Friends Reconsidered: Cultural Politics, Intergenerationality, and Afterlives (original) (raw)

ONE DAY AT A TIME: THE POLITICAL LIMITS OF THE DOMESTIC SITCOM

Ilha do Desterro, 2021

Most critics argue that the television comedy One Day at a Time (2017), produced in the United States, is a progressive show, mainly due to its cast, its attempt at faithfully representing an ethnic minority, and its courage in advancing relevant, sensitive topics. In order to qualify such assumptions, we will review the history of the sitcom formula, particularly the genre often defined as domestic comedies of the 1970s, and argue that its formal constraints impose unsurmountable limits on a progressive agenda. Finally, we proceed with an aesthetic analysis of the first season, which further demonstrates that the genre's need of family stability-what we call a hierarchy of values-compromises the dramatization of political content. We hope that by examining the genre's history and analyzing the show's aesthetic, we can contribute to a better understanding of its inherent shortcomings and compromises.

"DO YOU EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT OFF THE RACK MEANS?" AMERICANIZATION AND JEWISH IDENTITIES IN THE TELEVISION SERIES FRIENDS

International Journal of Religion and Society, 2017

This paper analyzes American Jewish identities in mega-popular television series Friends. The story of the show is centred on six friends: three American Christians, and three American Jews. While the series present American Jews as a normal social reality, there are still problems in terms of their representation. This paper analyzes the representation of American Jewish identities in terms of Jewish values and worldviews and representation of Jewish faith and tradition. A qualitative content analysis of all 10 seasons of the popular show has been conducted. The conclusion of the paper is that the media are enforcing Americanization by creating a cast of Jewish Americans in the American popular culture where Jews are portrayed as Americanized in a sense they embrace Christianity as part of their tradition.

Sitcoms Say Goodbye: The Cultural Spectacle of Seinfeld's Last Episode

Journal of Popular Film and Television, 2000

Seinfeld played himself as a stand-up comic who used his own experiences as the basis for his on-stage performances, in much the same way that the real comedian bases his act on acute obser-vations of the small moments of his own off-stage life. The show was pri-marily set ...

The Rise and Fall of the WB: Dawson's Creek, Intertextuality, and Legitimation

2012

Americans have always been divided generationally, from the Lost Generation and the Greatest Generation to the Baby Boomers and Generation X. Until September 11, 2001, the Millennial Generation (“Millennials”) was only defined in relation to other demographic cohorts. A review of popular culture from 1998–2003, specifically television programming targeted to and embraced by the Millennials, demonstrates a search for legitimation at a time when this generation existed only in the context of others, with no obvious distinguishing characteristics. This paper will explore popular culture trends as a marker of broader social change in the context of the declining need of the Millennial Generation to define itself through popular culture (and earlier generations) when presented with its own “defining moment.” By comparing trends in youth-oriented programming at the end of the 21st century to shows that premiered following the September 11 terrorist attacks, it becomes clear that popular culture begins to transform from a means of legitimation to a mechanism for escapism.

Return of the King: Millennials' Reception of the Boondocks

Parasocial Politics

Critics have raised their eyebrows at the work of Boondocks creator McGruder repeatedly accusing him of making a mockery of the legacies of Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Associated Press, 2006). They have questioned his insensitivity to the 9-11 attacks and the promotion of misogynistic themes through the voice of his characters. Moreover, his frequent use of the ‘N-word’ has been considered to be offensive. Accordingly, this study examines how a millennial audience, one which came to age in an era of political correctness and in a supposed post-racial society, reads The Boondocks, a text that seems to challenge political correctness and the acceptance of a truly post-racial America.