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Television and Popular Culture
Reading Joss Whedon
In an age when geek chic has come to define mainstream pop culture, few writers and producers inspire more admiration and response than Joss Whedon. From Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Much Ado About Nothing, from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog to The Avengers, the word of Whedon have been the focus of increasing academic attention. This collection represents new work by some of the best scholars covering a wide array of topics that clarify WHedon's importance, including considerations of narrative and visual techniques, myth construction, symbolism, gender, heroism, and the business side of television. The editors argue that Whedon's work is of both social and aesthetic significance; that he creates "canonical television." He is a master of his artistic medium and has managed this success on broadcast networks rather than on cable.
From the focus on a single episode to the exploration of an entire season, from the discussion of a particular narrative technique to a recounting of the history of Whedon studies, this collection will both entertain and educate those exploring Whedon scholarship for the first time and those landing to teach a course on his works.
From the focus on a single episode to the exploration of an entire season, from the discussion of a particular narrative technique to a recounting of the history of Whedon studies, this collection will both entertain and educate those exploring Whedon scholarship for the first time and those landing to teach a course on his works.
461 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2014
2 people are currently reading
653 people want to read
About the author
Rhonda V. Wilcox
10 books11 followersDr. Rhonda V. Wilcox is a Professor of English at Gordon State College in Barnesville, Georgia.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 28, 2014
I jumped on the Joss Whedon bandwagon the first time I heard Firefly's theme song. I had to see the show that was prefaced by such a powerhouse of a song. Firefly was different, but not because it was a science fiction western. Joss Whedon subverted the traditional science fiction western in Firefly. The trouble is that one academic writing about Firefly in this anthology, who didn't know the history of the science fiction western, appeared to think that Whedon invented it.
This is what happens when academics are too specialized. They know the body of work they are studying, but they are ignorant of the context from which it sprung. If you are unfamiliar with that history, you don't know what is in continuity with earlier work and what is a departure from it.
I downloaded this book from Net Galley, and here are my considered opinions after having finished the entire volume.
Joss Whedon scholars examine how each Whedon project relates to other work by Joss Whedon and how it expresses the characteristic Whedon themes. They don't situate it within the science fiction genre as a whole, or necessarily within the larger universe of work aired on television.
I would have liked to have seen less narrowness and more rigor in these essays, but I did learn a great deal about Whedon's perspective on his series that I hadn't previously known.
For my complete review see http://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/20...
This is what happens when academics are too specialized. They know the body of work they are studying, but they are ignorant of the context from which it sprung. If you are unfamiliar with that history, you don't know what is in continuity with earlier work and what is a departure from it.
I downloaded this book from Net Galley, and here are my considered opinions after having finished the entire volume.
Joss Whedon scholars examine how each Whedon project relates to other work by Joss Whedon and how it expresses the characteristic Whedon themes. They don't situate it within the science fiction genre as a whole, or necessarily within the larger universe of work aired on television.
I would have liked to have seen less narrowness and more rigor in these essays, but I did learn a great deal about Whedon's perspective on his series that I hadn't previously known.
For my complete review see http://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/20...
March 10, 2014
I received a copy of this book from netgalley for review.
This was really exciting. As a fan of joss whedon's work and someone who grew up watching buffy, I can say I enjoy hearing his work praised. He's a brilliant person. But everyone makes mistakes and I enjoyed thatw during the discussion of dollhouse, the authors pointed to both merits as well as flaws. It just made the book all the more credible in my opinion.
I enjoyed reading about Buffy. She was my idol for the longest time and still is, in a way.
This was really exciting. As a fan of joss whedon's work and someone who grew up watching buffy, I can say I enjoy hearing his work praised. He's a brilliant person. But everyone makes mistakes and I enjoyed thatw during the discussion of dollhouse, the authors pointed to both merits as well as flaws. It just made the book all the more credible in my opinion.
I enjoyed reading about Buffy. She was my idol for the longest time and still is, in a way.
September 25, 2015
ok so there's nothing I like more than reading scholarly essays about my favorite tv shows and my most favorite is BtVS. There are essays in here about his other shows which for the most part I also enjoyed. However the once exception to that is Dollhouse which is a tv show about sex slaves - and I don't really care how Whedon and other academics try to analyze it - it was about sex slaves and pretty gross. Other than those essays -pretty good reading.
