's Dollhowe asa case study Jor examining recent trends in science fiction tlevsual naretives, particulary the prevalence of presene-xense settings. Through an examination ofthe nat ‘ological implications ofthe series “Epitaph” episode fom the perspective of she show's creators, as well asthe experience of the viewer, this chapter explores how muleiple diegetic layers emerge asa result of Dellhws's complicated tem- poral structure, Using theories of narrative derived from Geraed Genette and Micke Bul, in conjunction with Bruce Clarke's concept of posthuman narrato- ‘og McCormick explores how temporal complexities rele tothe ontological and epistemological concerns ofa hyper-narrativized culture. alin levine’ work further expands this section's hypothesis thas experi- ene seenporality plays a lage role in the evolution of television genres 2t present. “Why 30 Rock Rocks and The Office Needs Some Work: ‘The Role of Time/Space in Contemporary TV Sitcoms" draws on a combination of frame theory: embedding Mikhail Bakitin’s concept of chronotopism to as- sect thar paying attention to the uses oF humor ia sitcoms enables viewers 0 understand how-—wvith respect to their uses of rmefspace—these shows func- tion and why, as importantly, some succeed and some fil. Chapeer 15 focuses fist on Arreved Development and the manner with which it presents complex and yet coherent scenes, episodes, and seasons thac allow for manipulation of cimo/space Ie dhen turns to The Ofce, noting the similar reasons and ways the show worked during its fis few seasons and discussing why ic eventually ‘began to fl Irvine’ essay concludes with an analysis of 30 Rock, a sitcom that cffccively establishes an imagined and yet plausible space that allows for mal- siple kinds of time as wel as various poicical and socal commentary. Molly Beost' “Change the Steuerure, Change the Story: How I Mes Your _Mether and the Reformulation of the Television Romance” attends to how romantic storylines at affected by scategc alterations in temporal flow. How et Your Mother bean with a unique premise: in a lashback from the year 2030, a middle-aged man tells his eeenage children the story of how he met their mother. From the very beginning ofthe series, viewers were told who the mothe was not: Robin Scherbaesk, the journalist who would be protagonist “Ted Mosby's love interest for che show's fst two seasons, and intermittently ‘wmoqucron 17 thereafter. Though some critics believed that this allowed the show to sidestep the *will-they-or-wonit-they” relationship drama thac plagues many sitcoms, others dismissed it as metely a gimmick. Chapter 16 argues that the show's unique nartatve structure allows che series to reimagine the traditional ro- ‘mantic comedy formula; within this reimagining, che audience’ expectations for both relevisual romantic relationships and traditional gender roles ae chal- lenged and subverted, ‘Chapter 17 also analyzes how nontraditional narrative time works ro draw attention «o gender issues Janani Subramanian’ “Like Sands through the Half Hourglas: Nurs Jackie and Temporal Disruption” once again moves this collection’ focus on time from thar of traditional network television to that which can be found on the competing cable stations. Showime has emerged in the lsc few years as a setious contender in the premium television league. ‘While HIBO built its reputation around narrative complesigy, Showtime has incorporated the feralecentrc, single-camera, halPhour “deamedy” genre Inco its quality brand identity. In this chapter, Subeamanian argues, using [Nurse Jacke a her primary exarnple, that the segmentation of these thitcy- ‘minute shows presents a reformulation of television time in a quality televi- sion context: along with continuing to develop Showrime's brand identity the combination of situation comedy and melodrama in that 30-minute time frame also turn conventional rituals of heterosexual coupling and domesticity on their head, erating a space in the television landscape for female charac- ters renegotiation of the traditional work/home binary ‘Chapter 18 closes this section by giving attention 10 one of the newest television gentes of the cwenty-fest century: the musical. In “The Television Musical: Gee's New Directions,” Jack Harrison looks atthe temporal narra- tive experiment taking place in Fox's Glee, che firs succesful contemporary ‘musical television program. His essay addresses the temporaliies of Glee in three pares, The frst section explores how musical conventions are changed by serait arguing char che climactic narrative synthesis of the musical film instill relevant co the show, but thatthe indefinite temporal expansion of tele- vision creates opportunites for multiple romantic unions. In the sccond sec ‘ion, closer attention is paid tothe caus ofthe diegetc ruprures—the musical numbers chemselves—reading ther lyric ime against the history of televisual realism to highlight the break from cadition they represent. Finally, in ordce to begin to address the question of why Glee was the show to bring the mu sical co television where other series have filed, the tind section reads the shows musical numbers through the lens of Amit Rai interval, showing how their circulation, independent ofthe greater tex, has eapped into novel ows of sensation and revenue, particularly through digital downloads. ‘Scotian V. Playing ouside of the Box: The Role Time Plays in Fan Fiction, Online Communities, and Audience Studies ‘The final section in his anthology turns away from the programs them- selves and instead studies the various viewing audiences of these programs dedicated to exploring experimental time. Meanie Catrells "Nothing Hap, pens Unless First a Dream’: TV Fandom, Narrative Structure, and the Alter. nate Universes of Bona” looks at how contemporary television writers draw 'pon the work in fan communities co inform and inspite the directions of thes shows. This essay examines the way in which Bones challenges traditional storytelling patcens in owo episodes that play with and disrupe nartative time by breaking from its «ypial formar to place she lad characters in diferent realities. Within these realities, the lad characters are placed in a romantic ‘elationship. Thus, chese episodes allow viewers to sce the characters together ‘without disrupting the larger narrative of the program. Cattell argues tha the ‘echiniques used in chese episodes ae similat co techniques used by fan fiction ‘writers, as they frequently place characters in different situations and in nev realities In chapter 20, “Two Days before the Day alter Tomorrow: Tame, Tempor talgy, and Fandom in South Par,” Jason W. Buel examines atypical narrative Sime and narrative experimentation in the television sts Souch Park, Though fazrative time is noe in che foreground of South Pak as ivi i many of the ther programs analyzed in this collection, eemporal play is aonethless an ‘mmportant and common put ofthe show. This chapter examines sich exper ‘mentation and attends wo how fans have tesponded to the show's subversion of their expectations. Although the series has received a great deal of attention in popular media forthe way ics characters subvere the conventions of society, the way its form subverts conventions of narrative time is rarely discussed Soush Park reglacly delays narrative resolutions continu natrative ares rom

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