Thinking Outside the Box : A Contemporary Television Genre Reader

"Thinking Outside the Box" brings together some of the best and most challenging scholarship about TV genres, exploring their genesis, their functions and development, and the interaction of disparate genres.

The contributors argue that genre is a significant process rather than a static category.

In addition to considering traditional genres such as sitcoms, soap operas, and talk shows, the authors explore new hybrids, including reality programs, teen-oriented science fiction, and quality dramas, and examine how many of these shows have taken on a global reach.

Identifying historical continuities and envisioning trends, this is the richest and most current study of how television genres form, operate, and change.