MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

The CW Network is widely known for an array of teen programming. From The Vampire Diaries, to Supernatural, The CW does not shy away from issues that garner importance aside from the simplistic love triangle. Having stated this, The CW also aired two shows that surpass the love triangle as mere plot pusher storyline. The 100 and Star-Crossed series focus on the re-colonization of earth with human, and alien life forms. The 100 focuses on the tension humans create when they re-inhabit earth as they have lived in outer space for the past 100 years, and Star-Crossed focused on integration tensions of Aliens into the human race in Louisiana set in the year 2024. Both of these shows share a commonality of being set in the future and dealing with immigration, colonization, and tensions between cultures. The convergence of “western” cultures fueling indifference, processes of “othering”, insecurity and doubt are also not foreign concepts by being addressed through television narratives. How do these two post-apocalyptic and futuristic television shows fit into the teen narrative trend? The CW begs the question; what about The 100 and Star-Crossed television programs aid in how teen cultures are being “re-colonized” through the world of dystopian and fantasy television trends? Are these specific shows geared towards a teenage audience re-shaping the conventions of teen television by being focused on issues that are not solely about hormones and longing? How are these shows re-shaping teen narratives by reverting back to “primitive” cultures? A large part of teen narratives are to fear the unknown and conquer, however, the unknown is no longer something that proves to be culturally different as it does universal.