TV News 9.16.16

• American Horror Story reveals its sixth season theme ... so why are we still confused? (/Film)
• TV Tech: Sony debuts its 4k Ultra UHD Blu-ray player (DigitalTrends)
• How Netflix is dominating traditional media in two charts (Bloomberg)
• Why is Forbes' list of the highest-paid TV actresses so different than it highest-paid movie actresses list? (W Magazine)
• Amazon releases a trailer for Wood Allen's first-ever series (YouTube)
• A security breach on Dancing with the Stars during Ryan Lochte's debut segment (CNN)

Expository Essay: How MTV Changed Everything

 

Watching MTV today, it may be difficult to appreciate how, upon its debut, it revolutionized the face of American television. But, why was the concept of a 24-hour music video channel so radical? What do the first-hand accounts of MTV’s conception and early years tell us about how this iconic network became the defining cultural force of the 80s and 90s? Citing from Tannenbaum and Marks’ I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution, explain the impact this radical channel had on America’s television landscape.

Requirements:

• 2.5 pages minimum
• MLA Style, including paranthetcical citation
• Works cited page

Due:  Fr 9.23

Week 4: The Brady Bunch

The Brady Bunch (1969-1974, ABC)

Week 4: The Brady Bunch - Fr 9.16 

Read: MTV—“8. Midgets, Models, and Trannies”- “20. Don’t Be a Wanker All Your Life” 

Class: Reading discussion; Presentations; Lecture—“Citing Sources in MLA: The Basics” 

Due: REFLECTION 2 

Upcoming:

Week 5: The Office - Fr 9.23

Read: MTV—“21. A Whopping, Steaming Turd”- “53. You Have No Idea How I Miss It”

Class: Reading discussion; Presentations; Lecture—“Infographics 101” and “A Brief History of Gayness on Television”

Due: EXPOSITORY ESSAY

 

Reflection 2: What's on Telly?: English Language TV Around the World

Just as American movies and music dominate world markets, so too, does our television. This is particularly true for our English-speaking cousins in the UK/Ireland, Canada, and Australia/New Zealand. In fact, American shows, ranging from The Walking Dead to The Big Bang Theory have found huge audiences in those countries. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of their shows in the United States. The American preference for television produced in this country means that programs even from other English-speaking countries have a difficult time finding an audience here. It doesn't help that Americans are often confused by English accents, dialects, and idioms from other parts of the world—in 2011, for example, British singer Cheryl Cole was reportedly fired as judge from the US version of The X Factor because producers feared American audiences wouldn't be able to understand her Geordie accent. And while some non-American shows have achieved US success (e.g. Downton Abbey), most of the television from these countries is largely unknown to American viewers.

For this reflection, choose one show from each of the three different English-speaking regions (UK/Ireland, Canada, and Australia/New Zealand), then watch and write about them. In your analysis, examine the differences and similarities between our countries, such as tone, language, subject matter, and humor. Finally, consider if the shows you watched have any potential for mainstream success in America. Why or why not? 

Note: Broadcasting standards in these countries are different than those in the United States, so you may find more profanity, violence, even nudity, in some shows. 

Australia & New Zealand:

• The Almighty Johnsons (2011, TV3) [Netflix]
• The Blue Rose (2013, TV3) [YouTube]
• Cleverman (2016, ABC) [Netflix]
• Glitch (2015, ABC) [YouTube] 
• The Kettering Incident (2016, Soho) [Amazon] 
• Kiss Bang Love (2016, Seven Network) [YouTube] 
• New Zealand's Next Top Model (2009, TV3) [YouTube]
• Please Like Me (2013, ABC2) [Hulu] 
• Project Runway: Australia (Arena, 2008) [YouTube] 
• Puberty Blues (2012, Network Ten) [YouTube] 
• Seven Periods with Mr. Gormsby (2005, TVNZ) [YouTube] 
• Utopia (AKA Dreamland) (2014, ABC) [Netflix] 

Canada:

• Bomb Girls (2012, Global) [Netflix] 
• Degrassi: Next Class (2016, Family Channel) [Netflix] 
• Heartland (CBC, 2007) [Netflix]
• Lost Girl (2010, Showcase) [Netflix] 
• Mr. D (2012, CBC) [YouTube] 
• Project Runway: Canada (2007, Global) [YouTube] 
• Schitt's Creek (CBC, 2015) [Amazon]

United Kingdom & Ireland:

• Black Mirror (2011, Channel 4) [Netflix]
• Broadchurch (2013, ITV) [Netflix] 
• Catastrophe (2015, Channel 4) [Amazon]
• The Fall (2013, RTÉ One) [Netflix]
• Fresh Meat (2011, Channel 4) [Netflix] 
• The Inbetweeners (2008, E4) [Netflix] 
• Miranda (2009, BBC Two) [Hulu] 
• Moone Boy (2012, Sky1) [Hulu]  
• Nigella Express (2007, BBC) [YouTube]
• The Only Way is Essex (2010, ITV2) [Hulu]
• Peaky Blinders (2013, BBC Two) [Netflix]
• Poldark (2015, BBC) [Amazon]
• Sherlock (2010, BBC) [Netflix]
• Skins (2007, E4) [YouTube] 

Required:

• Must be in MLA Style
• Must be two full pages in length

Due: Fr 9.16

TV News 9.8.16

• Star Trek celebrates 50 years today (ScreenRant)
• Sarah Jessica Parker returns home to HBO for new series (Los Angeles Times)
• Study: Kids watch Netflix 15x more than they play outside (Business Insider)
• Will American Horror Story season six be called The Mist? (E! News)
• Constantine could be resurrected at the CW (Inverse)
• Gary Johnson's campaign may have collapsed live on MSNBC's Morning Joe (TPM)

