Essay on "Sitcoms and Reality-Based TV"
Essay 4 pages (1180 words) Sources: 3 Style: MLA
[EXCERPT] . . . .
Amazing Race & Two and a Half MenThe Amazing Race and Two and a Half Men: Reflections of American Culture
Perhaps almost all people are aware of the effect that media, particularly the television, has on us. Since its introduction in the 1930s, it has had a great impact on American society that in the late 1990s, that on the average, American homes spent more than seven hours a day watching television. (Stephens, "History of Television") The programs we see in television carry messages which we may not be consciously aware of. These programs might be about our culture, another nation's culture, or images which have been created out of knowledge and how certain people view the world. This paper will talk about two popular types of television programs -- reality TV shows and sitcoms. It will examine two shows currently being shown -- The Amazing Race 15, a reality TV show, and Two and a Half Men, a sitcom. What do these programs tell us about the state of American society? How do these television programs reflect American culture?
According to Ellis Godard, reality shows are footage of unscripted interactions which have been edited and broadcasted as a television series (73). Although the show is affected by a number of factors, Godard said that "the resulting naturalness of social interaction, including familiar patterns of confrontation" is what makes them reality shows (73). The Amazing Race 15 is one of the more popular reality shows wherein a two-person team with preexisting relationship with each other, compete with other teams in a race around the world. Along the race, teams are presented with challenges. Every team strives to arrive at pit s
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Every contestant in the show illustrates the individualism that the American people as a whole is known to be. In doing their tasks, every contest showcases their independence and self-reliance. They all care about winning and they keep trying until they finish a task. One would often hear a contestant motivate him or herself even at the difficult moments when they feel hopeless. No one wants to back out from a challenge and quit and it's as if, every contestant sees quitting as a shameful thing to do. Until the very end, they try with all their might. It seems to me that there are times when the one thing that keeps them going is the shame of quitting. As much as possible, the contestants want to finish the race in spite of the tough challenges that they've encountered.
In order to stay in the game, every contestant proves that they can surpass any challenge posted on them even though the challenges… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for "Sitcoms and Reality-Based TV" Assignment:
Examine a current reality show and a sitcom. What groups are represented in the shows you selected?
Think about how characters are reflections of American culture - are they positively or negatively valued on the show? For the reality show, what do the people in them do in order to remain a part (or contestant) of the show; what do the people do to survive or prosper?
What does their representation have to do with why (or why not) people watch the shows (reality and sitcom)?
In a short 3 to 5 page reflective essay, analyze what these shows tell you about the state of American society. Your paper should include at least one additional scholarly reference (no Wikipedia or personal websites should be used). Keep in mind the difference between a critique and a review. You should be offering your own ideas, but in an academic manner that is consistent with proper MLA formatting.
please provide 3 academic sources (no wikipedia sources) using MLA format
How to Reference "Sitcoms and Reality-Based TV" Essay in a Bibliography
“Sitcoms and Reality-Based TV.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2009, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/amazing-race-two/792783. Accessed 28 Sep 2024.
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