Annotated Bibliography

Overview: Our group will be analyzing various television shows to see how they depict youth, consumerism, economic inequality, and other social issues.  Mainstream sitcoms as well as dramas and reality shows from both network television and premium cable will be explored.  We will compare and contrast shows such as Friends, Modern Family, The Wire, King of Queens, Big Bang Theory, Breaking Bad, Rosanne, True Life, and others in order to see what they show both overtly and subliminally about the above issues.

Three possible research questions:

1.      How strongly does depiction of economic hardship effect the quality of lighter sitcoms? Does having an unrealistic depiction of character’s economic situation in the name of comedy have a negative impact on the viewer?

2.      When we compare a gritty urban crime drama such as The Wire to a sitcom like Friends what do we see in terms of the balance between socially responsible/realistic material and the need to still be entertaining?

3.      Can there be reality TV that is entertaining, informative, and actually reality?

Simon, D. (Writer) (2006). Home rooms [Television series episode]. In Simon, D. (Executive        Producer), The wire. Baltimore, MD: HBO. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Uonc7BEZ4g

This is a clip from the HBO series The Wire in which the issues of funding for inner city schools and No Child Left Behind are addressed.  This clip depicts a real world issue involving the lower class in a gritty urban setting which is different from some of the material in the lighter sitcoms we will be analyzing.

Eiesenberg, D. (2004, 11 01). Nbc's new reality. Time, 164(18), 62-63.

This article explores NBC’s decline in ratings after the end of Friends and Frasier and how it is losing its 18-49 year old viewership.  This article can help us show the business value of some of the sitcoms we are analyzing and how the loss of such shows can really damage a network.

Thomashoff, C. (1995, 4 17). The joy of six. People, 43(18), 80.

This article gives background about the concept of the show Friends, what makes it so popular, as well as input from the stars of the show.  We can use this information when we analyze why people are drawn to the show despite some of its departures from reality in terms of the financial situations of the main characters.

Power, R. (2013). The wire and alternative stories of law and inequality . Indiana Law Review, 46(2), 425-487.

This journal article focuses on the five seasons of The Wire and how they depicted inequality in Baltimore.  This source will help in addressing many of the issues we have discussed in class regarding the gap between the rich and poor via the show.

Simon, D. (Producer) (2006). In Simon, D. (Executive Producer), The wire. Baltimore: HBO. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A118kV5PU48
The second part of this clip from The Wire shows the harsh reality of what faces many youth in urban areas without education which is a life of poverty and sometimes crime.  This is another source we can use to emphasize the show’s realistic depiction of urban youth.

Crane, D. (Producer) (n.d.).In Crane, D. (Executive Producer), Friends. New York: NBC.            Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86kPVkZUeTg

This is a short comedic clip from friends in which Chandler is talking about his job interview he is going to.  This clip is useful because it shows the massive apartment they live in and it also is making jokes about finding a job which is something we can analyze.

[Web log message]. (2013). Retrieved from http://blogs.amctv.com/breaking-bad/2013/09/breaking-bad-series-finale-delivers-a-record-10-3-million-viewers/

This blog entry from the official Breaking Bad blog discusses the record setting episode of Breaking Bad and also provides some background on the show.  We can use this to have another example of a wildly popular cable show that is not a sitcom.

[Web log message]. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.thewireblog.net/

This is a blog dedicated to The Wire that provides in depth analysis of many of the issues in the show.  This is another great source with a variety of posts that we can use to further our analysis of this show.

Nielsen. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.nielsen.com/us/en.html

This is the Nielsen website that shows the ratings and popularity of different shows on television.  This is a good source because we can use hard data to show how popular the programs we are analyzing are.

Kimsley, M. (1990). Bart for president. New Republic, 203(4), 4.

This older journal article discusses Roseanne as well as the Simpsons and what their depictions of lower middle class mean politically.  This will be useful as Roseanne is one of the few highly successful sitcoms that is about a lower class family.

Friends central. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://friends.wikia.com/wiki/Friends_Wiki

This website has background information about the characters and numerous episodes of Friends.  This will be useful as a reference point for basic information about the show as well as character backgrounds.

Television without pity. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/

This is a website that gives numerous reviews of many television programs.  This is a good source for seeing what critics think of shows and is also a way we can gauge the popularity of certain programs.

