Queering the Greek television "comedy": Popular texts, dissident readings

Thesis

This dissertation examines Greek television fiction and attempts to proffer queer readings of a wide range of texts that were made and broadcast in the 1990s and 2000s. These texts, despite their differences, fall under the general rubric of “comedy” and enjoy phenomenal popularity ever since their inaugural appearance on the small screen. There has been growing academic interest in the examination of the relatively underexplored sub-field of Greek television fiction, and this dissertation contributes to this project, using Οι Απαράδεκτοι [The Unbearables] (MEGA, 1991-1993), Στο Παρά 5 [In the Nick of Time] (MEGA, 2005-2007), Το Καφέ της Χαράς [Hara’s Café] (ANT1, 2003-2006), and Ντόλτσε Βίτα [Dolce Vita] (MEGA, 1995-1997) as its main case studies. The case studies selected in this dissertation integrate gender, (a)sexuality, family, domesticity, body, and/or age in their narratives as a vehicle to create humor, yet in ways which have divided and continue to divide how audiences understand and interpret them. Today, more than ever before, the reception of these texts has generated mixed criticism from everyday people and critics, many of whom approach them either through nostalgic or polemic lenses.

Employing feminist and queer theoretical frameworks and making use of close-reading techniques, I search for gaps, cracks, and fissures in the comedies’ narratives and conventions in order to suggest ways in which popular, heavily consumed texts can reveal cultural "knowledge" that may have remained unnoticed or intentionally suppressed.

Authors: Chairetis, S

• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: media; fandom; television; sexuality; feminism; queer; pop culture; Greece
• Subjects: Queer Theory; Feminist Theory; Modern Greek Studies; Fandom Studies; Media Studies; Visual Culture; Television Studies