Abstract
In Rethinking Horror, Stella Marie Gaynor explores what she identifies as a marked increase in horror content across US television and streaming services between 2010 and 2020, paying particular attention to changing industrial economies and structures, and their impact on horror serialisation. Gaynor argues that broader industrial shifts are difficult to map onto specific moments, but her focused consideration of several case studies helps to situate the genre within TV ecology and strategy. Rather than taking a chronological approach, Gaynor carefully arranges her study according to different tiers of television: cable television, internet VOD and pay subscription services, and free-to-air networks. Throughout her study, she examines a range of horror serialisations from each tier, considering them within their different economic models and conditions to understand how they participated in the horror cycle and drove further development of horror on television.
Gaynor’s approach points out that the cultural shifts in horror, following an increased interest in the genre, impacted the amount of horror media being produced. She notes that this has been widely discussed in terms of film but less so in terms of television, which she attributes to a tension between horror and television. Although she does not labour this point, she makes it clear that horror has traditionally been aligned with many negative associations. However, shifts in television landscapes both economically and industrially, particularly with the advent of Netflix and Shudder, encouraged a new cycle of exciting horror dramas. In her introduction, Gaynor cites examples of previous scholarship on horror, and Gothic television including Catherine Johnson’s Telefantasy (2005), Helen Wheatley’s Gothic Television (2006), and Trisha Dunleavy’s Complex Serial Drama and Multiplatform Television (2018), which engage with this changing economic landscape. However, scholarship on horror television is lacking and Gaynor’s work differs from existing scholarship because she explains the place of horror on US television in a specific decade using empirical analysis; Chapter 5, for example, is dedicated to Netflix and Data-Driven Horror. She then situates these examples within the larger canon of horror on screen.
In the first section of the book, Cable Television, Gaynor considers the rise of television horror. Through her detailed consideration of horror serialisations, Gaynor identifies The Walking Dead (2010 –) series as indicating a unique relationship between industry and genre that helped to push the boundaries of horror television and perpetuate a new cycle of horror. She describes the “boom” in horror television in the US as constituting the start of a global phenomenon, specific to the late 2010s, that holds particular significance in television history because it changed the type of programming produced as well as the ways audiences accessed and consumed televisual media. This section provides a useful conclusion which includes an overview of the section, as well as a bibliography. Such summaries can be found at the end of every section and are particularly useful for research students seeking to find information on specific shows.
Two further sections explore internet-distributed and pay subscription television series, and network television, and a short conclusion ends the book. The key themes explored throughout include cycles of horror, genre television, audience engagement, cult and classic horror texts, and the exploitation of fan practice. In constructing her argument, Gaynor combines close analysis of selected television series with a critical perspective on contemporary social history, popular culture (i.e. fandoms), and industry analysis. For example, Gaynor identifies horror special effects as a marker of excellence and considers the impact of special effects on the promotion of horror series. Her discussion is enthusiastically supported by statements from directors including Eli Roth, through which she frames her own knowledge and research into television ratings, advertising revenue, understanding of fan engagement, and industry data. By taking an industrial approach, she brings together these television series through their portrayal of horror tropes, evidencing that horror serialisation during the 2010s ‘was reaching almost every nuance of the genre’ (p. 178).
Although Gaynor draws examples from a broad spectrum of television, her selection criteria is sometimes unclear. However, her choices make sense for a reader less attuned to the abundance of television series available across a range of platforms because they include recognisable titles such as Hemlock Grove (2013-15), Ash vs Evil Dead (2016-18), and Penny Dreadful (2014-16). These titles also demonstrate the breadth and scale of horror programming that helped to shape the cycle. Near the end of her conclusion, Gaynor reflects that her analysis does not extend beyond US television, although she does reference some co-productions such as Hannibal (2013-15). She correctly notes that global horror television remains underrepresented in scholarship, particularly in terms of Asian content. This volume would have benefited from the inclusion of more global television series and perhaps even animated series; a point which Gaynor herself makes, indicating the exciting work still to be done in this area of study.
Overall, this book is a dynamic, enjoyable read that provides a progressive account of horror television in the US across a specific decade and is informed as much by research as Gaynor’s genuine passion for the topic. It will be a valuable tool for anyone new to horror television and industry studies, as well as to those more familiar with its stimulating developments.