February 3, 2015
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 3.0 of 5
If you don't know who Joss Whedon is, you should. He is a prominent figure across a number of different mass media outlets. Famous for creating the iconic Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie and television series, he has created a number of tv series' that have garnered much attention and praise (such as Firefly and Dollhouse and Agent's of S.H.I.E.L.D). He is also the force behind the blockbuster The Avenger's movies, but is also noted for his creation of the internet sensation, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Simply put, Joss Whedon is a creator whose works have probably caught your attention.
And...being someone who's work is much watched, it only follows that fans and critics of the work will discuss and dissect it and compile that work into scholarly books. This is that book.
Be aware that this is not light reading. This is academic, scholarly analysis of Whedon's work and how it relates to his other works and how it identifies Whedon the person. As it notes in the introduction, "Scholarly writing on Whedon has been produced at a faster rate than any other figure in television studies" and "There is more yet to say; there always will be more to say on Whedon, and that is one of the things that prove him to be an artist. Best of all, he has more to say: his revels are not ended."
I can easily see this book as a recommended text-book for a college course on media studies or even a course or segment of a course on Whedon's work. Much of the writing comes from academia professors ( PhD candidate in Film and Moving Image Studies; a Research Analyst at Georgia State University; a Professor of English; a JSD candidate at Columbia University; an Assistant Professor; a university English teacher; a Professor of English; an Associate Professor of English; a Professor Emeritus; etc etc etc). While these professors may be fans of Whedon's work, this is not your typical fan writing. This is writing coming from academics who often need to publish scholarly work on occasion to make their departments and their tenure, look good.
(I guess you can tell how I feel about this....)
I don't mind scholarly works. I like to stretch my brain a bit, but I think the way to judge such work is by how much I get out of it.
Despite its 461 pages, I came away with very little new insight or new appreciation for Whedon's work. The most valuable insight I got actually came from the book's introduction, "Much Ado about Whedon," as Rhonda V. Wilcox wrote about Whedon and music:
I would have liked to explore Whedon's musical expression a little more (though Ms. Wilcox does mention that there already exists two "full volumes of essays" devoted to Whedon's music).
Despite the rather awesome essay title "Hot Chicks with Super Powers: The Contested Feminism of Joss Whedon" by Lauren Schultz, I was mostly bored with this collection. I generously give it three stars because of the subject matter and because nothing is necessarily poorly written or weakly discussed ... it's just that nothing is dramatically revealed. I didn't really learn anything about Mr. Whedon or his works.
Looking for a good book? Anyone looking to critically study the works of the magnanimous television and film writer/director/creator/producer Joss Whedon, may want to explore the essays in Reading Joss Whedon - others may just want to watch a Buffy rerun.
If you don't know who Joss Whedon is, you should. He is a prominent figure across a number of different mass media outlets. Famous for creating the iconic Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie and television series, he has created a number of tv series' that have garnered much attention and praise (such as Firefly and Dollhouse and Agent's of S.H.I.E.L.D). He is also the force behind the blockbuster The Avenger's movies, but is also noted for his creation of the internet sensation, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Simply put, Joss Whedon is a creator whose works have probably caught your attention.
And...being someone who's work is much watched, it only follows that fans and critics of the work will discuss and dissect it and compile that work into scholarly books. This is that book.
Be aware that this is not light reading. This is academic, scholarly analysis of Whedon's work and how it relates to his other works and how it identifies Whedon the person. As it notes in the introduction, "Scholarly writing on Whedon has been produced at a faster rate than any other figure in television studies" and "There is more yet to say; there always will be more to say on Whedon, and that is one of the things that prove him to be an artist. Best of all, he has more to say: his revels are not ended."
I can easily see this book as a recommended text-book for a college course on media studies or even a course or segment of a course on Whedon's work. Much of the writing comes from academia professors ( PhD candidate in Film and Moving Image Studies; a Research Analyst at Georgia State University; a Professor of English; a JSD candidate at Columbia University; an Assistant Professor; a university English teacher; a Professor of English; an Associate Professor of English; a Professor Emeritus; etc etc etc). While these professors may be fans of Whedon's work, this is not your typical fan writing. This is writing coming from academics who often need to publish scholarly work on occasion to make their departments and their tenure, look good.
