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Ian Thomas | Saint Kentigern College Sitcoms and US Society 1960-now

3.4 | Understand the relationship between a genre and society. Ian Thomas | Saint Kentigern College Sitcoms and US Society 1960-now. Politics – Republican vs. Democrat Family Unit – Nuclear / Dysfunction / Divorce / Pseudo Civil Rights – Feminism / Racism

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Ian Thomas | Saint Kentigern College Sitcoms and US Society 1960-now

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  1. 3.4 | Understand the relationship between a genre and society Ian Thomas | Saint Kentigern CollegeSitcoms and US Society 1960-now

  2. Politics – Republican vs. Democrat Family Unit – Nuclear / Dysfunction / Divorce / Pseudo Civil Rights – Feminism / Racism Generations – generation gap / Baby Boomers / Gen X / Gen Y Television – broadcasting / fragmented and niche markets / narrowcasting / internet Sex and Sexuality – social discourse / female empowerment / homosexuality The Future – changing technology / internet-based sitcoms / Obama / societal change Post-Modernism– re-writing the rules / rejection of tradition / open acceptance Threads for discussion

  3. Families watching “families” Familiar characters and situations Appeal – Common to society, grown up with them Humour as a tool for social engineering Sitcoms are common to each decade – TV staple Old sitcoms are social time capsules – a window into a different time/era on social level. Why sitcoms?

  4. US society sees change through non-confrontational nature of humour – catching more flies with honey than vinegar. Removed expectation of fulfilment of American Dream – through the latter decades, the sitcom assures US society that it’s okay to NOT fit the American Dream. Society influenced political/social content – Relevant and reflective of era. Roles – Catharsis \ Counselling \ Couching \ Comfort Food America’s relationship with sitcoms

  5. The 60s – Magi-com The 70s – Sex-com The 80s – Family-com The 90s – Single-com The 00s – Me-com The sitcom modes

  6. The comic trap – the family unit in whatever form. The fish out of water – most often women though later men. Each struggling to find their place in society amidst social change and upheaval. The naive fool – typically men who assume traditional patriarchal structures of social rule and family dynamics. The acerbic servant – the ‘other’ voice who offers ‘outside’ context. The Running Joke – recurring humorous ideas often satirising outmoded views and ideas of social behaviour, very audience inclusive. Humour – slapstick, one-liners, satire, punch-line, conflict, juxtaposition Sitcom conventions

  7. Setting the scene

  8. Establish American Dream as cornerstone of Post WWII US society The move to suburbia Introduce the housewife as the post Rosie the Riveter ideal for women – can link to post-Noir study well. 1950’s Father Knows Best – taste of early sitcoms. Pre-60s

  9. Bewitched (1964 – 1972) I Dream of Jeannie The Munsters The Addams Family My Favourite Martian Mr. Ed The 60s | The Nuclear Family

  10. The American Dream of white suburban middle class (Comic Trap) Metaphor of witch as modern woman (Fish out of Water) Traditional patriarchal man/husband (Naive Fool) The 60s | The Nuclear Family

  11. Soap (1978-1982) All in the Family The Mary Tyler Moore Show The Jeffersons Welcome back, Kotter. One Day at a Time The 70s |The Dysfunctional Family

  12. Class differences evident between the Tates (upper-class) and the Campbells (middle-class) for the first time in a sitcom (Comic Trap) Dysfunction and conflict prime source of humour Race and sex openly discussed – development of innuendo as a sitcom staple. The 70s |The Dysfunctional Family

  13. Kate and Allie (1984-89) Designing Women Golden Girls The Cosby Show Roseanne Growing Pains Family Ties The 80s | The Divorced Family

  14. Traditional family sitcoms harked back to a “Father Knows Best” era with little regard to class or gender conflict. Though many Americans struggled with the impact divorce had on their lives (comic trap) Women especially as the American Dream had not equipped them well for single life after divorce. The 80s | The Divorced Family

  15. Friends (1994-2004) Seinfeld Frazier Caroline in the City Will and Grace Ellen The 90s | The Pseudo Family

  16. Rachel is the original fish out of water – appearing in the first episode as a dripping wet bride. The pseudo family becomes the comic trap. Male and female relationships are more equal in sitcoms and society Sex and sexuality is open for discussion The 90s | The Pseudo Family

  17. Entourage (2004 ) The Big Bang Theory How I Met Your Mother Sex and the City Two and a Half Men Scrubs My Name is Earl The 00s | The Post Modern Family

  18. The family is now fragmented to the viewer’s own choice and experience of family and TV access. All forms of family exist and are treated with the same sense of humour, respect and accessibility. There is potential backlash with the advent of the male-com. The 00s | The Post Modern Family

  19. The future of the sitcom/TV

  20. Television Modern Family Cougar Town The United States of Tara The Internet Red vs. Blue The Guild The future of the sitcom/TV

  21. www.skc-media-studies.wikispaces.com www.youtube.com/user/skcmediaNZ thomasi@skc.school.nz Contact me...

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