In order to complete an analysis of a television show through six basic theoretical approaches, I chose to use the pilot episode of Gossip Girl due to its strong representation of class differences. In this episode, the interesting characters of the Upper East Side are introduced and viewers begin to get a sense of the lifestyles that they live. From the elite, to the middle class, issues and attitudes are established. All of the main characters attend an established private high school and seem to backstab each other as a form of entertainment. The main issues of this first episode are Serena sleeping with her best friend’s boyfriend, Lower class Dan’s infatuation with the upper class Serena, and Chuck being an overall bad person and predator The episode hints at this fact in several ways, the first being the voiceover from the Gossip Girl website. In her voiceover she refers to the elite characters by name, but when it comes to Dan he is referred to as ‘Lonely Boy.’ By not giving him the respect of a name it shows that he isn’t worth as much to the website, almost as if they are forced to include him simply because he attends the school. Dan is also differentiated from the other characters in terms of his attire as well as his home. His clothes are plain and average, in contrast to the ornate and stylish clothes of the upper class students. His home is also not up to par with the elaborate pent houses of the other students, his loft seems more quaint and dusty. The portrayal of Dan’s lifestyle will cause viewers to see the middle class as less important to society than the upper class, as well as having a lower quality of life. In turn, the people of the show view Dan as less of a person than the characters in their social class. One of the most poignant examples of this is when Dan attempts to return Serena’s phone. The man at the front desk of the hotel automatically assumes that Dan either stole the phone or was up to something simply because he was clearly not ‘high class’ enough to be a member of the hotel. Viewers who witness this treatment of A ‘limited effects’ theorist believes that messages from the media are restricted or reinforced by cultural values. When looking at the show from this perspective, it is important to remember that the viewer’s previous beliefs will affect their reception of the show. This approach believes that the effects of media are much weaker than the strong and definite effects of the magic bullet theory. The first reinforced idea would be that people with money live better and more entitled lives than those without. It is not a hidden fact that money can buy a person things that they want and need, as well as allow one to live a stable life. The show represents the upper class lifestyle as desirable in many ways. The first of which is the fact that they have a website who dedicates it’s time to reporting what they are doing with their lives. Most people want to feel important and noticed, and the characters of the show are simply because they have money. A second way the show presents the upper class lifestyle in a positive light are the lavish parties where the high school age kids can drink freely without any consequences. From Blair’s posh party in the beginning of the episode, to her wild and elaborate ‘Kiss on the Lips’ dance, these parties seem like a place one would want to be. By showing the upper class lifestyle as fun and limitless, viewers would be
The media is a powerful tool and has the ability to influence and change one’s overall perspective of the world and the position they play in it. Although Television shows such as Friday Night Lights are seen as entertainment by consumers, its storyline contributes to the social construction of reality about class in the United States.
Younger generations and the more vulnerable in society can be influenced in avoiding peer pressure, but for the individuals filled with wisdom, the shows can reflect based on American modern society. Everybody Loves Raymond and Full House are great shows who faces similar life obstacles a typical person living in the US has today. As a result, most modern family comedy sit-coms are reflecting our society’s generations and the more vulnerable. Based on the success of early family sit coms, American’s adapted to a fast pace lifestyle with the help of modern
This essay will examine my thoughts and those of David Sterrit on the critically acclaimed television show The Honeymooners. First, I will talk about the Honeymooners and it’s setting in postwar America. Secondly, the social and cultural issues the series portrayed. Next, would be the psychological perspective and the aesthetics of the show. Finally, the essay would conclude with my thoughts on how the Honeymooners were impacted by these aspects, but also how the show managed to leave a legacy in television today.
...e the beginning of time, Television has been one the most influential pieces of media that the world has ever encountered. Bravo TV’s hit number one reality television show, The Real Housewives of Atlanta, deals with the everyday lives of modern-day “housewives”. When speaking of these women and their family life, the show shows its viewers that family life in modern times is dramatic, full of misrepresentations of how people are perceived, and how fame comes at the cost of family. The show stands strong with the critics and its faithful viewers around the world. Clearly, the show is not going astray anytime soon. Families who watch the show will eat up the drama and prays that their families never deal with those petty types of problems. The world will keep spinning in the television cycle, and drama will continue to invade the homes of millions of Americans.
Do you know the guiltiest pleasure of the American public? Two simple words reveal all—reality TV. This new segment of the TV industry began with pioneering shows like MTV’s The Real World and CBS’s Survivor. Switch on primetime television nowadays, and you will become bombarded by and addicted to numerous shows all based on “real” life. There are the heartwarming tales of childbirth on TLC, melodramas of second-rate celebrities on Celebrity Mole, and a look into a completely dysfunctional family on The Osbornes. Yet, out of all these entertaining reality shows arises the newest low for popular culture, a program based on the idea of a rich man or woman in search of the perfect marriage partner. The Bachelor, and its spin-off The Bachelorette, exemplify capitalist ideology founded on the Marxist base-superstructure model and establish the role of an active American audience.
Since television came into existence, it has evolved into a useful tool to spread ideas, both social and political, and has had a great effect on the generations growing up with these heavily influential shows. To these younger generations, television has taken the role of a teacher, with the task of creating a social construction by which many of us base our personal beliefs and judgments on. This power allows television shows take the opportunity to address problems in a manner that many audiences can take to heart. Many television shows present controversial topics in a comical matter, in some ways to soften the blow of hard-hitting reality at the same time bringing attention to the issue being addressed. In the television show, Everybody Hates Chris, season one, episode four entitled “Everybody Hates Sausage”, the stereotypes that continue to fuel racism are examined in a satirical motif, and class is presented in a comical way, but carries serious undertones which present a somewhat realistic view of the different social strata within the United States.
