Television is a very formulaic medium, favoring characters that can be quickly identified and classified into specific categories. When it comes to vampires, television programs have focused largely on the sympathetic vampire character who is a romantic hero. These soulful, reluctant vampires who question their nature are often pitted against the “bad boy/girl” vampire who embraces his/her vampire nature. First, according to Williamson, why are audiences, particularly female fans, attracted to these characters? Second, using two characters (the romantic hero and the bad boy/girl) from a vampire-themed show as examples, explain why you think this formula works for both TV executives and audiences.
Ashley Heiberger
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It is true, television focuses mainly on characters with that romantic twist. This goes beyond regular humans but the supernatural and vampires as well. For instance, even in Red Riding Hood when Amanda Seyfried falls in love with the big, bad wolf (who really turned into the wolf towards the end of the movie). Then there is Casper who kisses Christina Ricci who technically is a ghost. There are supernatural romantic films everywhere; we might just not realize it because it has become so common. Chapter 18 in our textbook mentions the series TrueBlood but our Blackboard reading, Un-True Blood by Bruce A. McClelland, goes into great detail. The vampires in this series live within the community of humans. They have developed a synthetic blood for the vampires. I would say television quickly labeled Bill Compton as a romantic, Eric Northman as dangerous, Sam Merlotte as loyal, Sookie Stackhouse as unique or supernatural…etc. For any vampire film or series, television focuses largely on the romantic hero. In this case; Edward Cullen, Bill Compton, Blade, even Brad Pitt in An Interview with a Vampire.
According to Williamson, audiences, especially female fans, are attracted to these soulful characters because the “real” vampire is disturbing. For example on page 59 of Williamson’s chapter, a lady named Melinda says, “Dracula is just mean and nasty, so I don’t like the ones with all the gore and I really don’t think that that’s a true portrait. That’s not really what a vampire is like.” First off, does she truly know what a vampire is like? Secondly, vampires drink blood. How is THAT not gory? Also, women made Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer famous with obsession. Spike became popular due to his “sympathetic” character and his humor (Williamson 74). Also, a woman Shirin stated these are the characters “we can care about” (Williamson 63). Mainly, what I got out of this interesting reading was that women do not want to be scared; they like the “bad boy” idea but not with the gore and killing involved. Women love how vampires dress- seductively yet sophisticated. Vampires have a calm aroma around them as well (Jasper from Twilight). They are strong, smart, mature, and do not have package with them because they usually travel alone. Whether it is a female fan that can fall in love with an on-screen character, or a male fan that strives to be like the vampire. What isn’t there to like about these “virtual stars” (Williamson 69)?
Ashley Heiberger
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Bill Compton and Eric Northman have two different audience fans. There are those who love the romantic Bill then there are those who want the dangerous Eric (who last I have seen lost his memory and has become completely different!). This formula works for both TV executives and audiences because it somehow brings about the modern romantic character, yet leaves the cruel, realistic vampire in our minds too. Williamson describes meta-interpretive texts on page 68 with The Lost Boys. A good argument made was that, “Fans do not have to ‘read against the grain’ to produce sub textual readings…the subtext of a television show is now something that is actively encouraged on the part of the producers rather than simply on the part of the fans” (68). Therefore, fans can engage and share the same experience as they do from the texts. Overall, the bad boy/girl needs the romantic character to keep the audience actively engaged in their program!
In the realm of television, if audiences cannot relate to or sympathize with a show’s main characters, how can the show expect to stay on the air? Audiences will always cling to a plot that focuses on both outer and inner conflict, and the ongoing battle for the absolution of both. Mixed into this fight, there is always a bit of violence, lots of sexual innuendoes, tragedy, and maybe even some comedy. As far as the vampire genre goes, it has the ability to encapsulate any of these qualities into one show. Over the years, shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel” have attempted to draw out this conflict between the vampire seeking retribution for his centuries of sins and the vampire who thoroughly enjoys his deliciously evil behavior. As one can imagine, it is often females who get the most satisfaction from these types of programs.
ReplyDeleteIn Williamson’s article, she believes that women are typically drawn to the vampire that is “sympathetically constructed” (60). She writes, “Either trying to return to human form or (as precursors to Angel) using their vampire powers to solve crime and help the innocent, these vampires are depicted sympathetically” (57). Many might attribute this cause to women being more emotionally developed, or more adept in the romance genre as told by the stereotype of women reading romance novels. Women in particular cannot relate to vampires such as Dracula, whose character and persona have been clear-cut from the very beginning—he is meant to be feared, ugly, and threatening. He is out to kill and feed; there is no mystery to him because he has a singular purpose. In “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” Angel was portrayed as not only a good vampire looking to contribute to humanity, but as an attractive one at that. According to our textbook, he is evidently “a vampire unwilling to forfeit his immortality so that he can continue making resolution to humanity” (258). The conflict, then, arises at the appearance of Spike, who is a vampire with totally opposite intentions. Buffy is right at the peak of this love triangle, offering a conflicted plot that viewers just could not resist holding onto. Spike embodies the ultimate bad boy, and no female will deny her attraction to such a character or person in real life. Spike is the ultimate “vampire-as-glamorous-outsider,” and Buffy is torn between her love affairs with two very different vampires. That always makes good television, especially when paired with action sequences in a California high school setting. Women are not drawn to the totality of a purely violent book, movie or television show. Throwing romance into the mix, along with the problems of relationships and friendships and visually appealing characters, will always keep a female audience engaged.
