Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Introduction (To Emotional Expressionism), E. Deidre Pribram Ph.D.

Faculty Publications: Communication

The primary purpose of Emotional Expressionism: Television Serialization, The Melodramatic Mode, and Socioemotionality is to explore the forms, functions, and nuances of emotions in popular, mediated narratives. Clearly, emotions constitute a key means by which audiences experience and make sense of narrative media, in that mediated stories make compelling arguments or take up resonant positions through their emotional methods and meanings. The value of developing an emotional template for screen media lies in generating new analytical and interpretative approaches to narrative aesthetics, especially in terms of their pains and pleasures. As this study seeks to demonstrate, emotional analysis opens up …

Review Of Berke, Their Own Best Creations, Cynthia Meyers

Journal of 20th Century Media History

Review of Their Own Best Creation: Women Writers in Postwar Television, by Annie Berke.

“America’S Nervous Breakdown”: Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, Popular Psychology, And The Demise Of The Housewife In The 1970s, Kate L. Flach

Journal of 20th Century Media History

In 1976, soap opera satire Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (MH, MH) debuted and reached an estimated 55 million households. Produced by Norman Lear, the central storyline developed during the first season involved the mental breakdown of Mary Hartman (Louise Lasser), a typical consumer housewife who Lear claimed metaphorically represented the United States. Portraying a discontent housewife with mental illness as a proxy for the nation reflects how ubiquitous popular psychology became in explaining American anxieties over the transformations of the family and politics. An analysis of tape-recorded writers meetings reveals that the show’s creators pulled from contemporary books, theories, and …

Representations Of Time In Time-Based Media: An Exploration Of The Human Experience Of Temporality In Film And Tv, Nelea Fong

Honors Thesis

Time is an aspect of the human experience that fascinates us but eludes our understanding. Humans have turned to science, philosophy, and theology in our endeavor to understand time, but our shared love and history of storytelling drives us to explore temporality through visual medias that have a structural foundation in time. Expanding our understanding of the human experience of time through time-based media such as movies and TV can point us toward comprehending various forms of time and how each person can perceive said time differently. Using film and TV theory, informed by scientific and philosophical explorations in the …

Subjective Excess: Aesthetics, Character, And Non-Normative Perspectives In Serial Television After 2000, Jessica Sellin-Blanc

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aims to fill gaps in contemporary television scholarship with regards to aesthetics and character subjectivity. By analyzing eight series that have all aired after 2000, there is a marked trend in series that use an excessive visual and aural style to not only differentiate themselves from other programming, but also to explore non-normative perspectives. Now more willing to explore previously taboo topics such as mental health, addiction, illness, and trauma, the shows featured in this dissertation show how a seemingly excessive televisual aesthetic works with television’s seriality to create narrative complexity and generate character development. Chapters are arranged …

The Meaning Of The Mask: Darth Vader On The Screen And The Page, Brenna Renfroe

Honors Theses

Masks can be found throughout popular culture, and their roots trace back through history. Whether on the screen, the page of a comic book, the stage, or in the halls of a Comic-Con, masked faces are intriguing. Among the numerous masked faces that populate our imagination, few are as iconic and instantly recognizable as Darth Vader from Star Wars. Despite his popularity, most of the research devoted to masked characters has been interested in why heroes such as Batman wear masks. There is little research on why a tragic hero turned villain does so, since the connotation of masks seems …

Bozo The Clown: An Icon As American As An Apple Pie In The Face, Gregory Kent Oswald

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

There is no single path toward the creation of an American icon, a person or item with resonance to all in the country as well as having an ability to serve as a symbol of America itself for those outside the borders. This thesis considers certain elements that propelled the journey of the entertainment for children, Bozo the Clown, into a representational figure in the minds of young and old. Like all things American, his roots include many elements from outside the country: the name derives from foreign tongues mostly in derisory terms, but in at least one instance as …

Andy & Edie, Warhol & Sedgwick, Sabine Paris

Senior Projects Spring 2023

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Arts of Bard College.

