The School of Clones

Our discussion of postmodernism showed the concept in a somewhat negative light, particularly in the sense that we believe everything that can be done has already been done before. This in turn alludes to seemingly ever-present pastiche, which are recreations that imitate and combine various elements from other texts. It would seem that we as a society have grown tired of this process, longing for the "brand new" and innovative that may never come. However, we just need to look a little harder to realize that "brand new" and innovative things really do grow out of the pastiche that we seem to hate so much. Clone High, an MTV series that completed a short television run in early 2003, is an example of one such innovation.

In this mock teenage drama, the clones created from the DNA of various historical figures go through the trials and tribulations of your everyday high school student. On one hand, the show is based around the humor created from our knowledge of these figures, how they are portrayed as teenagers, and the interaction between the two. Abe Lincoln spends his time awkwardly and unsuccessfully courting the super-popular Cleopatra, Gandhi struggles with his increasingly-prevalent A.D.D. symptoms, and JFK balances his well-known womanizing hobby ("Catherine the Great? Or should I say Catherine the So-So?) with the fawning of his two gay foster dads. On the other hand, this show is a direct critique of modern young television. Each episode begins with a voice-over parodying the following "very special episode", the clones struggle through issues of drugs, relationships, and underage drinking, and the series even ends at prom (the penultimate episode in any school-themed broadcast). The viewer finds humor in these events both from historical relevance as well as real-life relevance. And here, pastiche combines in several different ways to create a very successful show.

As far as innovation goes, it is important to focus more on Clone High's merits rather than its use of history and television to carry its plot. Who has questioned the legendary status of Gandhi, Lincoln, Joan of Arc, or Julius Caesar before? Who has combined textbook knowledge with pop culture? While pastiche is obvious here, we should look more at the little things we've never seen. "Brand new"ness can only be achieved in baby steps.