(I guess you can tell how I feel about this....)
I don't mind scholarly works. I like to stretch my brain a bit, but I think the way to judge such work is by how much I get out of it.
Despite its 461 pages, I came away with very little new insight or new appreciation for Whedon's work. The most valuable insight I got actually came from the book's introduction, "Much Ado about Whedon," as Rhonda V. Wilcox wrote about Whedon and music:
Like Shakespeare, Whedon is perfectly comfortable using music to enhance a character, deepen a theme, or even advance a plot. (Shakespeare planted a song about men as deceivers in the middle of Much Ado.) Probably the most famous instance of Whedon's musical work is the musical episode of Buffy for which he wrote both lyrics and melodies. He also wrote melody and lyrics for Firefly's theme song and melody for Shakespeare's Much Ado lyrics.
I would have liked to explore Whedon's musical expression a little more (though Ms. Wilcox does mention that there already exists two "full volumes of essays" devoted to Whedon's music).
Despite the rather awesome essay title "Hot Chicks with Super Powers: The Contested Feminism of Joss Whedon" by Lauren Schultz, I was mostly bored with this collection. I generously give it three stars because of the subject matter and because nothing is necessarily poorly written or weakly discussed ... it's just that nothing is dramatically revealed. I didn't really learn anything about Mr. Whedon or his works.
Looking for a good book? Anyone looking to critically study the works of the magnanimous television and film writer/director/creator/producer Joss Whedon, may want to explore the essays in Reading Joss Whedon - others may just want to watch a Buffy rerun.
August 12, 2016
I received this book through NetGallery in exchange for my honest opinion.
Reading Joss Whedon is a collection of scholarly essays exploring the different themes and connections within the larger body of Whedon's work. This particular collection focused most heavily on the Buffy verse and Dollhouse era, most likely due to the vast wealth of ethical and feminist topics exemplified within them as well as their strong echoing of ancient mythos. However, other classics including The Avengers, Dr. Horrible, and my personal favourite Firefly are also brought about in varying levels of details.
All things considered, this collection would make an excellent text book for a media class within a formal setting (no academic gymnastics required to make this topic fit), with each essay providing a wealth of discussion and research material from which to launch classroom dialogue.
The structure of the text also makes it easy for readers to pick and choose which topics are of most importance for their reflection, with subjects being categorized by series or overarching theme for easier readability and reflection.
This book would not classify for many as an easy read but that doesn't necessarily make it the wrong one. This collection challenges readers to choose to partake of their media in less passive ways, exploring and examining the intent and messages being portrayed regardless of how the show is perceived. A lesson well worth taking into every day with our media saturated culture.
Reading Joss Whedon is a collection of scholarly essays exploring the different themes and connections within the larger body of Whedon's work. This particular collection focused most heavily on the Buffy verse and Dollhouse era, most likely due to the vast wealth of ethical and feminist topics exemplified within them as well as their strong echoing of ancient mythos. However, other classics including The Avengers, Dr. Horrible, and my personal favourite Firefly are also brought about in varying levels of details.
All things considered, this collection would make an excellent text book for a media class within a formal setting (no academic gymnastics required to make this topic fit), with each essay providing a wealth of discussion and research material from which to launch classroom dialogue.
The structure of the text also makes it easy for readers to pick and choose which topics are of most importance for their reflection, with subjects being categorized by series or overarching theme for easier readability and reflection.
This book would not classify for many as an easy read but that doesn't necessarily make it the wrong one. This collection challenges readers to choose to partake of their media in less passive ways, exploring and examining the intent and messages being portrayed regardless of how the show is perceived. A lesson well worth taking into every day with our media saturated culture.
March 25, 2014
Full disclosure: I am acquainted with many of the contributors in this book, and had the privilege of hearing a few of these essays presented in earlier conference paper form. My own work is even mentioned a handful of times here. But I'd like to think that this in no way colors my review of what I find to be a stellar collection!
This is scholarly work, no doubt, and will be of interest to serious academics, but the majority of the essays are written in a manner that should be accessible to mainstream readers, provided said readers come with their brains ready to engage. If you think that Joss Whedon's works are worthy of intellectual consideration, there is absolutely something in this book for you (all of Whedon's works to date are covered, to varying degrees). And if you are on the fence, then this book will convince you.
