ABSTRACT
This chapter traces the generic antecedents of some popular forms of television. The introduction suggests that the individual or collaborative work of art always emerges from the inherited and current language, and that genres are part of that pre-existing common language. The representative forms I examine (Blind Date, News, Pop videos, Commercials and Situation Comedy) generally rely on formulaic conventions rather than innovation and the articulation of a personal vision. My argument is that this tendency towards anonymity can make them peculiarly useful for the preparatory study of narrative.
