Pop Culture Franchises (A definitive list)

[Trey]

This thread will help come up with a list of top franchises, meaning entertainment that continues to matter in the fans' eyes, and continues to expand with new stories and developments for years, and decades.

Include anything from all areas of pop culture, books, tv, film, music, comics, etc.

What to include and what matters: longevity, passion of the fans, impact on U.S. pop culture, even small segments that have rabid fans are welcome, as long as its well known in these parts.

Do not include: people


Before we have discussion, lets just list what we feel belong. I expect the list to be at around 50.

[Trey]

I'll start with a few obvious one:


Star Wars
Star Trek

[howyadoin]

Well, there's Dr. Who.

And Spider-Man, Batman and Superman.

[K'Nort]

What to include and what matters: longevity, passion of the fans, impact on U.S. pop culture, even small segments that have rabid fans are welcome, as long as its well known in these parts.

So by "in these parts," you mean the United States? We have a lot of British/Australian/Canadian posters. Also some regulars in other parts of Europe and Asia.

[StoneGold]

So by "in these parts," you mean the United States? We have a lot of British/Australian/Canadian posters. Also some regulars in other parts of Europe and Asia.

Yeah, but let's be honest, American culture rules the world. And the best from everywhere else makes it here at some point, generally. For instance, Wong Fei Hung. They've made over 100 of those in Hong Kong. Police Story, One-Armed Boxer, Godzilla, Crocodile Dundee...

[GLover]

The Simpsons.

Yes, the quality of the show has fluctuated over the years, but it has been around for eons, and paved the way for a long line of imitators and inovators in the edgy, animated sitcom genre.

[K'Nort]

Yeah, but let's be honest, American culture rules the world. And the best from everywhere else makes it here at some point, generally. For instance, Wong Fei Hung. They've made over 100 of those in Hong Kong. Police Story, One-Armed Boxer, Godzilla, Crocodile Dundee...

Generally. But are posters elsewhere going to be kicked out of the thread for listing their own ideas? Especially when they don't have a great frame of reference for what has shown up over here. There just seem to be some ambiguous ground rules. And we've had plenty of Yankee Imperialism meltdowns over influential comics, so it's good to clear things up ahead of time.

[StoneGold]

Generally. But are posters elsewhere going to be kicked out of the thread for listing their own ideas? Especially when they don't have a great frame of reference for what has shown up over here. There just seem to be some ambiguous ground rules. And we've had plenty of Yankee Imperialism meltdowns over influential comics, so it's good to clear things up ahead of time.

I think you may be reading things into the original post that aren't there. Either that, or I'm missing something. But really, you have to limit stuff down to one culture, or the list starts to make no sense. You end up with stuff that 90& of the population hasn't heard of, because someone wanted to make sure Outer Uzbeqastan was represented.

[Athena Bast]

James Bond

There's only a dozen books but there's been 22 "official" movies.

There's also been a YOUNG BOND book series recently that has a Jimmy Bond as a tween spy for Her Majesty.

[StoneGold]

Rambo. And not just because I'm actually watching First Blood right now. But when the Turks make a ripoff movie based on your franchise, you know you're a part of the culture.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=tCNi9I1dHk4


That, and the way the word Rambo has entered the lexicon.

[howyadoin]

I think you may be reading things into the original post that aren't there. Either that, or I'm missing something. But really, you have to limit stuff down to one culture...As long as that "one culture" is pop culture and not American culture, we're just fine.

[howyadoin]

James Bond

There's only a dozen books but there's been 22 "official" movies.

There's also been a YOUNG BOND book series recently that has a Jimmy Bond as a tween spy for Her Majesty.Plus comics and - I assume - videogames.

[Athena Bast]

Gundam

You've got the comics, the multiple TV series, movies, plastic model kits. This has been going on for about 25 years.

[StoneGold]

As long as that "one culture" is pop culture and not American culture, we're just fine.

Yeah, but the pop culture of, say, India, might be hugely different. Just picking India, since they have a more thriving film industry than the US, even. So for American pop culture, you're going to get a list of mostly American products with a couple of imports, and pop culture everywhere else is going to have a lot more of America showing up, but it's still going to be a hugely different list. Hell, I've seen enough of People en Espanol on the newsracks at the market to know it isn't even the same pop culture in the US.


Because if People has never covered it, it ain't pop culture.

