PAST PRESENT
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EXPERIENCING HISTORY IN HD Cristina Pedroza
Faulkner once wrote, “The past is not dead. In fact, it's not even past.”13 More than half a century later, this statement aptly describes the current state of network programming.
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mirror? In a business that’s evolving towards an “on-demand” model, in which a greater quantity
Entertainment is a reliable barometer for social attitudes and beliefs, and in recent years we’ve seen a recurrent trend in historic themes coming to life on the small screen. This development isn’t exclusive to the television business – creators and curators across media are looking to the past to
it’s a safe bet that the recent inundation of historical programming isn’t coming from the supply side - as the genre is neither cheap nor easy to produce - but rather from the studios, networks, writers, directors, and producers, who are responding to audience demand, and in turn, ratings.
and deconstructing historic stories, searching for inspiration to produce new content by remixing or reimagining old ideas in relevant and relatable formats.
So what does that say about the audience? The obvious implication is that we’re nostalgic for simpler and safer times, but it’s not that simple; subjects like Vikings, pirates, Rasputin, and the