Male fans may also be able to enjoy shows such as “Buffy” or “Angel,” particularly for its high school and college settings. Any male may be able to relate to Angel’s tortured soul or Spike’s inclination to stay rebellious, while vying for the female love interest. Thus, the formats we see in shows such as these are enjoyable for audiences and profitable for executives. The fact that “Angel” was a spin-off of “Buffy” speaks volumes about the show’s initial content and storyline—it proved relatable to women and men alike. The show also delved into fan forums, merchandise, books, comics, and conventions. This proves that the good vampire versus the bad vampire, in the midst of a human torn between the love of both, may be one of the most marketable plotlines in television. Thus, Twilight was born…
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ReplyDeleteTelevision shows, and media in general, should form meaningful connections with the audience in order to keep them coming back for more. The sympathetic vampire is one of the characters the audience, particularity the female audience, can relate to. Why? Williamson spends time discussing the appeal of the sympathetic/romantic vampire and uses The Vampire Chronicles and female responses to see where the appeal lies. One of the appeals is this type of vampire is also reluctant and “not happy with his existence” (Williamson 64) and there is an “innocent buried alive and unable to voice its claim to recognition” (Williamson 64), which attracts the female audience. From this it is argued females see themselves in the sympathetic vampires because they are not happy with their lot in life, are “wrongly damned” (Williamson 64), and are trying to do the best they can. In True Blood there is Bill and Jessica, who were both turned against their will and the audience can partially identify with the struggles they have to go through because of their life circumstances.
On the other side is the foil to the romantic vampire, the ‘bad boy.’ Depending on the story this type can also be a sympathetic vampire, especially if turned against his will. Here the fans focus on the vampire Lestat. Initially some fans of The Vampire Chronicles preferred Louis because he was truly the reluctant vampire and they felt Lestat was a “terrible, terrible, guy” (Williamson 66), but this view changed with later books. As the character developed, Anne Rice, through Lestat, “delves deep into the heart of what every human is capable of and watches them rise above everything” (Williamson 65). Whereas the romantic hero can relate directly with female fans, the ‘bad boy’ and anti-hero shows the success a person is able to accomplish, even if they are vampires. Louis and Lestat are the perfect examples. They both have similar origins but Louis became the reluctant vampire and did no enjoy life as fully as Lestat, who was not ashamed of his existence. He is rebellious and wants “to have meaning” (Williamson 66).
The fans also touch upon how their appeal for the romantic/sympathetic is the lack of gore in these stories. I don’t feel this is the case anymore though because True Blood is very popular with the female audience and the blood/gore level in the show is pretty high. It may just be this is now acceptable because the show mostly contains sympathetic vampires and not the “mean and nasty” (Williamson 58) vampires that used to be associated with blood/gore.
Part 2
ReplyDeleteThe romantic hero and the ‘bad boy’ vampire are both seen in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Normally when one thinks of these shows you think of Angel and Spike, but the better example may be Angel and Angelus. Yes, they are played by the same actor but are completely different characters. Spike is the ‘bad boy’ but he went through numerous transformations throughout both series and even regained his soul. Angelus in the show though is pure evil, but still popular among fans. This vampire formula works very well in these shows because it creates balance. The romantic hero, while relatable, can be very predictable. Angel is out for redemption and helps fight demons and save lives for past sins. In Buffy he pops up to help save the day and of course serves as Buffy’s love interest. Predictable. Angelus, Angel without his soul, is unexpected. While the audience knows he is up to no good it is never fully known what he will do. This is best represented in the Buffy season two episode “Passion,” where Angelus kills a well-known character and then the manner in which the body is found truly shows his twisted ways. It was shocking and grabbed the audiences’ attention. It is hard to sympathize with him, but the character is so complex that you don’t need to. He is the balance to Angel. He is not always around but shows the true nature of the vampire and what they are capable of.
In general this vampire formula is used to create balance in media texts. Audiences get to enjoy the romantic vampire but also be surprised by the antics of the ‘bad boy’ vampire. With just the romantic vampire the text could become predictable. While this is good because the audience wants specific formulas they can relate to, they also want some excitement or rebellious nature, which the ‘bad boy’ brings to the texts.
Samantha Howard
ReplyDeleteIn every vampire television series there is a vampire who is a helpless romantic, still in touch with his or her humanity and an evil, ruthless one who embraces the vampire way of life. This formula has proven very successful for television series over the years in attracting a large fan base, especially female fans.
Williamson suggests that this formula is so successful because the “female fans do not identify with the vampire’s female victims, but rather, empathize with the vampire figure itself” (Williamson 5). Women fans feel sympathetic for the tortured vampire, and it immediately makes them think of romance. It may not be that these women think of the tortured vampire as a possible love interest; they think of him as the idea surrounding romance, which gives them the hope that it still exists. Williamson explores the connection between the women’s feeling of sympathy and the result—feelings of romance. These feelings provide women with an escape from their daily lives and give them a passionate romance to daydream about.
An example of a television series that uses this formula very successfully is The Vampire Diaries. Stefan and Damon are the two main vampire characters in the series, and they are both interested in Elena. Elena is a complicated character herself, she is a doppelganger of their past love Katherine; the one who turned them both into vampires. Stefan is featured as the brooding, romantic vampire who follows a vegetarian lifestyle only feeding on animals. Damon is featured as the bad boy, dangerous vampire who enjoys killing for sport and using women like play toys. Obviously, because of his romantic side and good nature, Elena ends up dating Stefan in the first season of the show.
Somehow, despite their differences, Elena finds herself in a relationship with Stefan, but also love with Damon. In this formula, it is probable that fans put themselves in Elena’s position. They fantasize that both of these dangerous, exciting creatures are interested in them. And of course, they have their own opinions on what they think Elena should do in respect to her relationships with Stefan and Damon.
Another main reason that this dynamic works so well in the show is the fact that Stefan and Damon switch roles frequently. Damon is one second a ruthless vampire ripping out throats left and right, and then the next Elena is able to bring out his sensitive side. Stefan on the other hand is shown as tortured all around. He struggles with bloodlust, which is why he follows the vegetarian lifestyle, but at many points he is shown battling his vampire nature. It is because he is so successful at battling his vampire nature most of the time that Elena loves him.
