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	<title>Cronin Theory of Pop Culture Archives - Pop Culture References</title>
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	<link>https://popculturereferences.com/category/cronin-theory-of-pop-culture/</link>
	<description>Brian Cronin takes a look at interesting pieces of pop culture history from the worlds of TV, film, music and more.</description>
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	<title>Cronin Theory of Pop Culture Archives - Pop Culture References</title>
	<link>https://popculturereferences.com/category/cronin-theory-of-pop-culture/</link>
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	<item>
		<title>It&#8217;s Not Bad Writing for Characters to Make Horrible Decisions</title>
		<link>https://popculturereferences.com/its-not-bad-writing-for-characters-to-make-horrible-decisions/</link>
					<comments>https://popculturereferences.com/its-not-bad-writing-for-characters-to-make-horrible-decisions/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Cronin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jan 2026 19:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Cronin Theory of Pop Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Doc]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://popculturereferences.com/?p=7687</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Brian explains why it's not bad writing for characters to make horrible decisions.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://popculturereferences.com/its-not-bad-writing-for-characters-to-make-horrible-decisions/" data-wpel-link="internal">It&#8217;s Not Bad Writing for Characters to Make Horrible Decisions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://popculturereferences.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Pop Culture References</a>.</p>
]]></description>
		
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			<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Don&#8217;t Form Opinions Based on Headlines</title>
		<link>https://popculturereferences.com/dont-form-opinions-based-on-headlines/</link>
					<comments>https://popculturereferences.com/dont-form-opinions-based-on-headlines/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Cronin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Oct 2025 21:28:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Cronin Theory of Pop Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jimmy Fallon]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://popculturereferences.com/?p=7437</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Brian explains why you simply cannot form opinions based on headlines.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://popculturereferences.com/dont-form-opinions-based-on-headlines/" data-wpel-link="internal">Don&#8217;t Form Opinions Based on Headlines</a> appeared first on <a href="https://popculturereferences.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Pop Culture References</a>.</p>
]]></description>
		
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			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
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		<item>
		<title>When Defending Plot Points That Seemingly Evoke Negative Tropes, At Least Address the Trope</title>
		<link>https://popculturereferences.com/when-defending-plot-points-that-seemingly-evoke-negative-tropes-at-least-address-the-trope/</link>
					<comments>https://popculturereferences.com/when-defending-plot-points-that-seemingly-evoke-negative-tropes-at-least-address-the-trope/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Cronin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 29 Jul 2025 17:13:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Cronin Theory of Pop Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Julian Fellowes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonja Warfield]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Gilded Age]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://popculturereferences.com/?p=7392</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Brian explains why creators should at least address the negative tropes surrounding their plot points when "defending" them.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://popculturereferences.com/when-defending-plot-points-that-seemingly-evoke-negative-tropes-at-least-address-the-trope/" data-wpel-link="internal">When Defending Plot Points That Seemingly Evoke Negative Tropes, At Least Address the Trope</a> appeared first on <a href="https://popculturereferences.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Pop Culture References</a>.</p>
]]></description>
		
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			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>&#8216;Shipbaiting,&#8217; Like Ted Lasso&#8217;s Ted and Rebecca, Is a Bad Idea</title>
		<link>https://popculturereferences.com/shipbaiting-like-ted-lassos-ted-and-rebecca-is-a-bad-idea/</link>
					<comments>https://popculturereferences.com/shipbaiting-like-ted-lassos-ted-and-rebecca-is-a-bad-idea/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Cronin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 24 Feb 2024 12:32:01 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Cronin Theory of Pop Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shipbaiting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ted Lasso]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://popculturereferences.com/?p=7027</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Brian explains why shipbaiting, like the creators of Ted Lasso did with Ted and Rebecca is a bad idea (as it really all baiting, honestly). </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://popculturereferences.com/shipbaiting-like-ted-lassos-ted-and-rebecca-is-a-bad-idea/" data-wpel-link="internal">&#8216;Shipbaiting,&#8217; Like Ted Lasso&#8217;s Ted and Rebecca, Is a Bad Idea</a> appeared first on <a href="https://popculturereferences.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Pop Culture References</a>.</p>
]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://popculturereferences.com/shipbaiting-like-ted-lassos-ted-and-rebecca-is-a-bad-idea/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>If You&#8217;re Making a Musical, How About Not Hiding the Fact That You&#8217;re Making a Musical?</title>
		<link>https://popculturereferences.com/if-youre-making-a-musical-how-about-not-hiding-the-fact-that-youre-making-a-musical/</link>
					<comments>https://popculturereferences.com/if-youre-making-a-musical-how-about-not-hiding-the-fact-that-youre-making-a-musical/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Cronin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 Nov 2023 16:39:58 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Cronin Theory of Pop Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grease]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Into the Woods]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mean Girls]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Color Purple]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tick...Tick...Boom!]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[West Side Story]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wonka]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://popculturereferences.com/?p=6012</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Brian explains the seemingly simple, but apparently difficult to achieve, concept of allowing your movie musical to be promoted with music from the movie musical. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://popculturereferences.com/if-youre-making-a-musical-how-about-not-hiding-the-fact-that-youre-making-a-musical/" data-wpel-link="internal">If You&#8217;re Making a Musical, How About Not Hiding the Fact That You&#8217;re Making a Musical?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://popculturereferences.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Pop Culture References</a>.</p>
]]></description>
		