[howyadoin]

Yeah, but the pop culture of, say, India, might be hugely different. Just picking India, since they have a more thriving film industry than the US, even. So for American pop culture, you're going to get a list of mostly American products with a couple of imports, and pop culture everywhere else is going to have a lot more of America showing up, but it's still going to be a hugely different list.So what?

.

[StoneGold]

So what?

.

That there is no "Pop Culture." There's American pop culture, there's the pop culture of other places, but there's no overarching popular culture. There's a much stronger chance that the pop cultures of other areas will include American exports, but I'm willing to bet there's some long-running property that a couple billion Chinese watch that 99% of us have no clue about. and that for most of us would not count as popular culture.

And suck it up, you're Canadian. Which means, what, American pop culture + DeGrassi?

[howyadoin]

That there is no "Pop Culture." There's American pop culture, there's the pop culture of other places, but there's no overarching popular culture. There's a much stronger chance that the pop cultures of other areas will include American exports, but I'm willing to bet there's some long-running property that a couple billion Chinese watch that 99% of us have no clue about. and that for most of us would not count as popular culture. Again, so what? Are you worried about not being able to reach a consensus?

[StoneGold]

Again, so what? Are you worried about not being able to reach a consensus?

It was a response to indignation that other cultures were being left out.


And my original response should have just been chicken butt, because really, so what? That's a BS argument. The equivalent of "Oh yeah? Well, you suck!"

[Athena Bast]

Doctor Who

Ya got comics, movies, several TV series, I believe there's some audioplays as well.

[Athena Bast]

And suck it up, you're Canadian. Which means, what, American pop culture + DeGrassi?


The three things I've mentioned have been 2 Brits and 1 Japanese.

[howyadoin]

It was a response to indignation that other cultures were being left out.It looked to me like a request for clarification, 'cause the original post sounds like it's either assuming American culture and pop culture are synonymous (which, as you pointed out yourself, they aren't), or it's seeking to exclude influences from outside the U.S.

[morna]

is this one of these deals where we're doing someboby's homework for them?

[Trey]

is this one of these deals where we're doing someboby's homework for them?

No, not at all. I love lists. A foreign property is fine as long as it meets the criteria (Dr. Who for instance. I hate , but I know it has rabid fans and many incarnations over the years)

I'll also add

X-men from comics.
Robert E. Howard's Conan of Cimmeria
The Cthuhlu Mythos
Disney films and characters (we can group em all)

[howyadoin]

Sherlock Holmes

Tarzan

Doc Savage

Zorro

[Trey]

The Terminator movie mythology

Lord of the Rings franchise (books, cartoons, scholarly studies, movies, toys)

[howyadoin]

The Terminator movie mythology

On a related note, then:

Aliens

Predator

Robocop

[Trey]

Sherlock Holmes

Tarzan

Doc Savage

Zorro


Other than Zorro, are any of these still active to a large extent? Is someone still publishing Holmes or Doc Savage stories?

[howyadoin]

Other than Zorro, are any of these still active to a large extent? Is someone still publishing Holmes or Doc Savage stories?No idea. How important a criteria is that?

[Athena Bast]

Other than Zorro, are any of these still active to a large extent? Is someone still publishing Holmes or Doc Savage stories?

There are some "young" Holmes stories. There's also been some Dr. Watson books in recent years.

[Trey]

the longer active properties are the ones that belong on the list. Robocop, although has fans, it never crossed over to big time pop culture status, or even rabid fandom, among a small group. It really came and went.

[howyadoin]

the longer active properties are the ones that belong on the list.The Terminator has only existed as a property for 23 years. Sherlock Holmes has been active for 220.

[Trey]

The Terminator has only existed as a property for 23 years. Sherlock Holmes has been active for 220.

Agree, I would include Mr. Holmes. The volume of the franchise itself is huge. Its a significant franchise, not so much since the last 20 years.

20+ years is a long enough time I would say. And it really branches off into alot of other things besides the movies.

[Trey]

GI Joe


Although not a huge franchise like others. This product of the 80's (originally the 60's right?) has a very vocal fanbase. And its still active in the pop culture landscape. New movie coming out in 09 or 2010. And those PSA's are so cool.

Invented "and knowing is half the battle!" .....right?
I use that in my everyday conversations.

[Trey]

Are we missing any big ones?

