REFLECTION 5: Hey, That's Me!—Seeing Yourself Represented on Television

To a young Whoopi Goldberg, the sight of an independent black woman on the bridge of the USS Enterprise was life-altering. Star Trek offered the future-superstar not only an opportunity to see her likeness on television, but a glimpse at a hopeful and prosperous future for her wary people. Meanwhile, Korean-Canadian and Grey's Anatomy cast member, Sandra Oh laments that she never had the same opportunity as Goldberg: "I grew up never seeing myself on-screen, and it's really important to me to give people who look like me a chance to see themselves. I want to see myself as the hero of any story. I want to see myself save the world from the bomb." While diversity in contemporary television is improving, it still favors straight, white, male characters. What is the significance of seeing a variety of people on television? Have you ever seen you and your life reflected on-screen? If so, were you represented accurately? If you've never seen yourself represented on television, why do you believe that is? What would it take for television to accurately represent who you are?

Note: You may identify yourself however you like and not just in one way. For example, you might identify as an atheist and an Indian and a man. Use whatever identification you like.

Include at least two of the following in your discussion:

• "Network TV Fall 2019 Diversity Overview: CBS Steps Up as Fox Slips" (IndieWire)
• "Why is Equal Representation in Media Important?" (Forbes)
• "Geena Davis Unveils Partnership with Disney to 'Spellcheck' Scripts for Gender Bias" (TheHollywoodReporter)
• "2018 Saw Record Growth in LGBTQ Roles on Television" (TheVerge)
• "When Was the First Time You Saw Yourself Represented in Media?" (Twitter)

Mechanics:

• 1 page in length
• MLA Style
• Works cited

Due: Wed 11.6

WEEK 11: The Golden Girls

The Golden Girls (1985-1992, NBC)

WEEK 11: The Golden Girls
MON 10.28/WED 10.30
READ: eR—“The 100 Best Infographics” (Creative Bloq), “10 Tips for Designing Better Infographics” (DotDash), “12 Warning Signs that Your Infographic Sucks” (Visme)
CLASS: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations

UPCOMING: 

WEEK 12: Twin Peaks 

MON 11.4/WED 11.6

CLASS: Multimedia presentations; Lecture—“Infographics 101” and “LGBT on TV: A Brief History”

DUE: REFLECTION 5

TV NEWS 10.22

• Netflix said to be considering a password sharing crackdown (New York Daily News)
• Verizon offering current and new Unlimited subscribers one year of free Disney+ (CNBC)
• While awaiting trial, Full House's Lori Loughlin is hit with additional charge in college admissions scandal (TheHolywoodReporter)
• Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton visit The Graham Norton Show (YouTube) 
• Everything coming to Netflix in November (Paste)

WEEK 10: Live Aid

Live Aid (Original airdate: Saturday, July 13, 1985, ABC/MTV)

WEEK 10: Live Aid
MON 10.21/WED 10.23
CLASS: Multimedia presentations
DUE: REFLECTION 4

UPCOMING:

WEEK 11: The Golden Girls
MON 10.28/WED 10.30
READ: eR—“The 100 Best Infographics” (Creative Bloq), “10 Tips for Designing Better Infographics” (DotDash), “12 Warning Signs that Your Infographic Sucks” (Visme)
CLASS: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations

TV NEWS 10.15

• Disney+ unveils THREE HOUR trailer showcasing most of its catalogue (Dark Horizons) 
  
• Grease spinoff, Rydell High, coming to HBO Max (Hollywood Reporter)
• AMC Theaters to introduce a streaming service to compete with Netflix (MarketWatch)
• A Sesame Street Muppet's mother battles addiction (Washington Post)
• Justin Hartley's Green Arrow returns for the CW's massive Arrow-verse crossover (WeGotThisCovered)

REFLECTION 4: Did You See That?—When History Unfolds on Television

Sometimes, history plays itself out in real time and we are afforded a front row seat. Whether what we see inspires or terrifies us, historical events on television often captivate Americans. In fact, we often bond as a nation over these moments. For this reflection, watch excerpts from two of the following historical events. As you watch, consider why these events were significant for Americans, even if it did not pertain to us directly? And which historical events have you see played out on television?

