Intertextuality in Opening Sequences

A notion introduced by Julia Kriteva suggested that a singular text is shaped by the meanings of other texts that relate to it. She stated that a text is not an isolated entity and is instead an amalgamation of the meanings and products shown through other texts.

Media intertextuality is where a certain text (movie/TV show/book) makes links to other Media texts, like a predecessor in the series or an original creation (if the current text is a remake) or, in some cases, a completely separate text (this is often known as an 'Easter Egg'). This is very important when thinking about audience, as intertextuality has to be understood by the audience in order for the reference to actually make sense. 

Intertextuality in the form of references is often shown in the comedy genre, especially in animated TV shows aimed at large audiences (like The Simpsons). A lot of the comedy here relies on prior knowledge of each reference, which in some form increases the intellectual requirement for consuming the program. This increases the audience's pleasure whilst consuming the text, due to the way in which it is involving them personally and making them feel included when they understand the references included. The use of intertextuality also subverts the idea of engrossing an audience in the narrative as it pulls from it and shows how our mediated society is all linked.