[Trey]

MTV

all the good things about it and all the terrible things about it.

[howyadoin]

20+ years is a long enough time I would say. And it really branches off into alot of other things besides the movies.Fair enough. But that brings me back to Robocop - it's 21 years old, and there have been 3 movies, a TV series (and a miniseries in 2000, according to Wikipedia), 2 cartoons, comics from Marvel and Dark Horse (up until 2 years ago, anyway), videogames...

[Alex Scott]

Off the top of my head, I can think of:

Godzilla, Super Mario, Doctor Who, Gundam, the Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Star Trek, Conan, the Simpsons, the Chronicles of Narnia, the Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Mickey Mouse, Looney Tunes, Rambo, Rocky, Terminator, Scooby Doo, Playboy, the Beatles, Superman, Spider-Man, the Hulk, Batman, Buffy, Harry Potter, Pokemon, James Bond, Sherlock Holmes, Dracula, Frankenstein, aliens and UFO sightings, Tarzan, the Three Musketeers, Peter Pan, and (***shudder***) Left Behind.

[StoneGold]

Fair enough. But that brings me back to Robocop - it's 21 years old, and there have been 3 movies, a TV series (and a miniseries in 2000, according to Wikipedia), 2 cartoons, comics from Marvel and Dark Horse (up until 2 years ago, anyway), videogames...

Thing is, except for the original property, and maybe the vs. Terminator comic (and the Genesis version of the comic, but not the Super Nintendo), pretty much everything else Robocop related sucked a dick.

[howyadoin]

Thing is, except for the original property, and maybe the vs. Terminator comic (and the Genesis version of the comic, but not the Super Nintendo), pretty much everything else Robocop related sucked a dick.Well, it's not like there's a dearth of shitty Terminator product.

[Elegance Liberty]

Final Fantasy.

Even though the series has pretty much become the 'Mainstream Comic' of the video game industry (which people either dearly love or revile), it has made a considerable impact on a good chunk of pop culture... #7, especially.

I myself used to be a huge FF fan, but then the scales fell from my eyes and I discovered there was more to RPGs than girlie men and hackeneyed stories that are supposedly deep. The game that prompted my renouncement of Final Fantasy was, oddly enough, a Star Wars game: Knights of the Old Republic.

Also, Halo could be considered a pop culture franchise, but it's still too 'new'.

I'd be remissed if I didn't mention Super Mario Bros. either.

Alex Scott: Without going into a religion debate, I don't know if I'd consider 'Left Behind' a pop culture franchise. Personally, I think the books and associated stuff are a bunch of hogwash and hooey, but according to them, I'm one of those dirty Mary-and-Saints "worshiping" Catholics.

[howyadoin]

How 'bout Archie?

[StoneGold]

Well, it's not like there's a dearth of shitty Terminator product.

No, but at least it had more than one good movie. And the TV show has been pretty good so far.

[Loren]

James Bond

There's only a dozen books but there's been 22 "official" movies.

There's also been a YOUNG BOND book series recently that has a Jimmy Bond as a tween spy for Her Majesty.

And don't forget "James Bond Jr." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHfrRtPU-xs). Even though you may want to.

[StoneGold]

Don't forget the horror franchises. Dracula, Frankenstein, Wolfman, Invisible Man, Creature, Halloween, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm St., Texas Chainsaw, Saw, I missing anything major?

[Ronald Bryan]

Don't forget the horror franchises. Dracula, Frankenstein, Wolfman, Invisible Man, Creature, Halloween, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm St., Texas Chainsaw, Saw, I missing anything major?
Leprechaun? Because, you know, he was "In 'Da Hood"!

[mattx110]

And don't forget "James Bond Jr." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHfrRtPU-xs). Even though you may want to.
Anyway, I'm like 50% sure that it was James Bond's nephew and not his son.

But that doesn't make any sense to me... sorry.

[StoneGold]

Anyway, I'm like 50% sure that it was James Bond's nephew and not his son.

But that doesn't make any sense to me... sorry.

But he already has a son named Junior. He's just a rebel who named himself after the dog.

[stealthwise]

Asterix
Tintin
Peanuts

CSI
Law and Order
Winnie the Pooh

Super Mario Bros
Sonic the Hedgehog
Final Fantasy

[twilight]

Transformers?

Sonic the Hedgehog?

-Twi