Zombies and Werewolves and Killers, Oh My! - The Monster of the Week

So I was floating around the internet after reading the X-Files article, reading whatever I could find.  I became obsessed with what appears to be a pronounced divide and unresolvable conflict in the fandom of the show: Which do you prefer, the serial storyline episodes about alien abductions and government conspiracies, or the Monster-of-the-Week episodes with a new baddy to battle in each story?  Personally, when it comes to the X-Files, I prefer the big picture, even though it is the minority of the episodes (according to the article, only 61 out of the 182 episodes followed the mythology arc).  However, as a Cartoon addict, I must profess that I prefer the fresh, adventure feel of the new-creature-each-week type of storytelling that is most often used by animated programs (which I am a professed fanatic).

The concept of the Monster-of-the-week (also known as “freak of the week,” which I prefer because, well, it rhymes) format is relatively straightforward and requires only a few loose conditions.  First, the program in question must have an episodic format (self contained episodes within a larger story matrix).  Second, there generally is a new antagonist each week, usually a one-shot character, appearing to confront the main characters and subsequently defeated, often never to be seen again.

Sometimes, these new creatures are simply tools being utilized as soldiers for the main, recurring adversary/adversaries.  Probably the most notable use of this is in the Power Rangers franchise (known in Japan as the Super Sentai series).  In Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, which catapulted the franchise into the lives of American children, the five Power Rangers battle a group of evil space aliens led by the witch Rita Repulsa, who creates a new super monster each week that terrorizes the earth until the Rangers destroy it (and also it’s giant form, where they utilize their giant robot Megazord to re-kill it).  In these stories, even though there is a new threat to Earth every episode, there are still recognizable forces

behind the threat that can be identified.  

Why is this format so popular?  One word: syndication.  Shows that are designed to be episodic with one-shot villains are more inductive to a television practice called “stripping.” 

Let’s say, for example, that Captain Planet just got done stopping Dr. Blight from causing a nuclear reactor meltdown.  After the initial broadcast of that episode, it will be leased to independent stations all over the world to be played whenever they wish to, and in whatever order they desire.  The self-contained episode could easily be broadcast directly before an episode from two years earlier (where, say, Looten Plunder was attempting to hunt and poach an endangered species) without any real continuity or story conflicts. 

So fear not, Batman: The Animated Series fans.  The Joker, Penguin, Riddler, and Catwoman might be locked up in Arkham Asylum, but Clayface, The Scarecrow, The Ventriloquist, and Killer Croc are still out there, waiting for their week to entertain you.  Pick your poison.