Queering Marianne: Witchcraft As A Means Of Sexual Freedom, Amber Guerena

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This thesis is divided in three parts to argue that Emma in the series, Marianne, is homosexual. The first section explains that the witch, Marianne, embodies Emma’s repressed homosexual desires and that her reintroduction to Emma’s life signifies her break away from heteronormative expectations. The second section centers on how religion contributes to Emma’s internal conflict regarding her sexuality. She struggles with choosing which religion to embrace: Christianity, which doesn’t support homosexuality, or witchcraft, which does support homosexuality. The third section explains the strategic choices that the series took to portray Emma’s acceptance of herself and witchcraft. The series …

Rural Masculinities In American Scripted Television Series Of The 2010s, Paul Doro

Theses and Dissertations

The 2010s featured a significant increase in the representation of rural masculinity on television. Much of the increase can be attributed to unscripted programming. Reality series have received considerable attention from scholars, particularly in regard to their representation of stereotypes. This dissertation examines the representation of masculinities in three scripted television series that aired during the 2010s and are set in rural America. The series provide perspectives on rural masculinities that can be placed in conversation with discourses on reality series set in rural environments. Justified, Rectify, and Outsiders depict male characters that veer away from stereotypes and are difficult …

Persian Squares, Natasha Sabour

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

After moving to Los Angeles, California, polar opposite sisters Sahar and Roxana struggle to find jobs, husbands, and their Persian identity. Here’s hoping they can find the 405!

Ari J. Blatt And Edward Welch, Editors. France In Flux: Space, Territory, And Contemporary Culture. Liverpool Up, 2019., Suzanne Black

Studies in 20th & 21st Century Literature

Review of Ari J. Blatt and Edward Welch, editors. France in Flux: Space, Territory, and Contemporary Culture. Liverpool UP, 2019. xiii + 221 pp.

Ang Boys’ Love Bílang Papausbong Na Telebiswalidad (Boys’ Love As Emerging Televisuality), Louie Jon A. Sánchez

Akda: The Asian Journal of Literature, Culture, Performance

Sa sanaysay na ito, pinahahalagahan ang sandali ng pag-usbong ng mga boys’ love webserye sa panahon ng pandemya. Sinusulit nito ang telebiswal na penomeno sa pamamagitan ng pahapyaw na pag-uugat sa mga minumulang tradisyon o impluwensiya; sa pagsasakonteksto ng paglaganap nito; sa pangkabuuang pagbása sa nagkakaisang salaysay ng mga serye; at sa pagtukoy sa mga transgresyong tinutupad nito sa anyo at kagawian ng panonood ng teleserye, at sa pangkalahatan, sa telebisyong patuloy na umaagapay sa mga hámon at pagbabago ng kalakaran. Sa kasaysayan ng teleserye at ng telebisyong Filipino, pinangangatwiranang mahalaga ang sandali ng BL sa gitna ng pandemya dahil …

The Reflective Age: Nostalgia At The End Of History, Zachary Griffith

Theses and Dissertations--English

This project investigates the ways in which nostalgic American media of the last decade reflects the sociopolitical conditions of the end of history. It begins with the assertion that the end of history represents a confounded, contradictory moment in which large-scale political change is relatively scarce, and belief in a progressive future has largely been abandoned, while cultural change has also accelerated at a pace never before seen––spurred on, in particular, by the constant return of dead styles and dormant IP. In other words, it seems as if nothing is changing and everything is changing simultaneously. The recent boom in …

Dark Shadows: Monster Culture On Daytime Television, Bill Svitavsky

Faculty Publications

The soap opera Dark Shadows (ABC, 1966–71) gradually took on elements from horror movies, including an immensely popular vampire character. This article examines how the mixing of genre elements took place and how it changed the show’s audience and messaging.

