Anthropology 295: Anthropology of Media

It occurred to me earlier that television show introductions have the ability to set the tone for the entire show (i.e. writing, cinematographic elements) while also serving a precursor to the shows characters and theme. I began to examine the opening to Dexter, a series on Showtime, and rather than attempting to describe the shows premise myself, I quote from Wikipedia: "The show stars character Dexter Morgan, a Miami-based serial killer who works for the Miami Metro Police Department as a blood spatter analyst." The opening sequence (link at bottom) depicts certain elements of everyday life (blood spots and cuts from shaving, slicing and cooking meat, and flossing) all which reflect and relate to murderous activities (victims blood, stabbing a victim, and strangulation). While watching it for the first time a few days ago, I picked up on these subtle elements in the montage and picked up on the strong link that the show itself has with its opening. Also, for certain shows (like Dexter) it could substitute as its own media/art form. Another example may be the show Nip/Tuck. Its opening is also very effective in drawing in an audience and setting the tone for the entire piece. These openings are also important for first time viewers (such as myself) in conjunction with the recap that is played from the previous weeks' episode. Both worked as a "base" to start my viewing. Therefore acting as a media source and social prompt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5WpxxJpL-g