This week we will be talking about Lentz's article on quality vs. relevance in 70's television.
Please come prepared to:
- provide at least three characteristics of quality tv and three of relevant tv
- know the differences between MTM and Lear productions
- think of some examples of how discourses of quality and relevance are similar or different today
What a great era for TV!
Josh
Here's some more Mary Hartman Mary Hartman, when cheating and romance and allure abound.
Quality TV:
ReplyDelete-higher production values - city setting, shot on film (not tape), brighter lighting (low key) - film aesthetics - appealing to the classy higher art of cinema
-gender issues/feminism - leading female character, single woman, making her own money - Mary is working to survive in a man's world, TV is working to gain more credibility/artistic cred compared to cinema
- self-reflexive critique of TV - MTMS: six o'clock news show that she works on, looks bad, showing that MTMS is a good show through it's critique
-improves TVs image
-more character development
-flagship shows for production companies/networks
-intellectual, seeking "smart" audience/being "smart" tv
Relevant TV:
-issue-oriented: confrontational in its messaging - racial issues (African americans, hispanic/latin@ populations), improving representation on TV - whiteness is presented a racial category
-issues in the public eye at the time, divisive issues - social commentary; conversation starters
-lower production values: video tape - high key washed out lighting, cheap sets
-mockery comedy, in your face comedy
-realist: socially, in regards to politics
“The show therefore identifies a political problem with liberal critique of racism. It demonstrates that a strongly held belief in racial “equality” does not automatically place people divided by race and class on “equal” footing But more importantly, the show connects this problem to feminist politics. Maude’s feminism comes undone as her project of promoting womanly pride and self-respect is unraveled by her tendency to dominate and control (racial) others. This tendency is coded as a fundamental and necessary component of feminism. In other words, Maude’s critique of white liberalism locates the problem of racial condescension in a feminist figure, thus attributing the racial tensions between Maude and Florida to a problematic kind of feminist behaviour” (Lentz 74).