“I Save Me”: Gender, Agency, And Power In Better Call Saul, Stephanie Kocer

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Historically, women on television have been portrayed in wife and mother roles, making them a foil to their husbands, but never the main focal point of the show. These characters stay on the sidelines, without being given truly original storylines where they are allowed to drive their own narratives. During the first season of Better Call Saul, Kim Wexler is a supporting character, without any storylines that aren’t linked to Jimmy McGill. Jimmy often treats Kim as a damsel in distress. He thinks it’s his job to save her, and usually from the chaos that he’s created. In this thesis …

America's Next Top Model Magnified, Nina Violi

Capstone Showcase

America's Next Top Model was a reality television show that aired from 2003 to 2018 and the show gave women (and men in the later seasons) a chance to become models and be trained by the best in the business. While the show looked like a positive experience from the viewers' perspective, there were many situations when the models were put in uncomfortable situations. The show is related back to the feminism theory.

Art Imitates Life: The Representation (Or Lack Thereof) Of Black Women In Video Games, Bug Gadson

Faculty Curated Undergraduate Works

The key focus of this essay is to compare the representation of black women in media, primarily in television and film, to the representation of black female characters in video games. Using black feminist theory, this essay illustrates the treatment of black female characters in gaming. The particular and deliberate methods of writing black female characters in video games are used to highlight white video game characters and their narratives, instead of giving life and dimension to the black female characters themselves. The hostile and unsafe environments in gaming spaces are cultivated through upholding these harmful stereotypes of black women, …

Add Women And Stir: Female Presidents In Pop Culture, 2012-2016, Angela Laflen, Michelle Smith, Kristin Bayer, Riana Ramirez, Jessica Recce, Molly Scott

The Seneca Falls Dialogues Journal

In this article, we argue that there was a representational shift in popular culture representations of female presidents following Hillary Clinton’s 2008 primary run, from earlier representations that were entirely preoccupied with gender to more recent depictions that tried to set aside “the gender question.” We explore three representations of female presidents produced since 2012 that can illuminate popular understandings of gender and the presidency between the 2008 and 2016 elections: Veep, State of Affairs, and Scandal. While all three texts attempt to normalize images of female presidents and break from earlier representations by treating a female …

An Analysis Of Lgbtq+ Representation In Television And Film, Katelyn Thomson

Bridges: An Undergraduate Journal of Contemporary Connections

As LGBTQ+ representation in television and film increases, viewers must continue to question if this representation is accurate and enough to represent a whole spectrum of individuals. TV and film hold a powerful role in shaping societies perceptions, biases and stereotypes of a community and individuals. This essay analyzes TV and film representations to provide the reader with a better understanding of the power and impact that accurate representations of LGBTQ+ can have on the community and society as a whole. By looking at the issue through the lenses of queer theories, scripting theory, in addition to Stuart Hall and …

The Pre-Fab Fab Four, Thyra L. Chaney

The Downtown Review

This paper describes the formation of The Monkees as a manufactured boy band and pop culture phenomenon, and the social and cultural context that led to the group's dissolution and lasting legacy in the history of television and popular culture.

The Good, The Bad, And The Bloody: Images Of Menstruation In Television And In Menstrual Activism, Elizabeth Tripp

Women's History Theses

My thesis investigates the origins and tactics of the menstrual health movement; examines contemporary representations of menarche (the onset of menstruation) in TV programs; and postulates how these two streams of discourse could and should form a more symbiotic relationship. My first chapter defines menstrual activism, which seeks to destigmatize menstruation, using two different frameworks. Menstrual humor is frequently utilized across efforts of destigmatizing menstruation. I argue that menstrual humor can advance the menstrual activism movement depending on the punchline.

