ABSTRACT
Films and television programs offer many pleasures. They focus on what is dramatically important, filtering out the boring parts (on TV, classes are always more interesting without those pesky, long-winded lectures). Media present the fantasy that we can always be where the “action” is, and that those important actions will be perfectly visible and legible to us. They can show us exotic lands (from Tatooine to Transylvania) in lush realistic detail, allowing us to “escape” while remaining in the comfort of our chairs. We can simulate experiences (being chased or being adored) without risking any actual danger or taking any responsibility for what happens. Movies and television programs can involve us in well-told stories that make us wonder what will happen next, and we get pleasure when our expectations are partly confirmed and partly denied.1
