Do The Simpsons Follow the Conventions of a Typical Sitcom? Essay

The definition of the "typical" American family has changed considerably over time. Ever since the age of television dawned on American culture, situation comedies have tried to portray the typical American family in an attempt to reach as many viewers as possible. In the 1950's, there was "Leave It to Beaver" which represented a generic view of the American family during its time. There was a father whose responsibility was to financially support the family and be a role model for his children. There was a mother whose job was that of a typical housewife, taking care of the home and caring for the children. And there were the children who had no responsibilities, except to respect their parents and listen to their advice when

This essay offers a postmodernist reading of the popular television program The Simpsons, with special regard to the postmodern theories of intertexuality, hyperreality, and metanarratives. Before delving into The Simpsons, some major theoretical aspects of postmodernism in aesthetic production are outlined. Three of the most prominent theorists of postmodernism – Lyotard, Baudrillard and Jameson – are introduced, as well as their theories which will be brought into consideration in the following chapters. The objective

The Simpsons is a unique and biting satire that not only mirrors the norms, values, and practices of American society but also acts as an agent of socialization that exposes the underlying issues perpetuated in American culture. The Simpsons is an iconic animated series that has packed in references to the highs and lows of American culture since 1989. The long-running primetime cartoon satirically engages with a variety of issues that deal with topics such as gender, religion, marriage, and social class. The iconic series offers a parody of American life that reaffirms middle class myths and lifestyles present in mainstream American culture. The Simpsons has established a place for itself in American

While there are many different perspectives on whether the popular animated show The Simpsons depicts Christianity in a favorable, unfavorable or apathetic light, my personal opinion is that the signature satirical style of the show is actually a strategy to please the widest audience, whether religious or not -- presenting equal opportunity satire. Their unapologetic and unabashed way of making fun of anything and everything is what has allowed the show to continue for so many seasons and also allow the viewer to draw their own conclusions. The diverse characters represented in the series advocate a wide range of different perspectives, ranging from the atheistic to the theistic. In the 1992 episode, “Homer the Heretic,” where the plotline can be

Today I received a referral from a family who is seeking help regarding their dysfunctional family structure. The Simpson’s are a nuclear family that is having difficulties living as a family. I have already spoken to Marge Simpson and agreed to find a way to get her husband and children to therapy. She has very high aspirations of attending therapy with her family because she has longed for a “normal” functioning family in which her husband and children interact in a much healthier manner than they do now. She described her husband of being careless, her son uncontrollable ate times, and her daughters disconnected from the family. We have set up the meeting for next week, Wednesday at six, when she believed her family

Television sitcoms of the 1950’s through the 1990’s demonstrated the values and structure of the American family by portraying stereotypes. Since television sets became mainstream and entered almost every American home, the content of American sitcoms has reflected the culture of the times. Thus, as the popular American sitcoms of the 1950’s suggest, families living in the 1950’s were very tightly grouped and did everything together with roles of males and females clearly defined. In the 1950,’s women did the housecleaning and child care and men worked, providing for the family. In the sixties, women acquired more freedom in their lives. The 1963 Equal Pay Act and the 1964 Civil Rights Act came into effect. It was the end of the baby boomer

In the animated TV series The Simpsons, season 2 episode 3, “Treehouse of Horrors”, Matt Groening takes an egocentric approach to this satire to show the some of the faults the human race has. Some of these that are shown are being gullible, being non trusting, and being quick to judge others. Groening uses several different satirical devices to show some of the faults of humans. For example, After Bart tells the story about the haunted mansion he pulls out a box with a severed finger. Instead of being scared, Maggie takes her pacifier out of her mouth and proceeds to suck on the severed finger (Bart’s finger in the box). This satirical device is called incongruity. In addition to Groening using incongruity, he also used a lot of sarcasm. One

Biting satire points out the flaw in societal issues using humor to sugarcoat to sugarcoat the truth about those issues. In “The Simpsons” movie, understatement and irony are used to create humor and draw attention to government surveillance. Throughout “The Simpsons” movie, the concept of “Big Brother” is emphasized, that phrase refers to “big brother” as the government that is watching you during your daily lives. In addition, one of these “brothers” are the government agents who dedicate their lives to dig out information about you, to ensure safety throughout the country.

Although ‘Men Behaving Badly’ is not that much older than ‘Friends’ the more recent episodes of Friends are quite different to the final episodes of M.B.B.

As early as 1950, television families have depicted not only the way we live today, but also the way we ought to live (Tueth, 2003). Hence, television has continued to present comedies about family life that ranges from the didactic model of domestic conventionalist and gradually to non-conventionalist ways of life. By conventionalist, I mean the depiction of the “nuclear” family that consists of clear roles, responsibilities, and gentle lines of authority that flow from the wise dad and understanding mom to the obedient children (Kutalas, 2005). Examples of these types of shows between 1947 to 1990 that constructed more than 60% of family sitcoms included: The Cleavers, The Cosby Show, Father Knows Best, Family Ties, and Growing Pains

Family sitcoms have been the most popular and positively influenced television shows watched since the 1900s to today. Many of these shows have consisted of African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic families who all play a role that we as watchers look up to or perceive as the right way to run our household. Over time there has been an addition to biracial shows and family role changes throughout these sitcoms. For example, now observing single parent homes, homosexual guardians and even the changing of social interaction has both positively and negatively impacted real families who are watching.

The question of immigration had been one of America’s biggest issues since the 1500s. Mass immigration began in the late 1600s and became uncontrollable for the native population to control. In fact, many began to move west where opportunity existed. After the ratification of the Constitution in 1789, the question of immigration died down until the Irish and German immigration wave in the mid-19th century. Today, immigration is no longer a major issue, but illegal immigration is. All through the late 20th and early 21st century, many Latin Americans began to come to the US, undocumented. Media and government address the issue of illegal immigration in many different ways. The government is usually strongly against illegal immigration and some politicians make it the issue of their campaigns. The media, on the other hand, may vary in their views on the issue. South Park and The Simpsons both satirize the issue of illegal immigration in their own different way.

not be as good as we imagined. We are shown quick little images of all

In this paper i will be analysing and discussing the semiotics on an episode of The Simpson series.

Sitcoms have been one of the most popular and influential television genres for years on end. From some of the oldies like I Love Lucy to some of the more recent ones like New Girl , this genre succeeds in appealing to all people through eye catching drama, witty comedy, and lighthearted romance. Almost all viewers are guilty of singing their favorite theme songs or throwing out some popular catchphrases from some of their beloved characters on the show. The television show Friends, which aired in 1994, is still one of the most watched sitcoms in history. Even though the show ended in 2004, reruns still play on T.V and Netflix has even added the show to its database because of its undying popularity. Even a bit older than Friends, Full House aired its first episode in 1987 and its last in 1995. This shows popularity and influence prompted a continuation of the show, Fuller House, that is currently in production more than twenty years later. Both sitcoms of Friends and Full House demonstrate how the sitcom genre, along with the sub-genres associated with it has had and continues to have a tremendous influence on pop culture.