Chapter Two assesses the menstrual status quo according to television. I analyze thirteen media portrayals of menarche that aired from …

Transgendering Viewers Of Television, Arianna S. Goodhand

Honors College Theses

In response to the growing number of transgender characters on television, I explored how witnessing transgender representation on television is associated with an increase in viewers’ knowledge about the trans community, their empathy and understanding for the trans community, and their likelihood to advocate for the trans community. I hypothesized that witnessing trans representation on television is associated with greater understanding and empathy for the trans community, knowledge about trans experiences, and motivation to advocate for the trans community. The trans community specifically is becoming more visible thanks to television shows like Fox’s Pose. Gender and gender identity frameworks …

Criticizing Past And Modern Ideology Through Twisted Comedy Series: A Case Of "Comrade Detective", Damian Winczewski, Slawomir Czapnik

Class, Race and Corporate Power

The objective of the paper is to solve the interpretative controversies around Comrade Detective, one of the most original TV entertainment productions of the recent years. This production is a pastiche of American buddy police films. The plot refers to the reality of the socialist Romania in the 1980s and presents in a satirical way the local militia’s fight against the American threat. We have attempted to prove that its not only deriding the reality of the political system, but the series constitutes also a satire on American propaganda films. Although the humour in the series seems vulgar and …

Art Imitates Life: The Representation (Or Lack Thereof) Of Black Women In Video Games, Bug Gadson

Capstone Showcase

The key focus of this essay is to compare the representation of black women in media, primarily in television and film, to the representation of black female characters in video games. Using black feminist theory, this essay illustrates the treatment of black female characters in gaming. The particular and deliberate methods of writing black female characters in video games are used to highlight white video game characters and their narratives, instead of giving life and dimension to the black female characters themselves. The hostile and unsafe environments in gaming spaces are cultivated through upholding these harmful stereotypes of black women, …

Podcasts, An Increasingly Effective Media Tool, Katherine Haines

Capstone Showcase

The importance of the world staying connected and up-to-date on current news and new information is only going to continue as technology improves and people look for new sources of education. As we see so many things shift online during the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s only natural that news would continue to shift that way as well. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, podcasts were an alternate source of information that was becoming more and more popular. While the information distributed by podcasts and social media may not be as complete as news from stereotypical sources, they are much more effective because …

Lgbtv - A Look Into Queer Representation In Television, Daisy J. Williams

Capstones

In 50 years, the LGBTQ+ portrayals on tv have come along way but with only 6.8% of characters being members of the queer community, there is still a significant amount of work to be done. A look into the rich queer history, the problem and triumph areas and the current state of queer television.

https://daisywilliams.github.io/dw_capstone/

The Television Showrunner: A Case Study Analysis Of Insecure And Fleabag, Haley Bulen, Charles Howard

Honors Thesis

In light of the rise in video-on-demand (VOD) services, television has exploded in popularity on an international scale, eclipsing its predecessor of movies. This phenomenon has been further heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic as audiences flocked to their television screens during Stay-At-Home orders. Specifically, Netflix received 15 million more subscribers since mid- March, 2.3 million more Americans subscribed to Netflix since March, and broadcast television viewing has jumped by 8.3 million viewers (Fitzgerald). With the demand for high-quality entertainment, the role of the television creator/showrunner has become increasingly important, as this individual or pair of individuals is tasked with maintaining …

Law And Popular Culture: A Course Book (3rd Edition), Jessica Silbey, Michael Asimow

Books

This book is the reader for a course with the general theme of “Law and Popular Culture” or “Law and Film.” It is about the interface between two these two enormously important subjects. It is suitable for undergraduate and graduate classes or seminars in American studies, criminal justice, political science, film studies, or many other academic programs, as well as in law schools. The course can be taught by anyone interested in law as well as film and television and requires no specialized academic training. This is the third edition of the book which has a new co-author (Jessica M. …

The Networked Fictional Narrative: Seriality And Adaptations In Popular Television And New Media., Nandita Dutta

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

From creating elaborate fan-worlds to driving large amounts of revenue into the economy, popular culture has proved to be the motivation behind, as well a reflection of, large scale acquisitions of conglomerates that have governed popular interests since the mid-20th Century. If its movements across geographic space, time, and media can be traced, popular culture production is an apt subject of research into how a cultural entity is conceptualised, transported and appropriated within another. In this study, adaptations of fictional products in the 20th and 21st Centuries are considered as manifestations of neobaroque forms of culture production and consumption. Some …