Overview

From Mrs Peel to the first female Doctor Who, this book offers a timely focus on the popular phenomenon of the cult TV heroine. The enduring phenomenon of cult TV itself is carefully explored through questions of genre, the role of the audience and the external environment of technological advances and business drivers. Catriona Miller then suggests a fresh account of the psychological dimension of the phenomenon utilising Carl Jung’s concepts of the transcendent function and active imagination. Her analysis of the heroines themselves considers the workings of the audio-visual text alongside narrative and character arcs, exploring the complex and contradictory ways in which the heroines are represented. Established cult TV favourites such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The X Files, and Xena: Warrior Princess are examined alongside more recent shows such as Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Jessica Jones and American Horror Story: Coven.

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9781350194175

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Reviews

Miller's book is an excellent and timely exploration of one of the most pertinent areas of contemporary discussion of television. It is not only of value to scholars, but also students who wish to understand and interrogate the changing depictions of women on television. -- Dr Mark Aldridge , Senior Lecturer, Film & Television, Solent University, UK Catriona Miller's book is a fantastic study of the relationship that develops between viewers and cult television shows. Miller's understanding of cult television as something that creates a liminal space for audiences to imagine and envision worlds for their heroines extends the definition of cult television beyond the screen. Cult TV Heroines' wide range of analysis, from the earliest cult television heroines like Wonder Woman and Jamie Sommers to streaming television's Jessica Jones and Sabrina Spellman, allows Miller to articulate the always fascinating and sometimes paradoxical behavior of beloved protagonists with precision and insight. -- Dr. Alison Wielgus, Assistant Professor, Media Studies, University of Wisconsin Superior, USA

Author Information

Catriona Miller is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Media and Journalism at Glasgow Caledonian University, UK. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the UK. She teaches film theory and media policy, and her research interests include cult TV, the archetypal dimensions of science fiction, horror and fantasy genres, and she has published in Jungian film and television studies.

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