During the rough years of middle school, a friend and I were comforted by the shows Once Upon A Time (2011) and The Flash (2014). Both shows referenced and included popular and lesser known icons into their existing “universe” and demonstrate why the Fully Interactive Model is the most accurate out of Gray’s four models for how intertextuality exists in media.
First, The Flash often references other shows also produced by CW. Supergirl, Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow all include cameos of other major or minor characters from each show. The show also is obviously based on the DC comics. In this way The Flash can be seen from the Hierarchical Model (The DC comics influenced the show) and the Working Together Model, where all CW shows are all part of the same “team” through their similar messages, themes, and tendencies. However, because The Flash’s intertextuality combines both the Hierarchical Model and the Working Together Model, I believe the show actually is best seen through the lens of the Fully Interactive Model. Even though the show is influenced by the DC comics, it is also influencing the comics through its modern retelling. Nowadays, most people in my generation will think of the show when hearing “The Flash”. The interconnectedness of the CW universe also supports the Fully Interactive Model through changing the plot of each show, going beyond the limits of the Working Together Model.
Similarly, Once Upon a Time draws upon world-wide famous characters but with the twist of putting them in the modern world. Through this twist, the show challenges our expectations of villains and heroes, making each character more realistic and morally gray. In this way, the show also disrupts the Hierarchical Model and integrates a new perspective into the existing universe of fantasy media.
As more shows include crossovers and references to build a loyal fan base, the fully interactive model seems to be more relevant when analyzing intertextuality.
One reply on “Once Upon a Fully Interactive Model”
Hi Markus,
Oh my gosh–I also watched Once Upon a Time and The Flash when I was younger (albeit with my family, not my friends). It’s interesting seeing how our class discussions and readings apply in practice when we consider television texts that we consume ourselves. I’m curious to see how the many seasons of The Flash (specifically the later seasons that were in my opinion, very very subpar in quality) has affected the intertextuality and perception of the character of the Flash in other media. I know that Ezra Miller’s incarnation of the Flash was met with mixed reviews, so I’m wondering if future incarnations will be affected. Even for myself when someone brings up the Flash character in The Flash series, I can’t help but think about what went wrong with that series and how the show declined in quality. I’m curious, what do you make of the Flash character and his many representations on digital media? Has your perception of the Flash changed from watching The Flash and/or Zack Snyder’s incarnation?
Cheers,
Jonathan