Exam 3 NotesLecture Notes03/05/13What is television?- A bard (storyteller) for modern and postmodern times- Central idea: TV tells stories visually- Films are more powerful and have a different narrative, but TV is what we watch everydayHow does TV tell its stories?- Through Images (recollect all the stuff from Stu/Cart)- Through characters- Through plots- Through genres- Through narratives or storytellingNarrative Tennis Ball Exercise - Prof. threw tennis ball towards the class- What happens when the ball goes in the air?o You are thinking Will I really get hit Is he crazy- When you launch the ball in the air you are creating a plot- The student who caught the ball become a character- All of TV is a story (a narrative) - All stories begin, they rise, the hit a climax, and they resolveWhy are TV stories important?- They “represent” the American Nationo Through modernity and postmodernity- They “visualize” identity in Americao Through modern and postmodern visual aestheticso “Identity” in American modernity  Race, gender, class, sexuality, ethnicityo “Identity” in American postmodernity Post racial….Discuss: Using the Chart - Key Concepts from the Mittell Book:- Characters, plot, storyworld, 3-act structure, genre- Ideology, dominant ideas, common sense, hailing, consent- Creator identity, stereotypes, social constructions, patriarchy, tropes of genderThe Duke’s of Hazard- Watched part of an episode- Very specific vision about the American south - Stereotyping the south- Is this a story about the south or how the south is imagined (who makes the show)- Duke’s of Hazard (structure)o Characters: people featured in a television narrative Identify the Protagonists Antagonistso Stereotypes: they are all hicks 3-Act Structure- Complication- Climax- EndingHailing- The way that you hail a taxi- Getting people to watch a TV showo Getting people’s attention - TV shows hail people (persuade) people to watch them- Hailing creates a specific identity/stereotypes In-Class Exercise: Names of Films about the South Names of TV shows about the SouthDjango UnchainedDeliveranceThe color purpleThe blind sideSweet home AlabamaForest GumpGone with the windRemember the TitiansSteel magnolias Honey Boo Boo – decline of civilizationAndy Griffith – about a small town copDuck Dynasty – ignoranceBuck Wild – white trashSwamp People – people in swamps Walking Dead – Zombies in the South Write down 3 words that describe the “discourse” about the South that emerges from these films/TV shows - Hospitality- Sultry- Sweet Tea- Football- Conservative- Tradition / traditional- Racism- Slow- Rural- FamilyHow do these stereotypes make up ideas about the south?- These descriptors tell the master narrative of the south- The whole idea of the south is based on what we see in the media, and how we interpret that - The media portrays the south as a stereotypical slow place, but it’s not really like that (esp. in the cities of the south) Words that go with a southern accent - Y’all- Recon- Bless your heart- Vixen- Words that are associated with these words- A hick- Slow- Uneducated 03/07/13Talked about what TV shows we were going to watch for this unitTV Food Planning Day- Define “junk, regular and gourmet food” as it might apply to current television programming- Junk Food: Jersey Shore, Keeping up with the Kardashians, Teen Mom, Lizard Lick Towing, Honey Boo Boo- Regular Food: The Office, PTI, Law & Order, How I Met Your Mother- Gourmet Food: Dexter, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Game of Thrones, Modern Family03/19/13Junk Food DayClass Sponsored by: Lauren Schorr, Gershom Weashington, and Stephen Standridge- Students in the classJunk Food TV shows (what is a “junk food” show?)- Basically TV shows that suck- Examples: Jersey Shore & Honey Boo Boo- Junk Food  about the quality of the television show Junk Food Questions- What is junk food?o Food high in fato Food that is high in oils and saltso Food that has little nutritional value- Why do you eat junk food?o Because it is cheap and convenient (& we are lazy) o Because it tastes good- How often do you eat junk food?o 2-4 times a week - How do you feel after you eat junk food?o Student: “I generally hate myself”o Bad / greasy o Fat o Happy at first and then bad - What happens if you only eat junk food?- How much junk food should you eat every week?Exam Related1) Write down the names of the TV shows we will watch today2) Write down notes about the content of each clipDiscussion Related (Not on Exam)1) Watch the clip2) Based on the reading…. First Show- Name: Here Comes Honey Boo Boo - Content: o First clip: treating Honey Boo Boo like she’s a wild animalo Second clip: Honey Boo Boo on a sugar rush after drinking an energy drink o Third Clip: “Sh, it’s a wig” episode o Fourth Clip: South Park Episode critique / interview - Honey Boo Boo Analysiso Why is Honey Boo Boo television junk food?- The show is degrading - We find enjoyment by laughing at them- It makes you feel good, but it doesn’t nothing good for you- We think they are trashy- It does nothing for you intellectually- The show plays into the red neck stereotypes - Students who choose Honey Boo Booo It’s a show that you don’t want your children exposed too Just like you don’t want your kids to eat junk food all the time - Last semester analysiso The show is unscripted programming… o Uneducated peopleo Gender roleso Ect. Second Show- Name: Jersey Shore - Content: o Clips of everyone fighting- Jersey Shore Analysis:o These people make us feel better about ourselves, the way junk food does o We like to laugh about how messed up their lives are o The show has created many “cool” terms - EX: Gym, tan, laundry (GTL)o Put their bodies on displayo Jersey Shore is kind of like a circuso This is reality TV, but whose reality is thisThird Show- Name: Keeping Up with the Kardashians - Content:o Them on a vacation: at the beach, in a hot tub o Kim complaining about her hotel – being a Divao Clip describing each of the Kardashians - Analysis:o TV show where we just watch other peoples liveso These girls have no real concept of reality o This show is just pure spectacleo Different narrative – upper class o Reality TV as a whole is junk food- It’s hard to relate to most reality TV shows - Reality TV lacks a narrative structure o People do idolize these people, but are not really famous for any reasonFourth Show - Name: Baggage -