In the most recent season, however, Stefan and Damon have completely switched roles. Stefan has gone off on a killing rampage with Klaus, one of the originals. And Damon is left with Rick and has to keep Elena safe when all she wants to do is go out and search for her beloved Stefan. It was a good switch up to change the bad boy into the domesticated vampire who is left to care for Elena and Stefan changed into the bad boy dangerous vampire. I’m interested to see how this dynamic will play out, and if Damon will revert to his old ways/if Stefan will return to his love Elena.
The Vampire Diaries is just one of the many television examples that prove this formula to be very successful. The constant pull between the good vampire versus the bad one creates the conflict that keeps fans hooked on the storyline. Also, the underlying tones of love and romance are what keep the women fan base interested in the characters.
Female fans are attracted to the romance factor that is included in vampire shows. The competition between both the romantic and the ‘bad boy’ capture this particular audience because of the love triangles that are formed. The battle involving the antagonist and protagonist can be seen in almost any in not every sitcom drama. As the audience, we know that the good guy is who the girl should pick, but ultimately falls for the villain. The showdowns and encounters between the main characters also draw in the audiences since it is a metaphor of good versus evil. Adding vampires into the equation also adds suspense and mystery since they are considered unknown. Because the characters are unpredictable and their thirst for blood controls them, we’ll never know what they will do. The good vampires normally resist the temptation to feed on humans and find alternative ways to fulfill their thirst, and the natural, ‘villain’, vampires don’t see any need to stray from their natural ways.
ReplyDeleteIn a show like True Blood, the love between Sookie and Bill carried the first season. Audiences wanted to know if the unconventional relationship would last between the two because of the vampire’s nature of thirsting for blood. Those that have resisted the urge and embraced the substitute called true blood have been allowed social acceptance among vampires. “Of course, the fact that Bill is 148 years older than Sookie matters little, considering vampire, courtesy the invitation of synthetic blood by the Japanese scientists, have now been accepted among society. (259)” But there are vampires that refused to use the human blood substitute and insisted on feeding on people causing tensions between the two species to rise. Then there are the people that don’t believe vampire should be given the same rights as humans nor should they be able to live amongst them. With all of the drama circulating this small Louisiana town, viewers are witnessing a struggle between man and creature as they try to coexist. Living with each other is difficult because of the different morals and practices, but curveballs are being thrown because of the other supernatural that take part in the series.
The fight of good vs. bad is also seen in Forever Knight, where the characters Nick and LaCroix are complete opposites. Nick is a vampire that doesn’t act on his vampire impulse of drawing blood from people. The attempts that LaCroix makes to draw Nick back to the darkside make people want to watch and see if he will resort back to his old ways. “What has arguably endeared Forever Knight to the hearts of all vampire aficionados, aside from the various love/hate triangles and vampiric antagonists, is the constant interplay between Nick and LaCroix. (257)”
Buffy the Vampire Slayer spawned the spinoff Angel due to the show’s success. This
self-titled show would go on to explain the dark, mysterious side of Angel that Buffy and
the audience fell in love with. With the following of the Buffy fans to this new show, viewers were curious about Angel. During the show he tries to become a hero while fighting his past ways. “Angel is tormented by the zeitgeist of his murderous ways and driven to help others as a private investigator in a quest to alleviate his eternal angst and remorse. (258)”
The television formula works for both executives and audience because of the relationship that they share. The executives can use the popularity of a character and create spinoff shows like Angel, and the audiences will in return receive the story of one of their favorite characters. By leaving a character mysterious, the new show will explain in-depth what they have experienced and what they are presently going through.
With the growing phenomenon of vampire based TV shows we see a different form of vampires than ever before. The typical horror fear based vampires that everyone was use to has now changed into a more intimate vampire. Romance has taken over the way we see these vampires in the newer shows on TV. People aren’t interested in watching TV series dealing with horror anymore at least that is my opinion but they want a series that has ups and downs romance and a purpose other than just promoting fear.
ReplyDeleteTo be straight forward the reason I believe females are more inclined to watch these romantic vampires against the bad boy/ girl vampires is because women like romance. Guys like romance as well but they don’t like watching TV series about it or even movies for that matter as much as women do. It’s almost a type of fantasy that women wonder about, being with a vampire and how dangerous their lives would be, the excitement that comes with it, and the romance of course. “…female fans to not identify with the vampire’s female victims, but rather, empathise with the vampire figure itself. But the vampire with whom the fan empathise has its ancestry in the early Byronic tradition of Lord Ruthven and the popular ‘penny dreadful’ Varney the Vampyre, rather than Dracula.” (57). Williamson brings up a good point in that the female views rarely care about the female victims the vampire takes. They are more concerned with the ending if the vampire finds love or expresses its deep intimate feelings. The romance has taken over the fear that was once the key to vampire films and TV shows. Yet the fantasies of the women continue, completely forgetting that if they ever did fall in love with a vampire it would probably bite them at some point killing them. I have also contemplated as to why this is only relevant to women seeing how there have been a few movies where it is a female vampire going after a male. I do not see men going around saying I wish I could date a female vampire, they say I would be scared crap less if I ever met a female vampire.
In Williamson’s article it give the example of Barnabas Collins and then shows a review stating that the women liked him because of the romance, even though he wasn’t good looking. The romance gets them hooked no matter the look or outcome of the story. This is great for the viewers because they are happy then enjoy the show, but it is even better for the executives because their ratings go up and they make more money on the show. They have successfully hooked people on the show not because of the story really but because of the vampire’s romance in the story. Now when you think of the bad boy/ girl vampire you get the picture of a muscular one if it is a male vampire or if it is a female vampire a sexy one with an attitude that men love. The same thing as far as the audience and executives happiness goes, viewers get to see a dark good looking character who they can’t take their eyes off of. Executives get the ratings and the hype of the story hooking people on the sow for the entire season.
