Intertextuality and Curiosity by Alicia Barnes

Television works on a network where it shares and borrows different ideas from TV programs and reality. It stimulates thoughts and introduces new ways of analyzing ideas in the minds of its viewers. Utilizing intertextuality as a stimulus, TV provides an astounding array of material to generate curiosity about the ways in which TV informs it viewers. Requiring its audience to have a basic understanding of various ideas, intertextuality becomes a method of increasing the viewers need to know. In order to interpret and interact with the messages TV provides, they must try to research pop culture information, history, etc so they can comprehend those concepts. The intertextual nature of television provokes a viewer’s inquisitive nature; it presses an emphasis on knowledge. TV informs its viewers that it is important to know more than what you are initially looking for. Drawing primarily from Mimi White’s article and the following selected clips from television programs, I want to show how TV provokes its viewers to increase their knowledge through intertextuality. By illustrating how television appears to know more than the viewer through intertextuality, it incites the viewers will to know and helps make the fictional worlds on TV become more realistic.

In a recent episode of Psych, I realized how much intertextuality increased my will to know. The episode was funny in its own respects but while watching it, I could not help but think I was missing something.

The episode was paying homage to David Lynch’s Twin Peaks by infusing the story arcs from both shows into one. In one scene the main characters of Shawn and Gus have just arrived in town and decide to stop in a diner to find out some information. While at the diner they run into a few strange characters and have some odd conversations. It follows the typical banter that Shawn and Gus normally have but something was different. The TV was emphasizing that there was another element going on.

Jeffrey Sconce states that television programs create worlds that viewers feel they inhabit along with the characters. As one of those viewers who feel like they are a part of Psych’s world, this episode felt slightly off center. Psych constantly makes references from other programs or life in general, but never to this extent. In “normal” episodes references would strike a chord with the audience but then move back into the programs natural rhythm ; the Twin Peaks episode did not do this. It followed the beat of Twin Peaks and had elements of Psych that would peak through every now and then.

The camera zooms into certain characters making it apparent to the audience that they are supposed to notice something. Close ups of Bob, his wife, and Sheriff Andrew Jackson hint at the audience that there is some information to be gathered from this scene. The TV however, knew more than me. In fact, not only did television know more than me but the fictional characters knew something that happened in the real world. The TV had a knowledge I did not have. One of White’s arguments highlights why that was the case. By attempting to create an all encompassing world between the fictional and factual side of things, the television becomes more intelligent than the viewers. It demonstrates my lack of knowledge by showing me how the characters can talk about delicious pie and underthenail.com and on some level, know what that all really means. This example of intertextuality provoked me to find out what TV already knew.

In Borges article entitled The Garden of Forking Paths the readers are told a short story about an assassin. The assassin plans to kill a man by the name of Albert but no one else is privileged to this information besides himself. If others had understood what the assassin really felt then they would have known why he came to that town. Borges underlines how it is important to know more than what meets the eye because a person will benefit from it. If people had known who the assassin was, perhaps Albert would not have been killed. This idea of Borges is found in a PSA shown during a commercial break from Dancing With the Stars. There is a basic understanding that this PSA promotes safe sex but in order to recognize how it is delivering this message and why it can be effective, the viewers need to know more than just what is on screen.

After watching this PSA the viewer comes away feeling amused and with the message that safe sex or abstinence is the best route to take. However, this commercial could make more sense if the viewer understood all the elements of this PSA.

Bristol Palin and Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino have a conversation about sex. Bringing in elements and lingo from The Jersey Shore and Dancing With the Stars it tries to reach multiple viewers. In the commercial The Situation approaches a woman backstage at Dancing With the Stars and hits on her believing she is just some random beautiful girl. When she turns around to the camera the viewers and The Situation are surprised to see it is Bristol Palin. They begin talking about sex; using catch phrases from The Jersey Shore and referencing Bristol’s unplanned pregnancy they send a message to their viewers. It is difficult to follow the flow of this PSA because of its intertextual nature but it forces viewers to look beyond what is presented in front of them and attempt to gain further knowledge.

The line: “Just in case you do get into a situation I want to make sure that you are situated. Because if you do get into a situation, with your situation, you may end up with a situation, and you may not like that situation” is reason enough to want to acquire more information.

Again, television is seen as holding more knowledge than the viewer. TV proves it has more knowledge because it identifies who is watching the TV when this PSA airs. It feels it understands its audience. The PSA assumes that its viewers are all fans of reality TV and pop culture. Choosing to draw on things it assumes the viewers will find familiar, TV is able to show its superiority and incite its viewers to find out more. In addition to this, television also shows its intelligence by showing the audience what information they do not have.

The last clip I want to look at are two scenes I put together from two separate episodes of the children’s program Arthur. In this clip of Arthur the first references Harry Potter and the second, the tragedy of September 11^th. They illustrate another aspect of knowing; it teaches their young viewers to learn and makes them want to know more. Referencing aspects of real life in Arthur, the program (according to Sconce) gives a unique inflection on “stock” plots sustaining the viewers of the show. The unique inflections that keep them interested however, are also the things that can perplex them. The references may not always be clear, leaving the viewers to figure out what the program is trying to do.

When Prunella and her friend are looking at television they see a preview for the upcoming Henry Screever movie. The character of Henry (who looks eerily similar to Harry Potter) is trying to reach a golden brick when Lord Moldywart interferes. The commercial ends and the girls are screaming with joy. The viewers watch as they get excited about the film and start to have feelings of their own. They yearn to experience “experiences” they see on screen (David Foster Wallace, pg 160) and this makes the viewers curious to understand just what is being represented on television.

The appearance of a Harry Potter reference on Arthur can make kids curious as to why this seems to be important enough to be featured on this program. Realizing how big this is in reality, the viewers become interested in Harry Potter and want to learn more about him; reading the books and watching these films is one way to do this.

This idea is also perpetuated in the last part of this clip. A girl is reflecting on the fire at her school and the emotions she and her friends went through. The moment is simple but allows its viewers to remember their feelings or thoughts from September 11^th. The TV teaches the audience and makes them more excited about learning but it also gets the young audience to ask questions; to find the similarities between this event on Arthur and the actual event in New York.

This is why I believe television provokes its viewers into wanting to know. It demonstrates how it knows more than its audience and that they lack some knowledge, but it also teaches them the value of knowing. Through the use of intertextuality in different programs and commercials it incites its viewers to seek more knowledge in order to better understand the messages and themes television suggests to the public.