The Odyssey was a Canadian sci-fi TV show produced in Vancouver from 1992-1995 that received numerous awards. It featured main characters Matt Hills and Jay who lived in a dystopian police state rather than a utopian society. The show is sometimes called an "anti-show" for contradicting common sci-fi tropes by depicting the main characters' arguments as ineffective and school as an unpleasant place rather than fun.

2. The Odyssey Produced in Vancouver, B.C. Originally broadcast 1992-1995 on CBC Television Broadcast in US by Sci-Fi Channel; UK by Channel 4; France by M6 and France 3 Recipient of numerous awards

3. Main Characters

4. Matt Hills Defining Cult TV: Texts, inter-texts and fan audiences Definition 1: Cult TV can be defined through textual analysis and depends on texts Definition 2: Cult TV can be defined through an analysis of secondary texts or inter-texts, and depends on these inter-texts Definition 3: Cult TV can be defined through an analysis of fan practices, and depends on fan activities

5. The Odyssey: the Anti-Show? Instead of taking place in some kind of 'socialist' utopia, The Odyssey takes place in a police state. Instead of the main characters arguments about justice being effective, they are ineffective. Instead of saying that school is fun, Flash says that it sounds pretty awful, and Jay says you get used to it. Instead of saying that school is a place of learning, it is called the hall of darkness.

6. Popular actors from the show

7. Questions What is the effect of labelling The Odyssey as an “anti-show”? By doing this are we changing the format of the show from entertainment to educational? Or perhaps it has the opposite effect? In lieu of the growing popularity of conventions such as ComicCon, how has cult TV changed over, say, the past ten years? Has the recent submission to mainstream media ruined the integrity of cult programming?