ReplyDeleteWhatever the film and TV studios have been doing over the past few years as far as portraying vampire in a different light it has worked. Vampires are the hot characters again but not because they are scary and causing fear for people but because they are now passionate and romantic with humans. Add the bad boy/girl into the show and you have a national debate as to which character is better, like in twilight. Hats off to the TV producers because whatever they have been doing in the last 4 or so years has really hit and continues to grow.
Williamson’s ‘Fans Re-reading the Vampire’ gives good supporting arguments as to how and why female fans empathize with vampire characters who are shameful of their demeanor, rather than those who embrace the culture. She says, “Indeed female vampire fans are occupied in active and thoughtful engagements with vampire texts and have well thought-out likes and dislikes… At odds with much theorizing about popular vampire fiction, female fans do not identify with the vampire’s female victims, but rather empathize with the vampire figure itself (Williamson 56-57). I found this point interesting, and to be very true in terms of supporting evidence, and my personal vampire preferences.
ReplyDeleteThere is something about the vampire who cannot fathom hurting humans and wants to be the “good guy,” despite his circumstances. Women find it sexy when a man displays his feelings, and isn’t just the rough/tough exterior. The provided examples speak to support this claim: When referring to Dark Shadows, Diane said, “I just absolutely loved him – what attracted me – the vampire type that I like is the romantic type… you know he was a soulful creature, and he wasn’t even very good looking, it was the romance of it” (57). Women are able to make the differentiation and connection to someone who is expressive even though as a vampire he lacks an actual soul. It is all part of the fantasy world that we find ourselves wrapped up in and the men women want to exist in a romantic relationship.
Additionally, American fan Melinda says, “Romance not in the sense of a love interest, romance as in something that stirs the passion of the soul...” (58). Once again, it is funny to see women describing vampires making constant reference to the soul. Regardless, Melinda explains her immersion in vampires as something that moves her and something to be excited about. It adds a very fun and engrossing edge to these mysterious creatures. They become appealing as something you shouldn’t love or fantasize about, but cannot resist to. Everybody likes what they can’t have or what they shouldn’t!
Having a good vampire-hero, along with the bad vampire makes for good TV for numerous reasons. People enjoy conflict. These two character types always go head to head so to speak. Take for example Bill and Eric from True Blood. Each is involved with Sookie at some point and all viewers have their favorite. It was intriguing for Bill and Sookie to sustain a relationship while we all know in the back of his mind he was thirsting for her blood. This made the relationship exciting to watch, alongside the fact that Bill isn’t proud of being a vampire, and would rather not be. Regardless of the ability to consume ‘true blood’ as a substitute to actual human blood, it is not a easy feat to ignore the fact that blood is coursing through your significant other, which not to mention, tastes much better.
Though not everyone sees Eric as bad, it still is his role to come off more as the ‘bad’ guy on screen. Women especially enjoy this sense of drama. There is lust and romance behind it all, whether you like Sookie with Bill or Eric, and it sets up the appeal TV executives need as well. They get the ratings they desire in using this foolproof method, and audiences get to pick their favorites and watch the story/romance unfold before their eyes each week. It is a win-win set up which is why it has been repeated throughout time, not only with vampires, but with television dramas, love stories, etc.
It is not a new idea that vampire media attracts a large female audience. Actually, this idea has been present for quite some time. But why is this the case? Most might be surprised at the idea that women love vampire films and television shows, because they are connected to violence and blood. Although that is a fact, there is a completely different side to vampire media that mostly women would only find interest in. The vampire is quite the charming character as we have spoken about in past classes. They are alluring and draw us in, and they succeed in drawing a female audience as well. Men may be interested in the violent aspect, but there is the romantic and sensual aspect of vampires as well, that catches the eye of women.
ReplyDeleteLarge female audiences were even prominent the times of Bela Lugosi. Dracula received much feedback, but it was noticed that most of the people writing fan male were women, “revealing a great deal of sympathy with Lugosi’s portrayal of the vampire.” (Williamson, 53) Lugosi’s portrayal of the Count was one of the first times we saw this more handsome vampire. The attraction definitely sparked interest, but it runs deeper than that. The women began to look into the film and the storyline. They felt this sympathy for the Count and his situation. Women are thoughtful and sensitive beings, therefore seeing the vampires for what they are beneath their shocking appearance.
It could also be said that some of the women could have related his issues to their own lives. “It is the notion that the vampire is ‘not happy with his existence’ that is a key aspect of the sympathetic vampire’s attraction as a character. For female fans of the vampire, the notion of ‘innocence buried alive and unable to voice it claim to recognition’ (Brooks 1995;20) is the central melodramatic pull of the Gothic vampire and the fans relate it directly to experiences of the self.” (Williamson, 64) This can also apply to today’s vampire media. Female audiences sympathize with the problems of characters in Twilight, True Blood, The Vampire Diaries, etc. Audiences get so wrapped up in characters, seeing them as real people and as a part of their own lives, as a potential escape from their own personal issues. We sympathize and feel empathy for people we care about in reality, and we do the same in our fantasy worlds that include characters in the media.
Not only does the attractive factor intrigue female viewers, but it is the romance component as well. Most women really enjoy romance. Even those who hate it wouldn’t mind it from time to time. If we want to play the blame game on the current outlook of vampires we might even want to go back to Dark Shadows, which gave vampires that “soapy” connotation. Soap operas draw in such a large female following, largely because of the romantic aspect. “I just absolutely loved him- what attracted me- the vampire type that I like is the romantic type… you know he was a soulful creature, and he wasn’t even very good looking, it was the romance of it.” (Williamson, 57) As previously mentioned, this media can be used as an escape from reality, and quite frankly, romance is just not that prevalent anymore. Simply put, women like the romantic sides of these vampires because there is no real passion and that whirlwind romance in existence anymore. Part of me believes that is why Twilight is so huge. It is even big with mothers who seem to love it more than their own children. It is definitely the romance and the love portrayed in the films that keeps the audience coming back for more.
