FMS 520 US Television & Cultural Studies

FMS 300 US Television & Cultural Studies Spring B 2017 Dr. Bambi Haggins Office: Language & Literature 647C Office Hours: T 2:30-4:30 pm (call 480 965-3168, no messages) by appointment (via email) Email: [email protected] Skype: bambaloo47

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is designed to provide an overview of American television (from the 1940s to the present) through the lens of cultural studies. While television programs will be surveyed in terms of genre (sitcoms, dramas, etc.), this course also endeavors to examine them as cultural artifacts and industrial products that reflect and refract issues of ideology, class, ethnicity, gender and/or sexuality. The course focuses on scripted television—with a few key exceptions.

This course demands “active learning”– please understand that you are going to be expected to utilize a variety of analytical skills (in addition to those that may have been honed with a bag of Doritos at your side and a remote control in hand). Expect to spend at least five hours per week including lecture and screening time, to stay current with readings and concept review as well as learning and reviewing course materials – and more hours prior to tests and paper due dates. This course prioritizes critical thinking and the establishment of a thoughtful intellectual community of learners in all aspects of the course. Through active involvement in this course students should learn how to articulate critical opinions and ideas about television and larger socio-political issues.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. Introduce students to the study of television programming as cultural, industrial & commercial product. 2. To gain a rudimentary understanding of the field of cultural studies, which incorporates various disciplines including communication, sociology, social theory, media theory and media studies. 3. Help students to discern how technological advancements have impacted and continue to impact the medium. 4. Explain the relationship between television and other medium (radio, film and digital media internet) aesthetically, culturally and industrially. 5. Examine television programs as reflections and refractions of attitudes about class, ethnicity, gender, race and sexuality in the era in which the series were produced. 6. Teach students to formulate critical arguments about television series, to use textual analysis as well as socio-cultural, socio-historical and industrial contextualization to support their theses. 7. Show students that thinking critically can enrich the pleasures of their viewing pleasure.

REQUIRED TEXTS

All readings will either be available in “Resources” folder on the course site or via a link will be provided on the syllabus. Required screening are available under clips for each lesson or via a link provided on the syllabus.

1 The lectures for this course are given by Dr. Bambi Haggins and Dr. Brad Gyori of Bournemouth University (formerly at ASU).

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. PARTICIPATION (20 pts.): You are expected to have completed the assigned reading for class on the day listed on the syllabus and to be prepared to discuss all aspects of the material in a coherent manner. To help encourage a sense of accountability, participation in class discussions is a factored into your grade. In addition, there will be group work assignments, the completion of which will constitute your participation for that given day. Every other Thursday, there will be a discussion of “This Media Moment,” current issues regarding television, culture and society.

2. ABSTRACT (15 pts.): Choose one of the critical articles (sign up via email) over the course of the term and write an abstract (max. 3 pages): 1) bibliographic information, 2) summary of the argument, 3) strengths of the argument and 4) weaknesses of the argument. (Sign-ups for readings via email by 3/20.) Rolling Due Date: The abstract is due the day before the lesson for your selected reading is due on the syllabus.

3. PAPER PROPOSAL (20 pts.) You will be expected to formulate individual paper topics that utilize textual analysis, industrial history and socio-cultural contextualization of THREE television programs from THREE different decades. The proposal should be no more than 2 pages and should include 1) your research question, 2) a thesis statement, 3) a rationale for the programs you have selected for this analysis and 4) an annotated bibliography consisting of at least 6 sources. The sources should include critical sources (You must have the paper topic approved by your instructor.)

3) FIRST FIVE (15 pts.): Students are asked to submit a first draft of the first five of your paper including the introduction. Feedback will be provided as quickly as possible so that you can incorporate the suggestions into your final draft.

4. FINAL PAPER (30 pts.): The 12-15-page final paper must be a typed, double-spaced, analytical term paper with a minimum of ten sources (at least four must be critical/academic sources). The programs should be examined as both cultural artifacts and industrial products. The analysis must include textual analysis used to reveal how these particular televisual texts speak to both the historical moment in which they were produced as well as the issue and/or topic in the question that you formulate. You may use either MLA or Chicago as your citation method. The key is to be thorough and consistent.

