Television

From Vampira to Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, female horror movie hosts have long been a staple of late-night television.

Nearly 130 years after the introduction of Sherlock Holmes to readers, the Great Detective's identity is being questioned, deconstructed, and reconstructed more than ever.

More than 400 films and 150 television series have featured time travel--stories of rewriting history, lovers separated by centuries, journeys to the past or the (often dystopian) future.

From his first appearance in 1912, Tarzan became a multimedia franchise whose cultural influence extended well beyond mere entertainment.

A hit television show about a fictitious rock band, The Monkees (1966-1968) earned two Emmys--Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy.

Groucho Marx's career as a solo performer began long before the Marx Brothers and lasted almost until the end of his life, with a series of controversial sold-out concerts in his eighties.

HBO's critically acclaimed drama The Wire has seen increasing use as course material in college classrooms since the 2008 series finale.

Television has historically been largely ineffective at representing queerness in its various forms.

When Kenneth Johnson's science fiction miniseries V premiered in 1983, it netted more than 40 percent of the television viewing audience and went on to spawn a sequel, a weekly series, novelizations, comic books and a remake.

Santa Claus is in trouble!

A couple of generations ago, the movie industry ran on gut instinct--film schools, audience research departments and seminars on screenwriting were not yet de rigueur.

Depictions of the zombie apocalypse continue to reshape our concept of the walking dead (and of ourselves).

The heroine's journey echoes throughout ancient legend.

In this candid memoir, actor and director Lou Antonio recounts his five decades in television, film and theater, from live television to Broadway to Emmy-nominated Movies of the Week.

The CW's long-running series Supernatural follows the adventures of brothers Sam and Dean Winchester as they pursue the "e;family business"e; of hunting supernatural beings.

Vampire characters are ubiquitous in popular culture, serving as metaphors for society's most sensitive subjects--sexuality, gender roles, race, ethnicity, class--and often channeling widespread fears of immigration, crime, terrorism and addiction.

On stage from her childhood, Martha Raye (1916-1994) proudly embraced the role of the clown, her gift for slapstick comedy enhanced by a fine singing voice.

Throughout the long-running BBC series Doctor Who, the Doctor has rarely been alone--his companions are essential.

From automatons to zombies, many elements of fantasy and science fiction have been cross-pollinated with the Western movie genre.

The great scientific, astronomical and technological advances of the 20th century inspired the science fiction genre to imagine distant worlds and futures, far beyond the discoveries of the here and now.

Created around the world and available only on the web, Internet "e;television"e; series are independently produced, mostly low budget shows that often feature talented but unknown performers.

As the cable TV industry exploded in the 1980s, offering viewers dozens of channels, an unprecedented number of series were produced.

Unlike such romanticized renegades as Robin Hood and Jesse James, there is another kind of outlaw hero, one who lives between the law and his own personal code.

Speculative science fiction, with its underlying socio-political dialogue, represents an important intersection of popular culture and public discourse.

During its 33-season run, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1968-2001) left an indelible mark on millions of children and their caregivers.

A number of books and articles have been written ranking the best situation comedies of all time.

At a time when debates about social inequality are in the spotlight, it is worth examining how the two most popular media of the 20th and 21st centuries--film and television--have shaped the representation of social classes.

In January 1966, Alan Napier became a household name on ABC's hit series Batman (1966-1968) as Alfred Pennyworth, loyal butler to the show's title character.

From his 1887 literary debut to his many film and television adaptations, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes has lost none of his appeal.

Why did it seem strange when Battlestar Galactica ended its narrative on a religious note instead of providing a scientific explanation?

This inside look at the production of 20th century television commercials begins with a review of advertising's beginnings going through the 1960s and early 1970s.

The Golden Girls, Designing Women, Living Single, Sex and the City, Girlfriends, Cashmere Mafia and Hot in Cleveland stand out as some of America's favorite television series.

John Fowles wrote five compelling stories later made into motion pictures.

There are two ages in the history of television: before HBO and after HBO.

Since the early 2000s, popular culture has experienced a "e;Zombie Renaissance,"e; beginning in film and expanding into books, television, video games, theatre productions, phone apps, collectibles and toys.

Whether it's Sherlock Holmes solving crimes or Sheldon and Leonard geeking out over sci-fi, geniuses are central figures on many of television's most popular series.

This book charts an evolution in gay identity within American reality television and documentary film.

His resume of roles includes Macbeth, Cyrano de Bergerac, Ebenezer Scrooge and Oedipus Rex.

Created around the world and available only on the Web, internet "e;television"e; series are independently produced, mostly low budget shows that often feature talented but unknown performers.

Most widely known for his starring role as outlaw Hannibal Heyes in television's Alias Smith and Jones (1971-1973), actor Pete Duel (originally Peter Deuel) led an unpredictable and often tumultuous life, cut short by his highly publicized suicide on New Year's Eve 1971, at the height of his celebrity.

Public awareness of bullying has increased tremendously in recent years, largely through its representation in film, television and novels.

This collection of interviews features American, British and Australian writers, directors and actors recounting their notable work in the action genre and the fun of blowing things up.

Dick Grayson--alter-ego of the original Robin of Batman comics--has gone through various changes in his 75 years as a superhero but has remained the optimistic, humorous character readers first embraced in 1940.

Spartacus, the Thracian gladiator turned rebel leader, endures as a near-mythic hero who fought for the oppressed against a Roman oligarchy built on the backs of slave labor.

The 21st century has seen a resurgence of popular interest in the Middle Ages.

Following on author Peter Rollins' motto "e;If it isn't popular, it isn't culture,"e; this collection of new essays considers Vince Gilligan's award-winning television series Breaking Bad as a landmark of Western culture--comparable to the works of Shakespeare and Dickens in their time--that merits scholarly attention from those who would understand early the 21st century zeitgeist.

The Wire's provocative subject matter, layered narrative and explicit critiques of American socio-economic institutions make it one of the most teachable television series in recent years.

George R.

In post-9/11 America, while all eyes were on Iraq and Afghanistan, The Wire (2002-2008) focused on the dark realities of those living in America's disintegrating industrial heartlands and drug-ravaged neighborhoods, striving against the odds in its schools, hospitals and legal system.

The Big Bang Theory's mix of humor, nerdy protagonists, sexy female leads and quirky characters have made the series one of CBS's most successful shows and have brought it international acclaim.