ReplyDeleteThis romantic hero that has been created is clearly working for audiences as well as television executives. This is completely fine for television executives, because as previously mentioned; it keeps the audience coming back for more. They want to see relationships form, and what their next move is. Now throw in a “bad boy/girl” vampire and we’ve got a winning pair. The romantic hero and the bad vampire both have appeal, which can be seen in True Blood. Bill can be seen as this romantic and Eric as this risky bad boy character. The two characters actually bring in viewers with different needs, thus making the audience even larger than it already is. Those who have this fantasy of love and romance have Bill, and those who crave that bad boy have Eric. Even in other supernatural shows such as Teen Wolf, there is the romantic hero Scott, and the dangerous character Derek. No wonder why shows like these keep popping up all over the place, and TV execs are eating it up. The formula just works, as they turn out to be the most popular shows because of their a relatable storylines. Films and television shows that are the most relatable with undoubtedly grab a larger audience.
In almost all television shows there are always a few episodes where the nice young woman or man will have feelings for someone completely opposite of them. Those people end up being violent and no caring of the world around them. Well this seems to be the whole premise behind some of the vampire shows that have been on television in the recent years. For example, in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy’s boyfriend wants to save people from the monstrous and scary vampires that want to take lives of other innocent people. As we have talked about all semester, people fear vampires because you always wonder if they are real and if they are living next door. So, as an audience, we like to see the bad vampires get taken down so that they will not scare again. What we also saw in Buffy is that Spike and Angel did not embrace the terrible nature that other vampires love to share as they go around attempting to kill. It is a formula that is intriguing to us because the supernatural is something we hope is not real so that we will have nothing to fear.
ReplyDeleteVampire shows, such as, True Blood have been attracting female fans for a long time. According to Williamson, the reason is that, “At odds with much theorizing about popular vampire fiction, female fans do not identify with the vampire’s female victims, but rather, empathize with the vampire figure itself. (Williamson 57)” He also went on to say, “…all the fans shared an interest in those vampire narratives where the central vampire characters are structured sympathetically. (Williamson 57)” We often see television shows with characters that are reluctant to be a vampire and do not want to harm others so they drink blood out of bottles while trying to protect others. Women feel sorry for that character, whether it be a man or a woman. Take the show Angel, which was a spin off from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It is about a vampire, who does not want to accept the fact that killing and turning other people into vampires was the right thing to do. He did not want to be a vampire anymore. Angel was always going up against the evil vampires and supernatural characters and viewers enjoyed the show because they felt sorry for Angel but loved seeing him take out the monsters. Another example of this is the show The Vampire Diaries. The brothers are usually fighting each other where we see one nice brother and one evil brother that wants everyone to suffer. It makes everyone intrigued as the storylines could be relatable in the fact that we all of challenges. Maybe not to that odd extent but the audience will always feel sorry for the nice characters that have to fight off evil.
This formula works perfectly for both television executives and audiences alike. The reason that the executives like this formula is because it is proven to be a success, even for a few years. Vampire audiences have always been loyal, almost like a cult following. Just about every new show featuring a vampire will start off with a great audience because the audience always knows that it is going to be entertaining. The sympathetic vampire character is a role that should basically be made into a soap opera. It always has large followings and can essentially last for decades upon decades. The idea of a vampire show is easy for executives to come up with as the premise is all the same so all they need to do is come up with a couple of character names and decide which characters will fit into the formula of vampire shows like the ones on television today.
Television shows and the media try to maintain a connection between their audiences and the characters to keep their target entertained and intrigued at the same time. The main reason why people become so interested is because they can either find something they can relate to. People who watch and connect with these shows find some kind of gratification that fulfills their desires. Williamson explains that media can influence and shape the way people perceive certain things and can associate these with culture. Williamson states’ “Fans have other vocabulary at their disposal which are not derived from the strategies of orientation towards particular texts… but stem from their understanding of, and experiences in, wider cultural and social processes” (Williamson 61). Williamson argues that the way women interpret characters is due to the relativity they find their own experiences (61).
ReplyDeleteCharacters in vampire tales are portrayed as victims who had no choice when they became vampire vampires. They weren’t given any other options but to become bloodsucking creatures that have to pray on humanity in order to stay alive. Perhaps making them seem like victims can make people feel sympathy for them and feel some sort of connection with the creatures (Williamson 61).
Williamson states, “The women fans’ articulation of their involvement of these texts follows the melodrama of the narrative… the designation of vampires as victims of forces outside their control…” (Williamson 64).
The fact that others persecute these characters appeals to women and creates a connection between the audience and the characters. Williamson also points out that people feel compassion towards the characters they deem fragile because other characters are seen as vicious and are eager to harm people.
Another reason that can be concluded from Williamson’s article is that many percentages of the women who relate to these articles relate because they feel miserable in their own lives and find non-existent creatures that feel the same way (Williamson 62). The audiences that feel some kind of sympathy and relativity with these characters find a way of escaping the reality they live in. The television programs and others in the media industry use romance as a way of captivating audiences. By using romance in vampire shows it keeps the audience looking for more action and therefore they end up coming back to watch the show. An example of this is the television show Angel which was aired on WB. This show was particularly interesting because it put a twist on the typical vampire story people are used to. In Angel the main character is a tormented soul that is fighting against his own desires of becoming a blood-sucking creature. Instead he becomes an investigator and tries to help people. This makes him seem like someone who is being would rather not be the way he is and condemns barbaric act when he himself practiced killing many people in the past (Karg 258,259).