FOR ALL ASSIGNMENTS  Please save your paper as follows: Last name, First Name – Name of Assignment.doc o (example: Haggins, Bambi—Prospectus.doc)  When submitting your paper via email, it must be attached as a WORD DOCUMENT. You should turn on “Read Receipt” to ensure that we received your paper. Double check to make sure you’ve attached the correct paper in the correct format.  Late papers are graded down 1 full letter grade for each day the paper is late unless an extension has been granted PRIOR to the due date.  Papers sent in the wrong format will not be accepted.

GRADING Grade Point Breakdown Participation: 20 pts. Abstract 15 pts. Prospectus: 20 pts. First 5 15 pts. Final Paper: 30 pts. Total: 100 pts.

DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS

Qualified students with disabilities who will require disability accommodations in this class are encouraged to make their requests to me at the beginning of the semester either during office hours or by appointment. Note: Prior to receiving disability accommodations, verification of eligibility from the Disability Resource Center (DRC) is required. Disability information is confidential.

PLAGIARISM POLICY

In the “Student Academic Integrity Policy” manual, plagiarism is defined as “… using another's words, ideas, materials or work without properly acknowledging and documenting the source. Students are responsible for knowing the rules governing the use of another's work or materials and for acknowledging and documenting the source appropriately.” For further information, please consult: http://provost.asu.edu/academicintegrity/students#avoid_plagiarism Academic dishonesty, including inappropriate collaboration, will not be tolerated. There are severe sanctions for cheating, plagiarizing and any other form of dishonesty.

COURSE SCHEDULE

W 3/15 : Lesson 1 Why Study Television & Cultural Studies? Reading: Spigel, “Installing the Television” Screening: Texaco Star Theater Starring Milton Berle (1), The George Burns & Gracie Allen Discussion Questions Due: 3/16 by 11:50 pm PST

F 3/17: Lesson 2 Back When Ethnic Was Funny Reading: Lipsitz, “The Meaning of Memory,” Haggins, “Why Beulah and Andy Still Play” Screening: The Honeymooners, Beulah, Amos ‘n’ Andy and Molly (The Goldbergs) Discussion Questions Due 3/18 by 11:50 pm PST

3 M 3/20: Lesson 3 Constructing Femininity in the Post War Era Reading: Mann, “Spectacularization of Everyday Life,” B. Friedan, “The Feminine Mystique, *” Recommended: Clark, “Ranch House Suburbia” and Harolovich, “Sitcoms and Suburbs” Screening: The Martha Raye Show, I Love Lucy “Lucy Does A Commercial,” The Donna Reed Show Sign up for Abstracts by 3/20: Beginning Lesson 4 (Readings with * not eligible for Abstracts) Discussion Questions Due 3/21 by 11:50 pm PST

W 3/22Lesson 4 Liveness, Spectatorship & Commerce in the First Golden Age of TV Reading: Anderson, “Disneyland,” “The Golden Age of Television Drama” * http://www.museum.tv/eotv/goldenage.htm, That Old Feeling- Hail, Caesar!"* Screening: Marty, The Disneyland Story, Your Show of Shows Discussion Questions Due 3/21 by 11:50 pm PST

F 3/24 Lesson 5 The Creeping Red Menace & The Electronic Hearth Reading: McLuhan, “The Medium is the Message,” Leab, “See It Now,” McCarthy’s Reply* [Transcripts], Red Channels* Screening: Good Night & Good Luck (Clooney, 2005) Discussion Questions Due 3/25 by 11:50 pm PST

M 3/27 Lesson 6 Transforming the Wasteland/Transforming the Country Readings: Newton Minow’s “Vast Wasteland” Speech*, Williams, “Flow…” Screening: Kennedy/Nixon Debate, A Tour of the White House with Mrs. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Atomic Café, Harvest of Shame (CBS News Reports 1960) Discussion Questions Due 3/28 by 11:50 pm PST

W 3/29Lesson 7 Cold Warrior TV/Camelot TV Part 1 Reading: Bernardi, “Star Trek in the Sixties,” Hall, “Encoding/Decoding” Screening: Star Trek, “Let This Be Your Last Battlefield,” The Twilight Zone “The Shelter,” The Outer Limits, “The Bellero Shield” https://www.hulu.com/watch/63091 Discussion Questions Due 3/28 by 11:50 pm PST

