The Simpsons

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Understanding Your Show - The Simpsons What specific locations/places does your comedy idea reference or include or reference? America, Suburbia, nuclear plant, run down bar, family home... What specific professions, activities or hobbies does your comedy idea include or reference? Nuclear plant employees, clowns, convenience store owners, teachers, bar owners, drinking, skateboarding, playing music, bullying... What shows have influenced it? Early comedy animations, The Flintstones, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars, pop culture, Cheers What other shows is it similar too? Futurama, Family Guy, South Park What, if any, is the political view of the show? Liberal leaning, without a strong political focus What effect do you want your show to have on it's audience (aside from making them laugh). E.g. make them consider a new perspective, introduce them to an untold story etc. Extract humour from the flaws of characters and reinforce the importance of family, community and friendship What does it champion? Family support and values What/who does it poke fun at? Dysfunctional family dynamic, drinking culture (Moe’s bar), fast food, laziness, mob mentality, school education What specific life experiences does it portray? Homer - being trapped in a job you hate and not being able to do what you want (watch TV and drink beer) Marge - desperately trying to keep a family together, being a housewife Bart - being rebellious, having a know it all sibling, struggling at school Lisa - feeling like a fish out of water in your family How do you define the relationships in your show? Homer/Marge - Loving, tolerant, Marge tries to reign in Homer's impulses Homer/Bart - Volatile, sometimes playful, sometimes angry. Bart sees his Dad as uncool Etc… What are the defining characteristics of your characters? Homer - Lazy, buffoon, charming Marge - Loyal, hard-working Bart - Rebellious, cunning Lisa - Intelligent, outsider etc... What ethnic/social group story does it tell? White lower-middle class families .

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An Analysis of Hegemonic Social Structures in "Friends"
"I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU" IF YOU ARE JUST LIKE ME: AN ANALYSIS OF HEGEMONIC SOCIAL STRUCTURES IN "FRIENDS" Lisa Marie Marshall A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY August 2007 Committee: Katherine A. Bradshaw, Advisor Audrey E. Ellenwood Graduate Faculty Representative James C. Foust Lynda Dee Dixon © 2007 Lisa Marshall All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Katherine A. Bradshaw, Advisor The purpose of this dissertation is to analyze the dominant ideologies and hegemonic social constructs the television series Friends communicates in regard to friendship practices, gender roles, racial representations, and social class in order to suggest relationships between the series and social patterns in the broader culture. This dissertation describes the importance of studying television content and its relationship to media culture and social influence. The analysis included a quantitative content analysis of friendship maintenance, and a qualitative textual analysis of alternative families, gender, race, and class representations. The analysis found the characters displayed actions of selectivity, only accepting a small group of friends in their social circle based on friendship, gender, race, and social class distinctions as the six characters formed a culture that no one else was allowed to enter. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This project stems from countless years of watching and appreciating television. When I was in college, a good friend told me about a series that featured six young people who discussed their lives over countless cups of coffee. Even though the series was in its seventh year at the time, I did not start to watch the show until that season.
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The Subversive Agency of Children in Adult Animated Sitcoms
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Udls-Sam-Creed-Simpsons.Pdf
The Simpsons: Best. TV Show. Ever.* Speaker: Sam Creed UDLS Jan 16 2015 *focus on Season 1-8 Quick Facts animated sitcom created by Matt Groening premiered Dec 17, 1989 - over 25 years ago! over 560+ episodes aired longest running scripted sitcom ever #1 on Empire’s top 50 shows, and many other lists in entertainment media, numerous Emmy awards and other allocades TV Land Before... “If cartoons were meant for adults, they'd put them on in prime time." - Lisa Simpson Video Clip Homer’s Sugar Pile Speech, Lisa’s Rival, 13: 43-15:30 (Homer’s Speech about Sugar Pile) "Never, Marge. Never. I can't live the button-down life like you. I want it all: the terrifying lows, the dizzying highs, the creamy middles. Sure, I might offend a few of the bluenoses with my cocky stride and musky odors - oh, I'll never be the darling of the so-called "City Fathers" who cluck their tongues, stroke their beards, and talk about "What's to be done with this Homer Simpson?" - Homer Simpson, “Lisa’s Rival”. Comedy Devices/Techniques Parody/Reference - Scarface Juxtaposition/Absurdism: Sugar, Englishman Slapstick: Bees attacking Homer Hyperbole: Homer acts like a child Repetition: Sideshow Bob and Rakes The Everyman By using incongruity, sarcasm, exaggeration, and other comedic techniques, The Simpsons satirizes most aspects of ordinary life, from family, to TV, to religion, achieving the true essence of satire. Homer Simpson is the captivating and hilarious satire of today's "Everyman." - Brett Mullin, The Simpsons, American Satire “...the American family at its
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Animating Experiences of Girlhood in Bob's Burgers Katie
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The Simpsons and Futurama
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Bart Simpson
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Claudia Katz
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