Choose and watch one show (1 episode) from Group A + one show (2 episodes) from Group B:
Group A – Dramas (1 episode) Group B – Comedies (2 episodes/~45 min.)
The Fosters (Netflix, Prime; 2013-18)
This is Us (NBC, Hulu; 2016-present)
Queen Sugar (Hulu; 2016-present)
Friday Night Lights (NBC, Hulu, 2006-11)
Modern Family (ABC, Hulu; 2009-present)
Fresh Off the Boat (ABC, Hulu; 2015-present)
Black-ish (ABC, Hulu; 2014-present)
Master of None (Netflix; 2015-17)
Grace and Frankie (Netflix; 2015-present)
Your analysis should be based on the specific episodes that you watched (not the whole season or other episodes that you have seen). If you are unfamiliar with the show, read about it first. You should provide specific examples from the episodes to support your points. Your essay should be a critical analysis of the shows, not simply summaries.
Specific questions to address in your essay:
a. Briefly identify and describe your two selected shows. Discuss how each show portrays families and their structures – i.e., ‘nuclear family’ as ideal? Are other family structures presented in positive, negative, or neutral ways?
b. Compare and contrast how the shows portray issues of gender. To what extent are gender roles presented as traditional or egalitarian? In what ways are gender expectations discussed or reinforced? Be sure to provide specific examples.
c. Compare and contrast how the shows portray race-ethnicity and social class. How diverse, inclusive, and realistic are these portrayals? – compare with information on American families. To what extent are these portrayals positive, negative, or neutral (i.e., do they reinforce positive or negative stereotypes)? What particular groups or experiences are emphasized, and what is missed?
d. How are the shows’ depictions different in the drama compared to the comedy? How might these shows influence their audiences?
*** Note that production and broadcast dates vary – you should take into account the time period of the production (when it was made and released) and the time period portrayed in the shows (i.e., in the present or set in an earlier era). You should discuss the historical context and its relation to the images of families, gender, race-ethnicity, and social class.
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