Yuppie Guilt

Based on your viewing of our screening of Thirtysomething as well as Feuer's analysis of the program--what role do you think yuppie guilt plays on the show and how is it represented?  

Section Prompt Nov. 12

Hello all,

Tomorrow is going to be a busy section! We are going to be discussing Levine's essay "Kiddie Porn vs. Adult Porn" and Feuer's essay on yuppie envy/guilt. For us to be able to get through this material everyone has to come prepared and be ready to discuss.

For EACH essay:

1. In 1-2 sentences, outline the thesis of the essay
2. Outline three arguments that the author uses to support that thesis
3. Apply those arguments to one of our screenings 

See you tomorrow!

Josh

IT'S THE 80S!

'80s TV--worth 2 blog posts!

Watch one of the three 1980s television episodes linked below and write 400 words on the representations of class within Roseanne, LA Law, or COPS.  This post will count as two blog posts.  

LA LAW, s.1, ep.1

Roseanne, s.1, ep. 1

COPS, pilot (please watch all of the parts on youtube)

Section Prompt Nov. 25

Hello all,

This week we will be talking about Lentz's article on quality vs. relevance in 70's television.

Please come prepared to:

• provide at least three characteristics of quality tv and three of relevant tv
• know the differences between MTM and Lear productions
• think of some examples of how discourses of quality and relevance are similar or different today 

What a great era for TV! 

Josh

Here's some more Mary Hartman Mary Hartman, when cheating and romance and allure abound.

Smothering TV

Why did CBS censor The Smothers Brothers? How did The Smothers Brothers respond to CBS’s attempts at censorship?  How did questions of what constitutes appropriate content for network TV play out in the late 1960s and early 1970s and how do they play out today?  

MTM vs. Lear

From your viewings of All in the Family, Good Times, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show and your reading of Kirsten Lentz’s essay, how do you think Norman Lear’s shows differed from MTM’s?  Why do you think the term “quality” was often used to refer to MTM’s shows and “relevance” to label Lear’s programs?  How does Lentz see these productions as differing?  

Responses to Julia

Discuss the range of viewer responses to Julia described by Bodrohkozy's article.  Based on your viewing of the pilot and our discussion of television and race in the 1960s, why do you think the show was interpreted so many different ways?