Taken as a whole, the collection is also a testament to the editors, who establish some cohesion via the structure and presentation of so much content. My e-galley had quite a few formatting problems (e.g. weird footnotes and such) but I'm sure that will not be the case with the final version.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley -- but cannot wait to get my hands on my very own print version too!
This is scholarly work, no doubt, and will be of interest to serious academics, but the majority of the essays are written in a manner that should be accessible to mainstream readers, provided said readers come with their brains ready to engage. If you think that Joss Whedon's works are worthy of intellectual consideration, there is absolutely something in this book for you (all of Whedon's works to date are covered, to varying degrees). And if you are on the fence, then this book will convince you.
Taken as a whole, the collection is also a testament to the editors, who establish some cohesion via the structure and presentation of so much content. My e-galley had quite a few formatting problems (e.g. weird footnotes and such) but I'm sure that will not be the case with the final version.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley -- but cannot wait to get my hands on my very own print version too!
July 26, 2016
Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Attention Whedonites! This book is for you.
The book seems to be written in a very open manner, meaning it’s aimed at both newcomers and hardcore Whedon fans. I’m an old school fan, from back in the Buffy days (I was even a fan of the movie). I found new, surprising information in these essays. Many gave me fresh perspectives on shows I thought I knew inside and out, and even inspired me to start rewatch.
It’s not perfect, there are times when the essays meander and spend way too much words/time on justifying points, but the section on Buffy the Vampire Slayer alone is worth price of admission. I don’t always agree with everything said, but I appreciate how every single one of these essays made me think. This is a great tool for any academic seeking to understand the phenomena of Joss Whedon’s work and fan following. It is especially fascinating to read as writer, and critical reader.
This is a must-have for all Whedonites. It will fit perfectly on your shelf next to your Spike action figure, and your model of Serenity.
Attention Whedonites! This book is for you.
The book seems to be written in a very open manner, meaning it’s aimed at both newcomers and hardcore Whedon fans. I’m an old school fan, from back in the Buffy days (I was even a fan of the movie). I found new, surprising information in these essays. Many gave me fresh perspectives on shows I thought I knew inside and out, and even inspired me to start rewatch.
It’s not perfect, there are times when the essays meander and spend way too much words/time on justifying points, but the section on Buffy the Vampire Slayer alone is worth price of admission. I don’t always agree with everything said, but I appreciate how every single one of these essays made me think. This is a great tool for any academic seeking to understand the phenomena of Joss Whedon’s work and fan following. It is especially fascinating to read as writer, and critical reader.
This is a must-have for all Whedonites. It will fit perfectly on your shelf next to your Spike action figure, and your model of Serenity.
March 25, 2014
Author
Various, Edited by Rhonda V. Wilcox, Tanya R. Cochran, Cynthea Masson, and David Lavery
Publication Date
March 31, 2014
Synopsis
Pop culture juggernaut Joss Whedon's body of work is examined by some of today's leading academics.
High Points
The scope of this text is phenomenal. Buffy tends to get the most attention when people discuss Whedon's work, however, nearly every piece of his canon is discussed in thoughtful detail. I love that Syracuse University is lending legitimacy to studying people and work outside the literary canon.
Low Points
I find no fault in this text, but if you are not a reader of descriptions you will be disappointed. This is most definitely a scholarly text. Heavy reading is involved.
You'll love it if...
...you love Joss Whedon. ...you are looking for scholarly articles on today's popular and geek culture. ...you like intelligent analysis of narrative, gender roles, and sybolism.
Overall
5 Stars
EGalley was received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. For more reviews by The Readist, please visit www.thereadist.com.
Various, Edited by Rhonda V. Wilcox, Tanya R. Cochran, Cynthea Masson, and David Lavery
Publication Date
March 31, 2014
Synopsis
Pop culture juggernaut Joss Whedon's body of work is examined by some of today's leading academics.
High Points
The scope of this text is phenomenal. Buffy tends to get the most attention when people discuss Whedon's work, however, nearly every piece of his canon is discussed in thoughtful detail. I love that Syracuse University is lending legitimacy to studying people and work outside the literary canon.
