CTWR 211-Mid-Term Take Home(1)
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University of Southern California *
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Course
211
Subject
Arts Humanities
Date
Jan 9, 2024
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Bruk Tefera
1.
Arguably, the first major inter-racial kiss on American television was in the mid
1960’s between two regular cast members of a weekly network TV series. Who
were the characters and what was the name of the series and who was the writer/
creator of that series?
A: The first major interracial kiss on American television happened in Star Trek
between characters Captain James T. Kirk, played by William Shatner, and Lieutenant
Uhura, portrayed by Nichelle Nichols. "Star Trek" was created by Gene Roddenberry.
2.
The 1960s was the decade when television began to question conformity. Name
three major events or movements in U.S history
during that decade
that
contributed to TV changing to reflect an evolving society.
A: The 3 events during that decade
that contributed to TV changing to reflect an
evolving society in the 1960s include the Civil Rights Movements, Kennedy-Nixon
debates, and the Vietnam War.
3.
There is a department within the major broadcast networks (ABC, NBC, CBS,
Fox) devoted to ensuring that the content of television shows is acceptable to the
widest audience and does not violate FCC rules. What is the name of that
department?
A: The department within major broadcast networks responsible for ensuring that the
content of television shows is acceptable is the "Standards and Practices" department
or "Broadcast Standards" department.
4.
Name the eight major ways we’ve come up with — so far — that television
creators use to “soften” or disguise the facts, language and controversies fo real
life in order to be “agents of change” in pushing the boundaries of television –
and – give an example of each with a TV SHOW TITLE.
A:
1)
Comedy
2)
Science Fiction
3)
Fantasy
4)
Satire
5)
Parody
Bruk Tefera
6)
Metaphor
7)
Allegory
8)
Symbolism
9)
Alternative Realities
5.
When the landmark 1970s show about a single woman,
The Mary Tyler Moore
Show
, was in development, Mary was originally conceived as a divorcee starting
a new life in Minneapolis. Why did the network object and say she
could
be a
single woman – but
couldn’t
be divorced?
A: The network objected and said she could be a single woman but couldn’t be divorced
because in the early 1970s, divorce was still a somewhat controversial and stigmatized topic,
and it was considered a sensitive subject matter for a mainstream television program. The
network executives were concerned that a divorced woman as the central character might be
too provocative for the audience.
6.
Sex as portrayed on television has traveled a long and bumpy road. In the early
days, it was particularly restrictive. Give one example of a famous show that
couldn't show a married couple sleeping in the same bed.
A: Example of a famous show that couldn’t show a married couple sleeping in the
same bed is the show “I love Lucy.”
7.
Comedy has done a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to changing attitudes
about socio-political issues.
M*A*S*H
, a landmark show of the 1970s, was a
comedy set in a particular war, that also served as a commentary on a later war
that still going on when the show premiered. What were the two wars that
reflected each other?
A: The two wars that reflected each other were the Korean & Vietnam Wars. It was
set in the Korean War but was being aired during the same time the Vietnam War was
actually occurring.
8.
When it premiered in January 1977,
Roots
was an immediate ratings and critical
success. In a paragraph describe how this one “TV Event” challenged America’s
thinking about its history of slavery and the mythology built around it.
Bruk Tefera
A:
Roots
challenged America’s thinking about its history of slavery by showcasing
the civilized nature of Africa before slavery. Prior to this show, one thought Africans
lived in chaos, but in reality, there were already civilizations and societies prospering
in Africa. By portraying the lived experiences and struggles of enslaved individuals
and their descendants,
Roots
confronted viewers with the harsh truth of systemic
oppression, racism, and the legacy of slavery that still lives on today. It forced
Americans to reexamine their understanding of history and acknowledge the deeply
rooted injustices that had shaped the nation.
9.
The evolution of feminism in Series TV, from housewives and secretaries to
single working mothers and movers and shakers in the industry, politics and
culture has been a “long arc”. One of the benchmarks along the way has been
called Proto-Feminism
or the idea of a woman having a hidden “power”, but not
having the agency to fully exercise it because she still lives in a man’s world.
Name two sitcoms from the early 60s that could be considered Proto- Feminist.
A: Two sitcoms from the early 60s that could be considered Proto-Feminist is the
“Donna Reed Show’ and “Bewitched.”
10.
In her second successful TV series,
Scandal
, Shonda Rhimes created the lead
character of Olivia Pope, who was described in the class lecture as a “woman in
full”. What is your interpretation of that description and how did the complexity
of Olivia’s character help change the perception of the female hero/protagonist
in Series TV Drama.
A: The complexity of Olivia Pope's character in "Scandal" played a pivotal role in
changing the perception of the female hero/protagonist in TV. Pope’s description as a
“woman in full” was demonstrated by showing that women in lead roles could be
multi-faceted, powerful, and fully realized individuals, breaking away from one-
dimensional and stereotypical depictions. Pope became an iconic character who
contributed to the difficult conversation about gender and representation in television.
11.
Religion is arguably the most controversial socio-political issue that a TV series
can tackle. How did two popular network series of the 1980s and 90’s
Highway
to
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Bruk Tefera
Heaven
and
Touched by an Angel
work around the structures of different
religious beliefs to create a more acceptable narrative about the pursuit of God
and meaning.
A: These two popular network series embraced interfaith and did not directly embrace
religion, but rather the values and morals of all religions. Adding on, these network
series had central characters these series were often human individuals dealing with
real-life challenges, and the angels or angelic figures played a supportive role in
helping these characters navigate their issues. This approach made the shows more
relatable to viewers who may not share the same religious beliefs. Finally, these
religious tv shows all brought positive energy to the viewers of love and compassion
as opposed to addressing religious differences which helped in preventing audience
members that were offended.
12.
In a key scene from the pilot of
Mad Men
, Don Draper reads a report from the
Ad Agency Director of Research that says that proves that cigarettes cause
cancer. What happens to the report and how does it reflect the theme of “selling
happiness” that runs throughout the series.
A: In the show, Don Draper is more concerned about how presenting the report that
cancer causes cigarettes will affect the tobacco industry's advertising and the agency's
profits. To avoid addressing why cigarettes are harmful, he crumples up the report
and tosses it in the trash. This reflects the theme of "selling happiness" at the expense
of truth and morality. Throughout the series, the characters in the advertising world
often prioritize selling an image of happiness and desire, even when it contradicts
truth.
13.
With its premiere on NBC in 1982, Steven Bocho changed the content and style
of Law Enforcement series (Cop Shows) with his groundbreaking series
Hill
Street Blues
. Name at least two ways that Bocho accomplished this.
A: The two ways Bocho accomplished changing the content and style of law
enforcement series is
1)
Character-Driven Storytelling: Unlike earlier police shows that focused solving
crimes in a single episode, this series delved into the complexities and conflicts of
the police officers themselves.
Bruk Tefera
2)
Realistic Police Officers: The series adopted a more realistic and gritty tone
compared to the often idealized and formulaic cop shows of the past.
14.
Bonus Question
— Name three Fears that motivate behavior and create character
conflict.
A:
1)
Fear of Failure
2)
Fear of Rejection
3)
Fear of Unknown
All the fears listed certainly create character conflict and motivate every behavior we
humans partake in.