Why Aren’t the American Series We Grew Up With in Italy Nearly as Popular in the US?
My American partner’s reaction when I told him I grew up watching Baywatch wasn’t exactly as I expected.
Every time I tell my partner how something I just saw reminded me of this or that American series I know by heart, the response is always the same:
‘I don’t think I know this series.’
To which my usual reply is: ‘Whaaaat! But it’s American!!’
This happened a few months ago when we took a day-trip to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, a beautiful beach town. As we were heading home after a day spent sun tanning and walking along the shore, I was scrolling Wikipedia to learn more about the area when I excitedly jumped out of my car seat:
‘OMG! Wrightsville Beach was the filming location of Dawson’s Creek!!! No wonder I felt a sense of familiarity!’
Again, the underwhelming reaction of my partner was: ‘Which series is Dawson’s Creek?’
Now, if you ask a random Millennial in Italy born in the 90s, they will surely know the American series Dawson’s Creek. Most likely, everyone recalls the sensation of being kept on the edge by Joey’s indecisiveness between Pacey and Dawson; the sympathy for Pacey, and the mental whispering ‘Oh please, Dawson, stop whining’ everytime the main character opened his mouth. Everyone’s got their ‘first’ death scare at Jen’s death, and maybe someone found Jack, the ‘gay character’ of the series, very attractive like I did.
‘We, in Europe, grow up as perverts.’
That’s what my boyfriend told me, jokingly, when I told him that in Italy, we grow up watching Baywatch every damn summer in elementary school.
Apparently, Baywatch is considered a bit of an osé movie in America, as there are a lot of bodies, physiques, swimsuits, and, of course, Pamela Anderson.
Yes, Italy can be a conservative, Vatican-ruled country, but apparently, the importance of passing to children the principles of good aesthetics was more important.
‘Have you ever watched The O.C.?’
This time, I don’t recall my partner’s answer, but it must have been a confused memory recollection, as if he were 80 years old. Either way, based on my one-person sample, I deduced once again that The O.C., the series narrating the life and secrets of rich families based in Orange County, California, hadn’t become as popular in the US as it did in Italy.
I have friends who could still cry over Marissa’s death and likely store a bit of teenage love for Ryan. Of course, they would tell you by heart some famous dialogues, such as the one between Ryan and Marissa:
“Who are you?” “Whoever you want me to be.”
After some online searching, I haven’t found the reason why these series became a mandatory part of Italian children and teenagers’ growth, or why I haven’t encountered similar affirmations of knowledge from my American friends and partner when discussing them. For what concerns Italy, my guess is that in the ’90s and early 2000s, we didn’t have phones or Netflix. Therefore, during the hot summer breaks, you would stay home watching whatever the government made available to you, summer after summer. This is likely the reason why these series made such a lasting impression on us.
Similarly, they narrated stories of people living in legendary, far-away places, such as California (as in The O.C. and Baywatch), allowing us to grasp the life (or giving the illusion of it) of those living there.
Finally, with regard to Dawson’s Creek, it was the series that prompted us to confront ourselves with realities such as divorce, homosexuality, and coming out. In a very homogenous country like Italy back in the ’90s and early 2000s, these topics were considered utmost taboos.