Introduction

This chapter provides an overview of the study detailed in the book, looking particularly at the personal and academic inspirations for the work. The value judgements associated with the period drama are explored, with particular emphasis on the association with female viewers, considering the role that perceived audiences and cultural value play in the construction of genres. The chapter draws on the author's experience as a teacher to consider attitudes towards younger people as audiences of film and television media, describing the ways in which various experiences in the classroom resulted in a questioning of the reductive generalisations often applied to teenage audiences. Finally, the chapter provides a brief outline of the contents of the remaining chapters, indicating the major thematic and theoretical concerns of each, as well as detailing specific inspirations for the approaches taken, where relevant.