The Contemporary Afterlives of Serial Drama: Considering New Audience Readings of “Old” Television

Abstract

In recent years several older, serialized TV dramas have experienced surges in popularity among young viewers. The 2020-21 online resurgence of The Sopranos (1999–2007) is perhaps the most compelling example of this. Using the data from a series of semi-structured interviews conducted with fans who watched the show for the first time in 2020-21, this study considers what draws audiences to “old shows” and how they adapt them to contemporary contexts of interpretation. I argue that there are specific considerations that we need to make when investigating contemporary audience receptions of old television. Ultimately, The Sopranos resurgence highlights a new type of “afterlife” for serial drama. Using Miller’s work on retextuality I conclude that it is important that we understand the resurgent versions of these TV shows as the new texts they are. They perform impactful types of cultural work, distinct from their original run.