Week 3: Broad City

Week 3: Broad City - Fr 9.9

Read: MTV—“Part 1: Pictures Came and Broke Your Heart”-“7. A Hail Mary Pass” Class: DIAGNOSTIC ESSAY; Reading discussion; Lecture—“Crafting the Essay: Writing as a Process” and “MLA Style 101”

Upcoming: 

Week 4: The Brady Bunch - Fr 9.16

Read: MTV—“8. Midgets, Models, and Trannies”- “20. Don’t Be a Wanker All Your Life”

Class: Reading discussion; Presentations; Lecture—“Citing Sources in MLA: The Basics”

Due: REFLECTION 2

Multimedia Presentations

As you know, this semester you and a classmate (or classmates) will be responsible for a 10-minute multimedia presentation. 

Requirements: 

• The work distribution is up to each group, though it should be somewhat equitable
• The presentation must be approximately 10 minutes in length—everyone must present at least part of the time 
• There should be 10-12 slides, including at least one video clip (no more than 2-3 minutes in length) 
• On the day of your presentation, email your presentation (or a link) to me at dhdelao@gmail.com. 

You may utilize any presentation program you like (e.g PowerPoint, Prezi, Keynote). However, please sort out any technical issues before your presentation date (our room's projection system can be found throughout campus). Groups may be docked for a lack of preparedness. 

The best presentations will: 

• Have an introductory slide which contextualizes the topic—very important 
• Use words economically Include visually interesting illustrations—gifs are also acceptable
• Avoid a heavy use of animation and effects 
• Have a style that complements the subject matter and strikes the appropriate tone 
• Engage the class through a conversational style, utilizing questions and/or activities 
• Embed a relevant video or audio clip (e.g. YouTube, SoundCloud)—ad blockers are time savers
• Conclude with a slide that summarizes the topic—also very important 

This is an opportunity to be creative, so feel free to have fun with the visual design of your presentation. 

Lower scoring presentations might: 

• Begin without an introductory slide and/or fail to offer any context upfront 
• Be thinly researched 
• Allow visuals to overrun their content or lack a cohesive style 
• Fail to engage the class in any meaningful way—this is often achieved by reading an entire presentation 
• Lack multimedia 
• End without a concluding slide 

Remember, you must provide your own laptop. Also, Macs will require an Apple-specific adapter to connect to the university’s projection system. Newer model PCs with HDMI-only connections will also require special adapters. 

Presentation topics:

1. Watch It!: What You Can or Can’t Say, Do, or Show on American Television
2. The Women of Saturday Night Live
3. Iconic Black Characters: Lt. Uhura, Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable, and Oliva Pope
4. VH1: The Early Years
5. Iconic 90s TV: The X-Files, Beverly Hills 90210, and Dawson’s Creek
6. Jay, Conan, and the Fight for The Tonight Show
7. Iconic Gay Characters: Jack McPhee, Santana Lopez, and Cameron Tucker
8. Inside the Degrassi Universe
9. A Weekend Tradition: On Saturday Morning Cartoons
10. Based on the Brits: Three’s Company, American Idol, and The Office
11. A Netflix Original: House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, and Stranger Things
12. Earth to MTV: MTV Around the World
13. A Really Big Show: The Ed Sullivan Show
14. How I Love Lucy Changed Everything
15. Inside the Law & Order Universe
16. Aaron Spelling and His Empire
17. Iconic Latino Characters: Ricky Ricardo, Dora the Explorer, and Gloria Pritchett
18. Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show
19. MTV in the 90s: House of Style, The Real World, and Beavis and Butthead
20. We're Goin' Hoppin': Dick Clark’s American Bandstand
21. Visions of the Man of Steel: Adventures of Superman, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, and Smallville
22. The Father of the Talk Show: Phil Donahue
23. Event Television: Roots
24. Iconic Asian Characters: Lt. Sulu, Tom Haverford, and Glenn Rhee
25. Inside the Star Trek Universe

Groups:

Week 4: Fr 9.16:

1. Bharath K/Jose R: A Netflix Original: House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, and Stranger Things 

Week 5 (Fr 9.23):

1. Billy D/ Aziz K - Earth to MTV: MTV Around the World

Week 6 (Fr 9.30):

1. Jorge R/ Wen T - Iconic Gay Characters: Jack McPhee, Santana Lopez, and Cameron Tucker
2. Rudy S/Eduardo U - MTV in the 90s: House of Style, The Real World, and Beavis and Butthead

Week 7 (Fri 10.7):

1. Edgar H/Gaston D - Visions of the Man of Steel: Adventures of Superman, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, and Smallville
2. Martin R/Jerusalem I - Inside the Degrassi Universe

Week 8 (Fri 10.14):

1. Fawaz A/ Danny D - Watch It!: What You Can or Can’t Say, Do, or Show on American Television

 Week 9 (Fri 10.21):

1.  Kevin L/Elizabeth O - Inside the Law & Order Universe

 Week 10 (Fri 10.28):

1. Sean L/Aravind P - Jay, Conan, and the Fight for The Tonight Show
2. Ryan K/Javy L - A Weekend Tradition: On Saturday Morning Cartoons

Week 13 (Fr 11.18):

1. Raj S/Hoang V - How I Love Lucy Changed Everything