The fact that this character broke some of the traditional roles many vampires played in the past made the show more interesting to women. Breaking the creature roles of traditional vampire characters works for network executives because they find ways of maintaining a constant audience and maintaining the program ratings. This in turn works for the audience because people find a particular interest that captivates them. The whole idea of being creative with shows and finding ways of attracting the targeted audience works well for the audience and the network executives because it can be view as a sort of quid pro quo (this for that). Both parties benefit because they can find a satisfaction in the show. The audience find an escape from reality and the executives in turn receive what the aimed for.
Similar to the cinematic experience, television also has a way of captivating the intended audience. This is a routine that many have used to use as a get away from the monotony of every day life, and dabble into the unknown, the mindless and the enticing. A large percentage of the audience that tunes in is of course, female. This is due largely to the kind of programming we find fascinating and the characters involved in such. When discussing the roll of vampires in television, Williamson’s article sheds light on why the audience of women is so large and identifies that it is not the programming that draws the women, but more so the characters on the shows. What is interesting about the female audience is that they are not drawn to the heroine, or the female victim. Rather, the have compassion for the vampire himself (57). These women are emotionally engaged with the vampires. It’s about the sympathy angle that the character is constructed of, but also, I believe it is the humanity in these characters that can’t be found in earlier vampire characters such as Dracula. When American female vampire fanatics were interviewed about the qualities of the vampires they adored they responded that the character was, “a soulful creature, and he wasn’t even very good looking, and it was the romance of it” (57). These fans have conjured up this notion that romance is not in direct relation to love, but rather, a connection that is based on a mutual interest in humanity and a connectivity based on similar emotional experiences. An example of the kind of relationship that American female fan’s developed for these vampires are the characters of Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, a spin off series of Buffy. Both characters exhibited the desire to be human or perpetuated this emotional depth that audiences found romantic. They brooded; they were sexy even without being necessarily good looking (58); they were something different than the traditional notion of vampire, which was appealing. Instead, the female audience likes something that is more human. The vampire is just a glorified bad boy that has a deep but subtle vulnerability.
ReplyDeleteClearly, this fascination and allure with the humanized vampire is something that viewers everywhere can find appealing. The mystic has potential, and much development to endure before there needs to be an evolution of vampire character emerges and a new demographic and audience is engulfed in the mystical creatures of the supernatural world. Until this time comes however, television executives and fans will devour hours of viewing time because of the conflicts between the good and evil vampire characters. A primes example is the love triangle between Sookie, Eric and Bill in the hit television series True Blood. The complications and opposing characteristics of the three interactions made the show addicting. Fans would dedicate their time to find out what happens next. This not only fills the romantic vampire void for the viewer, but also satisfies the pockets of the producers. The story line can continuously flop between the good and evil characters because either side has a “team” so to speak. Some fans love to see good triumph over evil, while the rebellious portion of the audience thrives of loving and hating the evil character. And if the series is crafted in the correct way, there’s going to be little that can stop this foolproof and timeless plot, and the underlying battle of love. Whether it be vampires, or love of a different flavor, this is timeless, as is our fascination with the unknown. So fear not, because there will be plenty of supernatural shows being served up for seasons.
Every time you turn on the television, it is likely that will see the same characters from channel to channel. They will have different names, be on different sets, and be part of a completely different story; however, their cookie cutter character will be recognizable. There is going to be that mean popular girl who will most likely be a cheerleader. There will be the less popular girl that the audience is forced to root for because she is more like the relatable teenager. There will be the nice boy that this girl doesn’t want and the bad boy that she does. We shake our heads at whatever program this cookie cutter cast is on in bewilderment as our “relatable main character” wants the bad boy even though the other boy is so much better for her! Sound familiar? That’s because it is. Yet as many times as writers write these parts, actors play these roles and viewers grow to love/hate these characters—the formula never gets old.
ReplyDeleteMcClelland explained how “Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire changed our relationship to the vampire by making him a mildly sympathetic first person protagonist” (McClelland 79). As vampire themed media evolved, so did this monster of a character; vampires developed into characters that were more complex than simple night crawling corpses that wanted to suck blood. I am not surprised that fans would sympathize with Anne Rice’s Louis; however, I would never have expected this sympathy for a character like Dracula. Williamson talks about how when Bela Lugosi played Dracula he “received enormous amounts of fan mail—mostly from women—revealing a great deal of sympathy with Lugosi’s portrayal of the vampire” (Williamson 53). One would assume a female would associate herself with the victims in these stories, however it became more common for female fans to “empathize with the vampire figure itself” (Williamson 57). Female fans started to view these monsters as troubled souls. This troubled soul character is perfectly portrayed through Louis; he hates the fact that Lestat made him a monster. Throughout the story the reader or viewer can see this constant inner struggle he faces and they can’t help but feel bad for him. If Louis was a heartless killer who didn’t take responsibility for his actions it would be harder to understand this compassion from the fans. “It is the notion that the vampire is ‘not happy with his existence’ that is the key aspect of the sympathetic vampire’s attraction as a character” (Williamson 64).
Vampire media also doesn’t neglect to represent the character we all know we should hate even though we secretly love him—the bad boy. Williamson says how “it is clear that fans associate rule-breaking with glamour” (Williamson 65). There is something about the bad boy that female viewers love. The bad boy vampires like Lestat and Spike have this edge that attracts female fans. Williamson explained how “Lestat is one who leaves his mark on everything” (Williamson 65) which seems like a typical bad boy thing to do. Bad boy characters, whether they are playing quarterbacks or vampires, tend to affect the lives of the girls around them while remaining seemingly unaffected by the situation.
