The Blacklist is a crime drama television program that airs on NBC. It is an American television series that stars Megan Boone, James Spader and Harry Lennix. The idea behind it is that an ingenious, criminal mastermind, for some apparent reason, starts to assist the FBI in catching the world’s most wanted criminals, some of which they did not know existed. Yet, Raymond “Red” Reddington surrenders to the authorities under the condition that he will only cooperate with a rookie FBI profiler, Elizabeth Keen. NBC ordered for a nine episode first run on October 4, 2013, and in December 2013, they renewed the show by ordering a twenty two episode second season as an early indication for future success. But, what were the reasons for the show’s early success? After examining various trade journals and articles on the subject, I am asserting that The Blacklist is the number one new television from last Fall’s list of pilots based on its specific marketing, distribution, audience, timeslot, critical reception, and potential revenue.
Positioning and Marketing In the Marketplace
The Blacklist has been able to utilize its marketing strengths to better position itself in the industry. In entertainment, particularly the film and series sector, marketing is a challenging and dynamic function of business. Fortunately, the issue of marketing and positioning was not challenging for The Blacklist because of the brilliance of the actors, scriptwriters and producers of the show. The series is able to capture the attention of its audience, by casting its popular actors. Other audiences that have been and will continue to be crucial to The Blacklist’s success are the fans that each cast member has brought with them from their previous work. For inst...
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.... The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303382004579127411337240916
Lowry, B. (2014). If NBC’s fledging Drama Is Going To Endure, It Enters Key Window with Its Own To-Do List. The Variety.Com. http://variety.com/2014/tv/columns/can-the-blacklist-keep-making-noise-without-its-voice-1201054417/
Poniewozik, J. (2013). The Blacklist: America’s Next Top Wicked Genius. Entertainment. Times Magazine. http://entertainment.time.com/2013/09/23/the-blacklist-americas-next-top-wicked-genius/
Seitz, M. (2013). Seitz On The Blacklist: This Latest Criminal Mastermind Show Is Exciting And Deeply Silly. Vulture. http://www.vulture.com/2013/09/tv-review-nbc-the-blacklist.html
Sharma, A. (2013). Sony Strikes Production Deal with Netflix. The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304561004579135712048720976
In the 1930s and 1940s many Hollywood writers, actors, producers, and directors were suspected for communist affiliations. During this time, communism was a popular political movement in the United States, especially among young liberals. There was a growing fear of communism invading American society. By the end of World War Two an event known as the Red Scare resulted in communism become increasingly feared and hated by many in the United States. The Hollywood blacklist caused the Hollywood industry a lot of harm in its business and reputation.
Since its start, the television industry has been criticized for perpetuating myths and stereotypes about African-Americans through characterizations, story lines, and plots. The situation comedy has been the area that has seemed to draw the most criticism, analysis, and disapproval for stereotyping. From Sanford and Son and The Jefferson’s in the 1970s to The Cosby Show (1984) and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the 1990s, sitcoms featuring black casts and characters have always been controversial. However, their significance upon our American culture cannot be disregarded. During the 1950s and 1960s, 97% of the families were Caucasian. In the first five years of the 1990s, nearly 14% of the television families were African-American (Bryant 2001). These statistics obviously show the substantial impact our American culture has had on African-American television families.
African American representation in the film industry has always been a topic for discussion. Whether talking about character types and roles, the actors being cast or not cast, and the lack of diversity in front of and behind the camera. ‘The contemporary status of race in mainstream American culture is intimately bound to the process of representation within and through the mass media.’ (Rocchio, 2000, p. 4). Any role that was to be played by an African American kept in with the dominant stereotypes of the time of production; incompetent, child like, hyper-sexualised or criminal.
Let us analyze that particular time in which the show premiers, immediately after The Voice. Because we know that The Voice is in the top ten for most watched shows, the timeslot following it can be considered prime real estate for other shows. That is how I and many others began to watch the show, because Carson Daily would close with, “…stay tuned for The Blacklist.” That was a perfect way to establi...
