Supernatural Teen Television: Antecedents, Influences, Characters and Meanings

In the mid-1990s, a collection of American supernatural programs appeared and were applauded for their presentation of positive and empowered teen identity. Previous teen characters explored social concerns surrounding teens and the supernatural and were represented teens in negative ways. The arrival of these supernatural teen television (STT) programs coincided with a series of socio-cultural changes in American culture which raises a series of questions: why did these programs appear at this point in time? What possible factors contributed to these empowered teen characters? This genre analysis explores the historical and cultural elements that have informed the STT genre.