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			<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>There Is a Limit to How Much New Continuity You Can Pile On to Adaptations</title>
		<link>https://popculturereferences.com/there-is-a-limit-to-how-much-new-continuity-you-can-pile-on-to-adaptations/</link>
					<comments>https://popculturereferences.com/there-is-a-limit-to-how-much-new-continuity-you-can-pile-on-to-adaptations/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Cronin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:09:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Cronin Theory of Pop Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Secret Invasion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ultimate Comics X-Men]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://popculturereferences.com/?p=5253</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Brian explains why there is a limit to how much new continuity you can pile on to an adaptation until you're really no longer adapting anything</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://popculturereferences.com/there-is-a-limit-to-how-much-new-continuity-you-can-pile-on-to-adaptations/" data-wpel-link="internal">There Is a Limit to How Much New Continuity You Can Pile On to Adaptations</a> appeared first on <a href="https://popculturereferences.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Pop Culture References</a>.</p>
]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://popculturereferences.com/there-is-a-limit-to-how-much-new-continuity-you-can-pile-on-to-adaptations/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>There&#8217;s Nothing Wrong With Authorial Intent, But It&#8217;s Not the End All/Be All</title>
		<link>https://popculturereferences.com/theres-nothing-wrong-with-authorial-intent-but-its-not-the-end-all-be-all/</link>
					<comments>https://popculturereferences.com/theres-nothing-wrong-with-authorial-intent-but-its-not-the-end-all-be-all/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Cronin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 23 Jul 2023 10:54:44 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Cronin Theory of Pop Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fahrenheit 451]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[John Sayles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Limbo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ray Bradbury]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://popculturereferences.com/?p=5244</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Brain explains why authorial intent, while not useless, is ultimately not the final word on any critical reading topic. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://popculturereferences.com/theres-nothing-wrong-with-authorial-intent-but-its-not-the-end-all-be-all/" data-wpel-link="internal">There&#8217;s Nothing Wrong With Authorial Intent, But It&#8217;s Not the End All/Be All</a> appeared first on <a href="https://popculturereferences.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Pop Culture References</a>.</p>
]]></description>
		
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			<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Don&#8217;t Show Supposedly Good Performance Art on Your Show Unless It&#8217;s Actually Good</title>
		<link>https://popculturereferences.com/dont-show-supposedly-good-performance-art-on-your-show-unless-its-actually-good/</link>
					<comments>https://popculturereferences.com/dont-show-supposedly-good-performance-art-on-your-show-unless-its-actually-good/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Cronin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Jun 2023 10:16:06 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Cronin Theory of Pop Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[And Just Like That]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Seinfeld]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://popculturereferences.com/?p=5153</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Brian explains why you shouldn't have your characters be amazing comedians and/or musicians unless you're really good at writing comedy/music</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://popculturereferences.com/dont-show-supposedly-good-performance-art-on-your-show-unless-its-actually-good/" data-wpel-link="internal">Don&#8217;t Show Supposedly Good Performance Art on Your Show Unless It&#8217;s Actually Good</a> appeared first on <a href="https://popculturereferences.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Pop Culture References</a>.</p>
]]></description>
		
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			<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Maybe Don&#8217;t Adapt a Property If You Don&#8217;t Actually Like the Property</title>
		<link>https://popculturereferences.com/maybe-dont-adapt-a-property-if-you-dont-actually-like-the-property/</link>
					<comments>https://popculturereferences.com/maybe-dont-adapt-a-property-if-you-dont-actually-like-the-property/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Cronin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jun 2023 10:50:33 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Cronin Theory of Pop Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Perry Mason]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://popculturereferences.com/?p=5056</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Brian explains why you should probably not be embarrassed by a property if you plan on adapting it. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://popculturereferences.com/maybe-dont-adapt-a-property-if-you-dont-actually-like-the-property/" data-wpel-link="internal">Maybe Don&#8217;t Adapt a Property If You Don&#8217;t Actually Like the Property</a> appeared first on <a href="https://popculturereferences.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Pop Culture References</a>.</p>
]]></description>
		
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			<slash:comments>14</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>When Doing &#8216;Inspired by True Events&#8217; Stories, You Have to Punch Up, Not Down</title>
		<link>https://popculturereferences.com/when-doing-inspired-by-true-events-stories-you-have-to-punch-up-not-down/</link>
					<comments>https://popculturereferences.com/when-doing-inspired-by-true-events-stories-you-have-to-punch-up-not-down/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Cronin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 04 May 2023 19:41:12 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Cronin Theory of Pop Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Amanda Knox]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stillwater]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://popculturereferences.com/?p=4870</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Brian explains why films and TV shows "inspired by true events" have to make sure that they are punching up, not punching down</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://popculturereferences.com/when-doing-inspired-by-true-events-stories-you-have-to-punch-up-not-down/" data-wpel-link="internal">When Doing &#8216;Inspired by True Events&#8217; Stories, You Have to Punch Up, Not Down</a> appeared first on <a href="https://popculturereferences.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Pop Culture References</a>.</p>
]]></description>
		
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			<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		
		
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