Many people might say that stars are merely a product of the Hollywood system needing to make a profit; Hollywood manufactures a product and creates the demand for it. A star's image is processed through advertisements and promotions and has little to do with what the audience wants and needs from entertainment. There is a widespread mentality that any Average Joe can become a star with enough resources backing him up. Richard Dyer points out, however, that even movies full of stars fail, and stars can and do fall out of fashion (12). A star's economic worth is not invulnerable to audiences' opinions. The audience isn't so easily controlled.
Marlon T. Riggs’ video, Color Adjustment, offers the viewer an exciting trip though the history of television, focusing on the representation, or lack thereof, of African-Americans. A perfectly chosen combination of television producers, actors, sociologists, and cultural critics join forces to offer insight and professional opinion about the status of African-Americans in television since the inception of television itself. As Color Adjustment traces the history of television shows from Amos n’ Andy and Julia to "ghetto sitcoms" and The Cosby Show, the cast of television professionals and cultural critics discuss the impacts those representations have on both the African-American community and our society as a whole. Color Adjustment continually asks the question: "Are these images positive?" This video raises the viewer’s awareness about issues of positive images for African-Americans on television.
"Race and Ethnicity in Entertainment." Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies.
Jerry Seinfeld's television sitcom, "Seinfeld," which went off the air in 1999, is still one of the most culturally pertinent shows today. The show dealt with little nuances of American society. A puffy shirt, for example, could be the main subject for an entire show. This show, which was derived from Jerry Seinfeld's observational humor, was voted as the "Greatest Show of All Time" by TV Guide in 2002. According to the show's official website, the ratings for the syndicated version of Seinfeld are ahead of many of the current primetime comedies ("Seinfeld" 2/5).
Hollywood’s Blacklist developed out of complex social, political, and economic conditions. Hollywood’s blacklist was a method utilized by the federal government to deny employment to many professionals in the entertainment industry, including but not limited to screenwriters, actors, producers, directors, musicians, and animators. These professionals were “blacklisted” as a result of suspected political affiliation with the Communist party. The manufacturing of the blacklist sprung out of panic and fear of communist reconnaissance as a result of many events that were taking place around the world such as the Soviet Eastern Europe, Berlin blockade, Chinese Civil War, confessions of high-ranking government officials of espionage for the Soviet Union, Korean War and,, Atomic bomb. Hollywood’s blacklist was also a manifesto of extreme paranoia related to the Cold War.
The reason for me picking Breaking Bad for my media analysis paper is because it was a fantastic TV series. This for me was one of the very few TV series I have followed across all five seasons.
... chaos, and people, on our televisions. Surviving low ratings with a large Internet following and critical acclaim, NBC’s Hannibal is a force to be reckoned with in primetime television.
Nelson Johnson’s Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City is the story of Atlantic City and how it came to be, during construction, high times, and obvious political corruption. The famous television show Boardwalk Empire, starring Steve Buscemi, centers around his characters’ role, Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, rather than emphasizing the growth of Atlantic City. Although Nucky Johnson was instrumental in the high times of Atlantic City, the book focuses on the city itself and how it attracted many.
The cast members of each of the shows were put into situations that were constantly enforcing racial stereotypes, done on purpose by the producers. In the essay, the author argues that media makes the viewers have a struggle in what they choose to believe. She also states that society participates
Fans can have strong responses to both narrative and production events effecting their favorite television shows. A wall used to mourn Ianto Jones after he is killed off Tortchwood:Children of the Earth. 50,000 pounds of peanuts mailed to CBS's New York office to show support of Jericho when it was canceled (Elber 2007). Hate and threats directed to writers, producers, actors, and their families protesting the importance of Castiel in Supernatural. These reactions are tied to fans' emotional investment and connections they have created by expanding past what is seen on screen. A sense of justification for the actions taken stem from the broken promise of shared production in a participatory culture.
What do shows Spongebob Squarepants, Orange is the New Black, Scandal all have in common? They all possess extremely vast audiences and loyal viewership that they are referred to as having a “cult following.” These shows have influenced today’s pop culture and formed the way audiences expect to receive forthcoming media products. This essay will explore how Netflix’s new series Stranger Things’ production and distribution lead to new and innovative exhibition practices, how their integrated advertising helped create a new wave of cult followers, and lastly, how it’s popularity makes it a cult classic.