The romantic hero vs. bad guy formula is often used because it gives the audience suspense. If the romantic hero had no competition, shows would seem too much like an unrealistic fairy tale. For example, Angel and Spike, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, took on these roles and it left the audience emotionally attached to both of them. At one point your heart would be melting from the tenderness of Buffy and Angel’s relationship, yet five minutes later when Spike came on the screen you would intrigued by the sexual tension between him and Buffy. I felt like I was constantly screaming at the television “Kiss him!” and then following it with “No don’t—what about Angel?” This emotional attachment leaves the audience wanting to see what is going to happen next which thus brings them back episode after episode, season after season
In Williamson’s article she submerges us into the realm of romantically inclined, tortured soul, outcasts that you just want to kiss and hug. First off you would think of the kid in the trench coat in the breakfast club. But no, we are talking about vampires. How are these women so attracted to these creatures that were once blood sucking killers? Because apparently now they have a heart, and are portrayed as such. “…female fans to not identify with the vampire’s female victims, but rather, empathize with the vampire figure itself. But the vampire with whom the fan empathize has its ancestry in the early Byronic tradition of Lord Ruthven and the popular ‘penny dreadful’ Varney the Vampyre, rather than Dracula.” ( Williamson, 57). We do feel bad for the tortured soul. And that is because
ReplyDelete“It is the notion that the vampire is ‘not happy with his existence’ that is a key aspect of the sympathetic vampire’s attraction as a character. For female fans of the vampire, the notion of ‘innocence buried alive and unable to voice it claim to recognition’ (Brooks 1995;20) is the central melodramatic pull of the Gothic vampire and the fans relate it directly to experiences of the self.” (Williamson, 64)
In modern times we need the brooding vampire to be unhappy with the fact that he must have blood to survive, that he is stuck forever without a soul, that he is a monster that nobody should love. Because when someone thinks they shouldn’t be loved, I think we love them more. Reading this article made me think of Stefan and Damon in the Vampire Dairies. Stefan is your woe is me I didn’t want to be a vampire, I don’t enjoy being a vampire, I do not want to suck human blood because it makes me a monster, all I want is a reason to live vampire that has become so common as of late. “Either trying to return to human form or (as precursors to Angel) using their vampire powers to solve crime and help the innocent, these vampires are depicted sympathetically” (57)He is one of the sympathetic vampires that Williamson discussed. He is easy to fall in love with because of his “human nature”. He doesn’t seem like the ruthless killer bad boy that is brother is. But don’t we love the brother too? Well, in this situation yes, because they are both incredibly gorgeous. But normally in these type of situations we hate the “evil” vampire. There always needs to be a good and a bad person to make a television show successful. If the show was all love and no drama or conflict, it would just be Barney the purple dinosaur. We need the conflict to survive on, we need the struggle of the self and the fight between good and evil for a show to thrive. So back to Stefan and Damon. They both loved the same woman in their human lives. Her name was Katherine. Stefan tracks down Elena who just happens to be Katherine’s double….weird. So then Stefan fights for her love and ends up winning her heart. We fall in love with Stefan. Yes, he can be scary at times, yes he has made mistakes, but we love when he takes his shirt off. Then Damon comes into the picture. He is your run of the mill bad boy. And don’t we love those bad boys. But he brings all that Stefan is not to the table. He bites humans, kills them ferociously, and doesn’t think twice about it. With the contrast between the two brothers we end up liking Stefan more because we understand what he was going through. Without the balance of good versus evil there would be no good television show. We need to see the good side, but without the bad side, what is good?
Lindsay Walker
ReplyDeletePart 1
According to the Williamson article, the obsession with vampires, especially among female fans has been an ongoing trend. History shows that even in the early nineteenth century women were those most influenced by, and vulnerable to these mystical creatures. I am sure there are countless factors that play into this, but the general consensus among women interviewed in the article demonstrated the sympathy factor and ability to relate to the adversity and obstacles they face.
Upon interviewing various women, some from Britain and some from the U.S Williamson concluded that female fans demonstrated a common interest in those central characters constructed sympathetically. When talking about the central character in the movie Dark Shadows (one who was constructed sympathetically), female fans made comments such as, “ I loved him- what attracted me- the vampire type that I like is the romantic type – you know, he was a soulful creature” (Williamson, 57). There seems to be this relation between sympathy and romance. Many fans have connected the two together when discussing vampire characters they are attracted to. I suppose it could be this idea that these creatures did not choose to be like this, nor do they want to be viewed as monsters. They just want to be accepted and maybe even loved for what they are. These characters exude a sort of passion and should that many mortal humans lack and that, I suppose could be the attraction. Even if certain characters resort to killing (against there will of course) fans show a willingness to look past that and to focus on the fact that these characters want to be good. That being said, none of the women showed any attraction to or feeling for the original Dracula. Many of them commented on the fact that he is depicted as being cruel, nasty, and ugly- that he is meant to be despised and for that reason they are unable to see any good in him.
Interestingly though is the fact that the shows in which these interviewed women grew up with affected the type of character they sympathized/ connected with. While women from both Britain and the US leaned toward the sympathetic vampire women in Britain (who were primarily exposed to the Hammer horror films) also showed interest in the vampires depicted as menaces . I would associate this with that bad boy, mysterious image. For some reason women seem to be intrigued by that image and so it is not all that surprising to me that they would find those characters attractive.
Lindsay Walker
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A common theme among these vampires that are portrayed sympathetically is the fact that they were transformed against their will, that they never asked or wanted to be like that. These characters are sometimes judged to be killers but they never asked to be that way and do not conform to the ways of the “bad” vampires. I think this incorporates the acceptance issue that many people can relate to. These characters are different. But, just because they are different doesn’t mean they are bad or not worthy of love and acceptance, a concept that can be applied to real life situations and that many people can empathize with. For many women self-image and social acceptance can be very struggle-some. I think that this idea that “a figure that is supposed to embody monstrousness and otherness is not considered to be a monster and is seen as not so “different from us” (Williamson) makes it that much easier for them to relate and appreciate their characters.
