LFTVD - INTERTEXTUALITY - POLITICAL CONTEXT

Another way we can address the statement is by examining the political context of the two shows; while there are certainly times where they use in the same way, there are some distinct and different uses of intertextuality to present and explore political perspectives. The core narrative in both texts, is arguably an intertextual reference to a politically charged situation. D83 places the Able Archer exercise at the core of its narrative, while Stranger Things makes indirect reference the MKUltra programme. Gerbner might be useful here,  helping us acknowledge that these narratives suggest that governments cannot be trusted and that shadowy agencies control our lives; this mistrust of the powerful may contribute to ‘mean world syndrome.’ However, by applying Todorov, and examining the transformation that leads to a new equilibrium, we see how both texts seek catharsis in interesting and distinct ways. Stranger Things reaches equilibrium, through personal sacrifice, motherly devotion, masculine redemption and loyal friendships; if there is a core political message here it is that ordinary human beings and communities can triumph over the powerful. This is an intertextual reference to a Spielbergian trope, which echoes the American Dream; not at all original. However, D83, opens with a direct intertextual reference to Reagan’s famous ‘Evil Empire’ speech to establish both time period and political context. The framing of this speech clearly inverts generic expectations by casting Reagan as the villain and arguably challenges the assumptions of The American Dream. For both German and U.S. viewers, the representation of this iconic figure of Western Capitalism as the villain of the piece, opens interesting discussion, especially if we apply Gerbner. On the one hand, there seems to be an attempt to disrupt the mainstreaming of Western Capitalism as wholly good, while simultaneously encouraging mean world syndrome by suggesting that Western governments are willing to risk nuclear war. If we bring in Todorov again to help us consider what the narrative values there seems to be an acknowledgment that the communist HVA is fighting to prevent the destruction of their way of life, and to perhaps prevent nuclear war; in effect, the audience is encouraged to see them as the heroes of the piece. This political messaging is reinforced each week by the title sequence which features, German president, Helmut Kohl, accepting U.S . missiles onto West German soil and East German president, Erich Honecker, praising peace. The direct intertextual reference here is used to force audiences to contend with their assumptions about the political situation in the fractured Germany of 1983. This highlights the importance of international programming, especially in Long Form TV Drama, which offers producers the scope to explore more complex ideas. This representation is wholly German: possibly original, but certainly different and almost certainly motivated by its national identity. As such, it challenges the U.S. cultural hegemony that is so commonly found in all media, and also challenges the statement that all LFTVD uses intertextuality in the same way, "no matter which country they are made in."