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Abstract
This essay uses Altman's (1986) semantic/syntactic approach to genre study to analyze the fusion of semantic elements and syntactic relationships in the emerging genre dramedy, as illustrated by the television series Moonlighting. The essay argues that Moonlighting's use of the self‐reflexive technique of generic fusion reflects not only the way new genres like dramedy emerge but also the way that artistic texts emerge. The essay concludes by suggesting that the popular and critical acclaim over this popular hybrid signifies a change in the relationship between art and television, namely that television has come of age as an artistic medium.