Low Points
I find no fault in this text, but if you are not a reader of descriptions you will be disappointed. This is most definitely a scholarly text. Heavy reading is involved.
You'll love it if...
...you love Joss Whedon. ...you are looking for scholarly articles on today's popular and geek culture. ...you like intelligent analysis of narrative, gender roles, and sybolism.
Overall
5 Stars
EGalley was received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. For more reviews by The Readist, please visit www.thereadist.com.
March 28, 2014
An Academic View of the Works of Joss Whedon
This is not for the casual fan of Joss Whedon's work looking for a collection of behind the scenes anecdotes. This is a compilation of essays analyzing the works of Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly and director of The Avengers to name a very few of his projects. The essays focus on, among other things, the themes, character development, styles, moods, ethos involved in Whedon's works. The essays are presented in a detailed scholarly manner and offer a comprehensive view of Whedon's work, even negative perspectives are presented, particularly in the case of the series Dollhouse. The Fox Network debacle over Firefly is also covered. As a fan of Whedon's work I found these essays offered a fascinating view and I plan to go back and rewatch several series with an new awareness. This is an absorbing analysis of the works of a true creative genius.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This is not for the casual fan of Joss Whedon's work looking for a collection of behind the scenes anecdotes. This is a compilation of essays analyzing the works of Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly and director of The Avengers to name a very few of his projects. The essays focus on, among other things, the themes, character development, styles, moods, ethos involved in Whedon's works. The essays are presented in a detailed scholarly manner and offer a comprehensive view of Whedon's work, even negative perspectives are presented, particularly in the case of the series Dollhouse. The Fox Network debacle over Firefly is also covered. As a fan of Whedon's work I found these essays offered a fascinating view and I plan to go back and rewatch several series with an new awareness. This is an absorbing analysis of the works of a true creative genius.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
May 14, 2016
This book isn't for everyone, unless you're weird like me and enjoy reading academic work about pop culture. It has its ups and downs. Some of the essays are really fascinating and accessible, but others...not so much. They're definitely not for the layperson and are written for an academic. That's why I ended up giving the book three stars instead of two. It's not fair to dock a book because I don't know what post-modern humans are when it's written for people who do. However, I do feel like the book is a bit unbalanced. I know that there's probably more written on Buffy because it's been out longer, but there were more Buffy pieces than there were on the other Whedon products: Buffy-7, Angel-3, Firefly-4, Dollhouse-3, everything else-4. There were six essays that focused on a single concept and pulled examples from all of them, but I still wish it hadn't been so unbalanced.
July 22, 2016
I was so excited to read about Joss Whedon and his shows, but this was not what I was expecting. I should have paid better attention when I was reading about the book, because I thought it would be some sort of narrative, but instead it was just a bunch of research papers and essays. The essays themselves were good, but to me, it just seemed dry and was a little bit draggy. My favorite part was getting to read about Firefly.
For the full review visit my blog, "Books, books, and more books."
http://deerereadergirl.wordpress.com/...
*This ARC was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
For the full review visit my blog, "Books, books, and more books."
http://deerereadergirl.wordpress.com/...
*This ARC was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
August 3, 2016
As a long time fan of Joss Whedon, this book was a pleasure to read. Although it was written in a scholarly manner, it flowed well enough that I didn't feel like I was in college again having to reread every sentence. The various works were well detailed and the comparisons to other works including Shakespeare hit the mark. Although this book is targeted to a very specific audience, I believe that audience will enjoy it just as much as I did.
February 27, 2014
As a media professor this book will work wonderfully in my survey of media class. Joss Whedon is frequently brought up in conversation and term papers. There were great topics that can easily translate into lectures on story structure, character development and artistic/literary devices. A must read for teachers and students of film, television, and streaming media!
August 28, 2016
Okay, I didn't exactly read it all – just the essays on Buffy and Angel – but what I did read was an interesting look on Joss Whedon’s work. He is one of my all time favourite filmmakers, and I would like to read more about Buffy, in particular.
May 9, 2014
Intelligent and fun read for fans of Joss Whedon and his works. I did not read all the chapters to avoid spoilers of material I haven't seen yet, but the chapters I read were terrific. Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews