Show Sold Separately

It is virtually impossible to watch a movie or TV show without preconceived notions because of the hype that precedes them, while a host of media extensions guarantees them a life long past their air dates. An onslaught of information from print media, trailers, internet discussion, merchandising, podcasts, and guerilla marketing, we generally know something about upcoming movies and TV shows well before they are even released or aired. The extras, or "paratexts," that surround viewing experiences are far from peripheral, shaping our understanding of them and informing our decisions about what to watch or not watch and even how to watch before we even sit down for a show.Show Sold Separatelygives critical attention to this ubiquitous but often overlooked phenomenon, examining paratexts like DVD bonus materials forThe Lord of the Rings, spoilers forLost, the opening credits ofThe Simpsons,Star Warsactions figures, press reviews forFriday Night Lights, the framing ofBatman Begins, the videogame ofThe Thing, and the trailers forThe Sweet Hereafter. Plucking these extra materials from the wings and giving them the spotlight they deserve, Jonathan Gray examines the world of film and television that exists before and after the show.

Jonathan Gray is Associate Professor of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He is the author of Television Entertainment and Watching with The Simpsons and co-editor of Satire TV and Fandom (both available from NYU Press).