Write about two of the following events:

• The Launch of Sputnik 1 (1957)
• The Assassination of President Kennedy (1963)
• The Assassination of Dr. King (1968)
• The Apollo 11 Moon Landing (1968)
• The Assassination of Robert Kennedy (1968)
• The Apollo 13 Splashdown (1970)
• The Resignation of President Nixon (1974)
• The "Miracle on Ice" (1980)
• The Attempted Assassination of President Reagan (1981)
• The Royal Wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer (1981)
• The Live-Aid Concerts in Philadelphia and London (1985)
• The Chernobyl Nuclear Accident (1986)
• The Space Shuttle Challenger Explosion (1986)
• "Tank Man" Faces Tanks in Tienanmen Square (1989)
• The Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)
• The LA Riots (1992)
• The OJ Simpson Murder Trial (1994 - 1995)
• The Funeral of Princess Diana (1997)
• The Attacks of September 11th (2001)
• The Inauguration of President Obama (2009)
• The Japanese Earthquake and Tsunamis (2011)
• The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton (2011)
• The Boston Marathon Bombing (2013)
• Pope Francis Elected Leader of the Roman Catholic Church (2013)
• The Philea Robot's Comet Landing (2014)
• The Inauguration of President Trump (2017)
• The Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (2018)

Mechanics:

• 1-1.5 pages in length
• MLA Style
• Works cited

Due: Wed 9.23

WEEK 9: Cheers

Cheers (1982-1993, NBC)

WEEK 9: Cheers
MON 10.14/WED 10.16
CLASS: Multimedia presentations

UPCOMING: 

WEEK 10: Live Aid
MON 10.21/WED 10.23
CLASS: Multimedia presentations
DUE: REFLECTION 4

TV NEWS 10.8

• SNL's Bowen Yang is China's "Trade Daddy" (Vulture)
• Survey on teen preference: YouTube > Netflix (CNBC)
• First look: The CW's Nancy Drew reboot (YouTube)
• Nick Jonas replacing Adam Levine on The Voice (TheHollywoodReporter)
• Disney+ may not come to Fire Stick due to ad revenue disagreement (Gizmodo) 

 

WEEK 8: Laverne & Shirley

Laverne & Shirley (1976-1983, ABC)

WEEK 8: Laverne & Shirley
MON 10.7/WED 10.9
READ: MTV—“Part 4: Nothing Lasts Forever, and We Both Know Hearts Can Change”-“53. You Have No Idea How I Miss It”
CLASS: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations
DUE: EXPOSITORY (MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH ANNOTATIONS)

Upcoming:

WEEK 9: Cheers
MON 10.14/WED 10.16
CLASS: Multimedia presentations

EXPOSITORY ESSAY: How MTV Changed Everything

Watching MTV today, it may be difficult to appreciate how it once revolutionized the face of American television. But why was the concept of a 24-hour music video channel so radical? What do the first-hand accounts of MTV’s conception and early years tell us about how this iconic network became the defining cultural force of the 80s and 90s? Citing from Tannenbaum and Marks’ I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution, explain the impact this radical channel had on America’s television landscape.

Mechanics:

• 2-2.5 pages in length
• MLA Style
• Annotations*
• Works cited

*This essay must be annotated. Follow these guidelines: 1. Underline your thesis 2. In the right margins, explain what each paragraph is about in no more than four words 3. For each body paragraph, underline your best evidence 4. After your conclusion, briefly explain your process for this essay (in no more than 5-6 sentences)

Due: Wed 10.9
 

TV NEWS 10.1 (UK EDITION)

• Ten years ago: Susan Boyle stunned the world on Britain's Got Talent (YouTube) 
• Coming to October 3 to Britain: Drag Race UK (Vulture)
• First look: BBC's War of the World miniseries trailer (Dark Horizons)
• Great British Bake Off fans rally around past contestant after he shares a homophobic letter he received (Metro)
• Channel 4 editing its shows for play on Snapchat (Digiday)