F 3/31 Lesson 8 Cold Warrior TV/Camelot TV Part 2. Reading: Cooper, I-Spy*, A. Bodroghozy, “Is This What You Mean by Color TV?” Screening: I-Spy, “It’s All Done With Mirrors,” Julia, “Unloneliest Night of the Year” Discussion Questions Due 4/1 by 11:50 pm PST

M 4/3 Lesson 9 Counterculture and Containment Reading: A. Bodroghozy, “We’re the Young Generation” Screening: The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, Laugh-In, The Mod Squad, “A Short Course in War” Discussion Questions Due 4/4by 11:50 pm

W 4/5-S 4/8 Individual Skype/FaceTime/Phone Paper Conferences with Dr. B (Sign-ups via email & time slots posted on BB)

M 4/10 Conflicting Object Lessons, Containing Relevancy & Jiggling All The Way Reading: Pierson, “The Importance of Roots” Mizejewski, “The Seventies: Title Seven and 4 T & A” Screening Get Christie Love, Police Woman and Charlie’s Angels, Sequence on Roots (Excerpt from Color Adjustment [Riggs 1990]) Discussion Questions Due 4/11 by 11:50 pm PST

Wednesday 4/12 PROSPECTUS DUE via email by 5 pm PST

W 4/12 Welcome to the Social Sitcom Reading: Newcomb, “The Artistry of Norman Lear” : Acham, “Respect Yourself…,” Mary Tyler Moore Show http://www.museum.tv/eotv/marytylermo.htm* M*A*S*H http://www.museum.tv/eotv/mash.htm*, G. Oguss, “Whose Barrio is it?” Screening: All in the Family, “Sammy’s Visit,” Good Times, “Getting Up The Rent,” Chico & The Man, “Pilot,” The Mary Tyler Moore Show, “Love Is All Around,” M*A*S*H, “Dear Dad” Discussion Questions Due 4/13 by 11:50 pm

F 4/14 Lesson 12 The Faces of Quality: Eighties Excess & Eighties Earnestness Reading: J. Caldwell, “Excessive Style,” B. Haggins, “There’s No Place Like Home” “Roseanne” http://www.museum.tv/eotv/roseanne.htm*, J. Gray, “Television Teaching: Parody, The Simpsons, and Media Literacy Education” Screening: Miami Vice “Smuggler’s Blues” (first 20 min), Dynasty, “Enter Alexis” (first 20 min) Hill Street Blues “Pilot,” & The Cosby Show, “Pilot” & Roseanne, “Pilot,” The Simpsons “Behind the Laughter” Discussion Questions Due 4/16 by 11:50 pm (Extra Day for Discussion Questions)

M 4/17Lesson 13 Gender, Sexuality, Class & Race in the Post Network Era Reading: Ouellette, “Victims No More,” Kim, “Sex and the Single Girl,” A. Vesey And K. Lambert, “I Can Have It All…” https://www.flowjournal.org/2008/07/i-can-have-it-all-liz- lemon-negotiates-power-one-sandwich-at-a-timea-vesey-and-k-lambertflow-staff/ McCarthy, Ellen, Becker, “Gay Themed Television…,” Take My Wife Review Screening: Murphy Brown, Ally McBeal, Sex & the City, 30-Rock https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BikOIhiX07E&t=3s. Ellen,” “The Puppy Episode Pt. 1 & 2” Will & Grace, Take My Wife, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep69729mGYc Discussion Questions Due 4/19 by 11:50 pm (Extra Day for Discussion Questions)

FIRST FIVE DUE Thursday 4/20 by 11:50 pm via email

F 4/21 Lesson 14 What Is This Thing Called Quality? (The Comedic & Dramatic Versions) Reading: Haggins, “In The Wake of The Nigger Pixie,” N. Marx, The “Comedy Of Exasperation” And Satire TV In The Obama Era” http://www.flowjournal.org/2014/11/the- comedy-of-exasperation-and-satire-tv/, Mittell, “The Wire in the context of American television,” Warner: “The Racial Logic of Grey’s Anatomy,” Nussbaum, “The Westeros Wing” Clips: Chappelle’s Show, Inside Amy Schumer, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, The Wire, Grey’s Anatomy, Game of Thrones (kinda)**

FINAL PAPERS DUE via email by Friday, 4/28 at 11:50 PM Attach as Word Document (doc. or docx. ONLY).

5 No PDFs, Google Docs or Pages Doc will be accepted

**Links for this lesson TBA