Although this article focused on the appeal of the “good vampire” there is definitely a formulaic strategy within many media outlets in which the good vampire is pitted against the bad vampire. Take Twilight characters Edward and Victoria for example, without the continuous battle between the two rivals the series wouldn’t have that same appeal. This good vs. evil aspect seems to capture audiences because it in a way brings the two types of vampires together in one medium. You have the cliché “bad” vampire, the one that thrives on killing humans and then you have the sympathetic vampire who doesn’t wish to be that kind of creature. Audiences want to believe that good will overcome evil. I think executives condone this formula because it has clearly worked in the past. Why change something if it isn’t broken?
Vampires have become a staple in the American television landscape over the past few years. Although America’s fascination with the supernatural can be traced back to the 1960’s sitcom The Munsters which featured a Vampire as Grandpa Munster. Although this show was a light hearted comedy and a far cry from some of the darker and more frightening films that predated it, The Munsters “provided a brilliant way of easing the public into accepting Vampires as leading characters.” (250)
ReplyDeleteThough it is not until a few years later that we see advent of the “formulaic” characterization of Vampires on television. One of the first soulful Vampires is Barnabas Collins from Dark Shadows. His entrance on to the show in episode 211 was of of the most significant moments in the series history. His dark, “tortured” character was a huge success with the viewers and paved the way for future Vamps like him.
These bad boy vampire always seem to have the greatest appeal to female fans. According to Williamson, this is because the females fans do not empathize with vampire’s victims. Instead, they feel a connection with the vampire character itself. In Williamson’s summation, they find these characters relatable some way. Just as many female vampire fans feel as though they are “at odds” with mainstream entertainment and popular culture, the vampires they relate too are often at odds with their own nature, “either trying to return to their human form or using their powers to solve crimes and help the innocent.”
Female fans also respond to the idea of Vampires as a “romantic” entity. Although they are not enamored by vampires in a sexual way, but they more interested in the passion and gothic melodrama of Vampire fiction. It is for this reason that many female vampire fans dislike the Dracula novel. According to fans, Dracula is too much of a monster to empathise with. Also, the content is to gory and violent.
One character that female fans are particularly drawn to is Angel. The show Angel, and the title character bearing the same name, find their roots in Joss Weaton’s Buffy series. Angel pretty clearly falls into the romantic hero category of vampire. Although he was first a relentless killer, through a “band of revenge-minded gypsies, (he) has his human soul firmly restored to his vampire body.” (258) Throughout the series Angel is forced to deal with the guilt from his past while he helps others as a private investigator.
On the other hand the character Spike, who also appears in both Buffy and Angel as well, plays the bad boy role. The look of his character was based largely on rock star Billy Idol, and he even carried a punk attitude as well. Spike was meant to be a dramatic foil to Angels character who he often mocks throughout the series. Views sympathize with him for the same reason that I outlined earlier, just as fan view themselves as outsiders, Spike, as a Vampire who seems to have retained some of his humanity , is and outsider himself.
This “formula”, the bad boy vs. romantic hero has been an effective strategy for captivating TV audiences for a few reasons. First, placing two characters against each other as dramatic foils is simply good story telling. It often creates conflict, which drives the story, and make the show interesting to watch. Second, it plays a role in how fans interact with the show. As exemplified by Twilight’s “Edward vs. Jacob” phenomenon, pitting two characters against each other to draw and allegiance to one character or the other. Once they fell as though they are connected to that character, the fans will be much more likely to develop a loyalty to the show, simply to chart the development of the conflict.
Geordie Geller
ReplyDeleteVampires have always been of interest to both males and females, but in recent years shows like Angel and The Vampire Dairies have really resonated with the female viewers. Vampires like Dracula have always had charm and good looks and has always made the act of drinking blood very sexual. Williamson suggests “female fans do not identify with the vampire’s female victims, but rather, empathize with the vampire figure itself” (Williamson, p. 57). In order for film sagas and TV shows to remain successful the characters must be relatable on basic level. The idea of identity confusion captivating and exciting and for many young viewers it parallels some of their own growing pains. “It is the notion that the vampire is ‘not happy with his existence’ that is the key aspect of the sympathetic vampire’s attraction as a character” (Williamson, p. 64). Some viewers can relate to the issues the characters face when confronting their identities. The sense of being alone in the world and that no one understands. Many new aged vampire’s wrestler with the idea that even though they’re a vampire they don’t want to kill people for their blood. There are the people who gravitate toward these tortured souls.
A perfect example is Angel (who first appeared in Buffy), a vampire whose human soul was restored to him by gypsies as a punishment for the murder of one of them. He is overcome with guilt and remorse for up the people he killed that he begins helping people who cannot help themselves. He is the kind of vampire that has helped to change the way vampires are portrays in the media without losing the seduction that Dracula had. Knowing he had he sole returned to him and was trying to make a menz made him a relatable character. Accorder to The Everything Vampire Book he is “a vampire unwilling to forfeit his immortality so that he can continue making resolution to humanity” (Karg, p.258).
Then there is Damon from The Vampire Dairies who truly embraces being a vampire at the beginning of the series. As the show progresses he battles his urge to kill people. This behavior only seems to attract the female audience. There is the sense of unpredictability and danger that creates this heightened attraction.
The formulas for these shows have worked so well because they play on people’s emotions. Dracula and Nosferatu played on people’s fear. Now they are using the polar opposite with love, empathy and desire to fix their tormented minds. Vampires have become more relatable and well liked because they have become more attractive making the female viewers happy. Angel added to a formula that already was successful which is good prevailing over evil. Everyone makes mistakes and needs a chance to do some good. Damon is the traditional bad boy girls date to make their parents mad. There are the people who want to take care of him because they are just as emotional damaged. It seems to be understood that the vampires who are conflicted would never intentionally harm anyone which helps to lower the level of fear.