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Lecture 15: What is the thing called Quality?

Lecture 15: What is the thing called Quality?. Chappelle’s Show (Comedy Central 2003-6) The Sopranos (HBO 1999-2007) . Lesson 15 Agenda. The Richard Pryor Show (NBC 1977). Chappelle’s Show (Comedy Central 2003-6). The History of US Television & Culture …So Far What is Quality?

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Lecture 15: What is the thing called Quality?

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  1. Lecture 15:What is the thing called Quality? Chappelle’s Show (Comedy Central 2003-6) The Sopranos (HBO 1999-2007)

  2. Lesson 15 Agenda The Richard Pryor Show (NBC 1977) Chappelle’s Show (Comedy Central 2003-6) • The History of US Television & Culture …So Far • What is Quality? • Let’s Watch Some TV • Satire & Contestable Quality • It’s Not Just Quality TV, It’s also HBO • Post Network or Post TV?

  3. Section 1The History of U.S Television & Culture …So Far

  4. The Nature of the Industry • TELEVISION IS, FIRST AND FOREMOST, A COMMERCIAL MEDIUM—LIKE ITS PREDECESSOR RADIO, THE PROGRAMS EXIST TO MAKE AD REVENUE.

  5. Culture, Media & Industry Television As Cultural Artifact Television As Industrial Product Television As Creative Pursuit Father Knows Best (CBS, 1954-55, 1958-60 and NBC 1955-58) [Above] Jersey Shore (MTV 2009 - ); [Left] Six Feet Under (HBO 2000-5)

  6. Reflecting & Refracting American Popular Consciousness • Do Television programs reflect American Popular Consciousness providing a mirror image or “accurate” representation? • Do Television programs are refract American Popular Consciousness–bend, distort, reconfigure—images when they pass through the medium? YES & NO.

  7. Section 2: What Is Quality? Mad Men (AMC 2007 - )

  8. The Concept of Quality TV • In “HBO & the Concept of Quality TV,” Jane Feuer states: …there can never be a judgment of quality in an absolute sense… there are always judgments of quality relative to one’s interpretive community or reading formation.

  9. Commercial Quality If It Delivers Audiences… Does That Make It Quality TV?

  10. Section 3: Let’s Watch Some TV! Insert Image Here Add Image Caption w/ Credits Here The Wire (HBO 2002-2008) Download Reading/Screening Sheet 15 from Learning Tasks

  11. For Your Viewing Pleasure:Satire & Contestable Quality • Case Studies • The Richard Pryor Show • In Living Color • Chappelle’s Show

  12. Dying is Easy, Satire Is REALLY HARD • Satire: Artistic form in which human or individual vices, folly, abuses, or shortcomings are held up to censure by means of ridicule, derision, burlesque, irony, or other methods, sometimes with an intent to bring about improvement. • Getting you to laugh AND to think…

  13. Satire & Contestable Quality 1970s • Humor in Conversation with Race, Class & Cultural & Political Discourse • Not Network Prime Time Friendly: • Standards, Practices vs. Comic Vision • Satire vs. Stand Up • The Richard Pryor Show (NBC, 1977) • Uncontainable

  14. Satire & Contestable Quality 1990s • Comedy in Conversation with Race, Class & Cultural & Political Discourse • Do What You Want…(Netlet Freedom) • Equal (?) Opportunity Offender • Kicking it Old School: Sketch & Variety In Living Color (Fox 1990-94) Notoriously Un-P.C.

  15. New Millennial Satire: Highly Contestable Quality • Comedy in Conversation with Multiple Constituencies, Race, Class & Cultural & Political Discourse • Do What You Want…(Basic Cable Freedom) • Multiple Audiences, Multiple Readings • Exploding Stereotypes or Reaffirming Them? Chappelle’s Show (Comedy Central 2003-6) Dancing Like Nobody’s Watching (until they were watching…millions of them)

  16. Elements of Quality Drama: A Highly Subjective List • Generic Hybridity • Complex and/or Conflicted Characters • Narratives that Play with Audience Expectations • Cinematic or Distinctive Visual Style • Exploits the Episodic Nature of Television Dexter (Showtime 2006 - )

  17. It’s Not Just Quality Drama… • Verisimilitude and/or Emotional Realism, • Creative Freedom As HBO Brand? • Televisual Moral Relativism Above: “Omar Little” (The Wire); “Silvio Dante” (The Sopranos); Below: “Bubbles” (The Wire); “Dr. Melfi (The Sopranos) It’s Also HBO

  18. More Viewing Pleasure: • It’s Not Just Quality Drama, It’s also HBO • The Sopranos • Moral Ambiguity +Multi-Layered Characters + Narrative Complexity=Quality

  19. More Viewing Pleasure: • It’s Not Just Quality Drama, It’s also HBO • The Wire • Moral Ambiguity + Multi-Layered Characters + Narrative Complexity =Quality

  20. And In The End… • My Wish for my fellow Media Babies • Good Night & Good Luck.

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