2. How Can Television Be Postmodern?
Many television shows illustrate a variety of postmodern views and
theorists.
TV is known to provide a constant turnover of images and symbols.
Likewise television is seen as central to the explosion of consumer
culture unlike modernist art which was thought to be characterised by
authenticity and originality.
Jim Collins said that ‘TV is frequently referred to as one of the main
kinds of postmodern culture.’
In an essay on Postmodern TV written in 1984, Umberto Eco argued
that TV had become so self-absorbed that it had almost turned its back
on the real world. dealing with a range of false information given to the
audience.
3. Why Can Shows Be Described As Postmodern?
Shows can be described as postmodern in a variety of
ways including:
Parody.
Pastiche .
Hyper reality.
Intertextuality
Many shows can be described as postmodern as
postmodernism is made up of many different
features.
4. Institutional Information:
The Mighty Boosh is a British comedy troupe
featuring comedians Julian Barratt and Noel
Fielding.
Producer: Danny Wallace
Station: BBC three
Highest viewing figure: 1 million (Series 3 ep 1)
Running time: 2003-2007
5. Comedy pairing The
Mighty Boosh have
announced two musicthemed London shows
– their first UK dates
in over four years.
Although the Mighty
Boosh never officially
split, the pair have not
worked together since
2009's Boosh Live:
Future Sailors tour.
Since their last live
appearance
together, Barratt and
Fielding have pursued
solo projects, with
Barratt concentrating
on theatre while
Fielding put on
exhibitions of his
artwork and created a
sketch show for E4.
LATEST NEWS
6. This is the official fan website for the show where there is constant
updates on the actors in the show and whether they will be making a new
series.
7. Audiences:
People like postmodern shows because often a lot of
thought goes into the production and script writing
of them. There is often more to it than we realise
and once we know the features of
postmodernism, we begin to notice them a lot more
and understand shows like The Mighty Boosh.
People realise that shows have a lot of meaning
behind them rather than just a simple storyline. If
people do not understand this type of humour and
style of writing, they will not enjoy postmodern
shows as it wont make sense.
8. Continued…
Many positive reviews suggest that this show is very
popular amongst its British audience. It was often
aired late at night meaning it was aimed at the older
demographic. Many reviews also say that its suitable
for people who enjoy comedy at a deeper level. You
have to go below the surface to get the most of it and
enjoy the show more. The writers have aimed this to
a specific audience that prefer this type of humour.
9. Define Genre and typical conventions of the
show…
The main genre of the show is comedy, they use
postmodernism within the show to make people
laugh. The show is very spontaneous meaning people
find the storyline more entertaining as its always
changing and they don’t know what’s coming in the
next episode.
The show doesn’t have any typical conventions as its
random in the way its structured. However each
episode does have specific theme.
11. Continued…
Sets…
As the show is set in many different locations and
time periods, a green screen is used a lot of the time
to represent hyper reality and space. In the sets of
The mighty Boosh it has extreme contrast between
their normal sets and their green screen sets. This
helps to make the theme of postmodernity obvious.
Normal to green
screen
12. Continued…
Mise-en-scene…
As we already know the set for the show is very
spontaneous and the changing of time periods allows them
to use a wide variety of props. We can tell its postmodern
by the types of props they use and costumes they wear as
they would not be seen today and are random in the sense
that they have very subtle meanings.
For example in the clip of ‘Old Gregg’ Old Gregg is very
postmodern.
13. How does the show work?
The Mighty Boosh is a British comedy written by and starring comedians
Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding. It developed from stage shows to
radio shows to a TV show. It focuses mainly on surrealism, fashion and
complete and utter fantasy in ways that make it into a completely
unique show.
Vince Noir and Howard Moon have surreal adventures while working at a
Zoo run by the deranged Bob Fossil then they are pursuing a career as
musicians and living with the mystic Naboo the Enigma and his ape
familiar Bollo.
Every episode starts and ends in Dixon Bainbridge’s dilapidated zoo, the
"Zooniverse” then Vince and Howard often depart for other locations
these include places such as the Arctic Tundra. In the next series it has
an even looser setting with the characters travelling every episode in
their van to many different surrealistic environments.
14. What makes the show Postmodern?
The Mighty Boosh, at first glance is more surreal than
anything else, with the main characters two zookeepers Howard Moon and Vince Noir, the zoo owner - Bob
Fossil. Many other minor characters are also played by
Noel Fielding and Julian Barrett, which in itself could be
considered postmodern, as a form of bricolage (A
technique where works are constructed from various
materials available), but also because some of the
characters they play are direct references to other
people, both real and fictional. This is not only
intertextual, but it also draws attention to the celebrityobsessed culture that we live in, as many references are
to celebrities such as Slash( lead guitarist from Guns and
Roses).
15.
16. ‘Old gregg’ -Postmodern elements
• Time and space boundaries are blurred in this
clip, specifically space as it flickers from a pub setting to
and under water world.
• They also break ‘the fourth wall’ when performing the
dance together as this sing straight into the camera.
This is self referential as it draws attention to the
constructive nature of the text.
• There is parody/nostalgia in this clip, the fishman i.e.
Old Gregg could be referencing to the marvel comic
would contain ‘mutants’. This parody is further
continued with Old Gregg lifting up his tutu saying ‘Ive
got a mangina’, with a light beaming at Howard
Moon, which then knocks him out. This is imitating the
marvel characters powers in a ‘jokey’ way.
17. Postmodernism elements throughout the
show • The show also contain narcissism, this is the fascination with some
ones self/vanity. The character ‘Vince Noir’ displays this, he can also be
seen in one episode illustrating that he is depressed because he is ill to
his concerned friend who thinks he is dying, when really he is upset
about someone copying his exact looking. He then rants that he has had
this look since he was in the womb (Shows an ultrasound picture of a
baby dressed like him).