Glee: Defying the Mainstream The herd will take care of it” (Glee). This is not a reference to cattle but rather a reference to high school students; this quote was said by a teacher on the show Glee, indicating that students enforce the status quo. Ironically, this show does the opposite. The episode “Pilot” from the show Glee by Ryan Murphy is unique for television shows because it reverses the stereotypical views of society, and this essay will analyze it by summarizing the show, applying the Rhetorical Method and the Gender & Sexuality Method, discussing an outside source to further explain the creators motives regarding the show, and evaluating the text as a whole.
The theme of social conventions is displayed through character development. Despite Don’s many excellent qualities, he struggles with social conventions, and, as a result, has few friends. It is this lack of understanding that leads him to have minimal social activity. This is shown in the beginning and middle of the book through his selection of attire, the inability to decipher subtle social hints, and blunt use of language. For instance, Rosie comments on Don’s choice of clothing as akin to a homeless person’s: “I’m not walking around New York with a bum” (223). Later on the book,...
Since its inception, American mass media and entertainment has had an indelible impression on how our culture develops our collective identity. Mass media’s grip on cultural perspective has unprecedented power in molding how society communicates, why we communicate and what the communication ultimately means in our everyday lives. Say what you will about television, but what has been made excruciatingly clear over the past few decades is that the small screen is a teacher and what it teaches us more than anything is our roles in civility. Representation is key in this respect. Generally, much of television is concerns heterosexual, white males and their constituents, most of which are too white, heterosexual and male. In the age of being able to access television shows with a few clicks of one’s phone or computer, media’s presence continues to envelope the lives and perspectives of everyone. Young people who are growing up with new technologies that beam copious amounts of mass media influencers by the second are especially affected--their identities become cookie-cut before they even enter kindergarten. The AMC drama series, Mad Men is a marvel that has won four consecutive Emmy-awards for Best Drama Series and continues to receive glowing reviews every season. The wildly popular and critically-acclaimed television drama series expresses every concerning aspect of media’s representation of “US”, our history, our ideals and beliefs. What is perhaps most interesting about this award-winning show is how it always generates a dialogue about the state of our current cultural identity, saying so much about the nature of gender roles, sexuality, race and more. It is a reminder that whilst we are being entertained, we are also having our...
With nearly global use of the television; it has become a preferred method with which to influence and regulate people’s thinking, creating an unreal and idealistic, hypothetical reality which people strive to emulate. This is accomplished through shows and movies; the majority of which emphasize a perfect world, entirely free of corruption and poverty; where everyone is physically attractive, emotionally stable, and economically wealthy; a distorted reflection of our own world. This leads real people to attempt to create this imaginary world, only to fail; thus generating in themselves a sense of unworthiness, which in turn prompts them to try harder, to stop being individuals and become uniform.
Throughout the physical research of this study I have found out a lot more about this show than could have ever crossed minds before, one example being that this show has be premiered and marketed so well to the point that the viewer have almost no resistance to not believe what the show is trying to instill into our minds. These shows also categorize the characters, some are “good” guys and others are bad guys, but who is actually decided these labels? Are the categories fair? Many would say yes based off the plot line of the show, but some wonder if the bad guys have an equal amount of air time to defend themselves. These factors bring up a conflict of narration weather or not every character is portrayed in a way that they could be like-able which not the case in The Blacklist is. This “good” guy, bad guy routine is commonly used in crime shows and movies, but is not a true example of real life that these shows depict to do. In a sense these real-life shows are the complete opposite not giving the audience a real conclusion o...
Mass Media Text Coursework Introduction 'Friends', is an American television sitcom produced by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired from 1994 right through to 2004, all together lasting 10 seasons. The entire series is based on five characters all talking about their friendships and romances they encounter throughout their daily lives. However, the television series rarely brings us to the importance of race, gender and class, something which could easy have been developed. Television plays a very important part in today's society, after all, it's what a large number of people spend their spare time doing. Television almost creates a connection from the outside world to our living rooms (Fiske, 2003; Press, 1991).
When asking yourself which media outlet continues to offer the most influential presence on our culture the answer is obvious. Television serves as the leading unifying media instrument in our society. Television has always reflected cultural changes and the increasing popularity of certain networks is due to reality television. This genre of television creates the concept of the “instant celebrity”. One example of a reality show that literally promises its participants fame and fortune is Project Runway.
The gossip industry has become popular in the last few decades. Our society enjoys knowing about the lives of celebrities. We obsess over celebrities on gossip websites, and even obsess to the extent of stalking these celebrities. This industry has impacted our culture immensely. It has tainted our culture in several ways from creating bad role models for our children to making stalking an everyday affair; either way, the media has changed our society greatly. The gossip industry has brought new entertainment for our pleasure, but it has come with negative consequences.
Introduction Class divides have always been present in human society, whether it be through socio-economic standing, race, or gender. By embodying such an array of forms, class divides can be found in almost every facet of our lives, from the way we eat to the way we dress to even the way we relax. Class, as defined by Lynn Spangler, a professor of communication with current research on social class in television at New Paltz SUNY, class is defined by where one fits in occupation, education, income and wealth. Once situated, one is divided into the top fifth, the lower fifth, and the great middle area, which contains the upper middle, middle, and lower middle levels. This article reviews literature on class in the media and television domain,