XPost: rec.arts.sf.tv, rec.arts.tv   
   From: barmar@alum.mit.edu   
      
   In article ,   
    "Obveeus"  wrote:   
      
   > "Ken from Chicago"  wrote in message   
   > news:8MadnRGVd63mRBHWnZ2dnUVZ_gednZ2d@giganews.com...   
   > >   
   > >   
   > > "Bill Steele"  wrote in message   
   > > news:ws21-E4C29A.14374001032010@newsstand.cit.cornell.edu...   
   > >> In article ,   
   > >> "Obveeus"  wrote:   
   > >>   
   > >>> So now Syfy has two interesting female characters on the show (three if   
   > >>> you   
   > >>> count the one that is still alive)...and still no way of reaching the   
   > >>> young,   
   > >>> female audience that *should* be watching this show.  How does Syfy   
   > >>> reach   
   > >>> the new target audience?   
   > >>   
   > >> Have the actresses launch singing careers.   
   > >>   
   > >> OTOH, isn't the purpose of young female characters to attract the young   
   > >> *male* audience?  And isn't that SyFy's target audience anyway?   
   > >   
   > > How big is the male demographic for Miley Cyrus?   
   >   
   > Exactly.  Putting teen girls on a show attracts teen girls, not teen boys.   
   > Teen boys want to see gunplay and Viper ships flying.   
      
   For either demographic, it's not enough JUST to put a pretty girl on the   
   show, the subject matter still has to be entertaining to them.  Boys   
   might find Miley attractive, but they're not going to watch the show   
   because it's about girly stuff (I've never actually seen it, but I   
   assume dating and romance are common plot elements).   
      
   Sci-fi and action has traditionally not had much of a female audience.   
   Some of this may be because girls tend to be turned off by science,   
   viewing it as a more male activity.  But if you give a lead role to a   
   woman, it breaks that stereotype.  Now you have a show that can appeal   
   to the wider demographic.  Boys like it because it's sci-fi AND it has   
   kick-ass babes, girls like it despite it being sci-fi BECAUSE it has   
   kick-ass babes.   
      
   I think "Alias" may be the best example of this fusion, with the movie   
   "Alien" setting the stage.   
      
   --   
   Barry Margolin, barmar@alum.mit.edu   
   Arlington, MA   
   *** PLEASE don't copy me on replies, I'll read them in the group ***   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)