Democracy on HBO and Basic Cable

On this blog I have addressed many issues with the lack of realism in many television programs and have attempted to highlight a few series that make an earnest effort to depict real world issues.  Even though shows such as The Wire, Treme, and Oz are all on HBO, it is clear to see that they are the exception to the rule even when it comes to paid cable.  The most popular shows on HBO do not tackle problems of youth and democracy.  While entertaining, Entourage and Sex and the City seem to go out of their way to avoid the gritty realities shown in the three programs mentioned above.  While I loved The Sopranos (the most popular show in HBO history), it is also a program that deals in the realities of a tiny percentage of people (the Mafia).  Furthermore, it makes a wealthy criminal a likeable character and glorifies crime in the name of pursuing the all-mighty dollar.  Such shows do not tackle real issues of democracy, and neither does basic cable programming.

Are fictional movie star Vincent Chase and his crew a
realistic depiction of youth in this country? Not really.

 

 

One of the best things about The Wire is that it never shied away from the amount of political corruption in this country or the absurdly warped priorities of many politicians.  The parties involved in the mayoral race and the corrupt to the core State Senator Clay Davis show how urban youth are not a major concern when there is political power and the money that comes with it on the line.  When preparing his campaign for Mayor, Councilman Carcetti is advised to run on trying to reduce crime statistics rather than improve the abysmal school system in Baltimore.  The logic behind this is that the system is so bad that making promises to improve it are too big of a risk to future campaigns and political endeavors.  Later in the fourth season once he has been elected Mayor, he decides against having the Governor of Maryland bail out the school system’s $54 million budget deficit as this could be used as political ammunition against Carcetti’s future run for Governor.  I addressed the serious effects that failing inner city schools have on urban youth in my first post.  The Wire and Oz are not afraid to show how politics fuels the school to prison pipeline in the United States.

Programs about politics rarely tackle such dicey issues, especially on regular cable.  The West Wing was a very popular program that was aired on NBC.  Even though the show was written by famous writer Aaron Sorkin and boasted a well-known cast, it did not show the darker side of democracy in the manner The Wire did.  One critic complained that the show's characters were far too squeaky clean, as obtaining a position in the White House in today’s America would require serious political ruthlessness.  I cannot say with certainty if this is the media feeding its audiences a subconscious propaganda, or if it is the audiences themselves that do not want to believe that those in power may not have the people’s best interests in mind and therefore they respond better to less realistic shows.  It is an interesting question.

The school to prison pipeline is ever-present in The Wire.

In examining different television programs across multiple networks, I have concluded there is both a lack of realism in most programs as well as what seems like a conscious effort to omit serious issues that impact youth in the United States such as the school to prison pipeline.  I hope that more networks broaden the variety in their programming so that the average viewer can be exposed to shows such as The Wire, but I am afraid that is not a very realistic hope as of right now.

Is HBO That Different From Standard Cable?



Home Box Office, colloquially known as “HBO” was launched in 1972 and has been a subsidiary of Time Warner since 1990.  The network is primarily known for showing uncut movies without commercials, original uncensored shows, and boxing that would otherwise not be televised.  For these reasons HBO is paid cable that costs customers an extra $15-$20 per month.   Because of this the network is permitted to be more edgy and realistic with some of its programming, but that does not mean it chooses to do so with all of its shows.

  

There are three HBO programs that stand out in terms of their realism.  The first hour long series that ever ran on HBO starting in 1997 was Oz.  Oz depicts the brutal life in the fictional New York State maximum security Oswald State Correctional Facility.  It takes a harsh look at what life inside of prison is like, omitting nothing. The foulest language, graphic violence, frontal nudity, rape, cannibalism, execution, and basically anything you could not put on cable TV is included.  The realities of incarceration are displayed bluntly, and unfortunately many underprivileged youth in this country end up face to face with such realities.  Creator Tom Fontana said the idea for the show was spawned from his frustration with the networks.  When he attempted to sell a few very good, but grittier ideas to them he stated they all “spit in my face” (EW).  He also stated that he was terrified to return to censored cable television because he enjoyed the freedom in writing a show as real as Oz.

David Simon worked with Fontana on the show Homicide: Life on the Street.  Simon created both The Wire and Treme, the other two highly realistic programs on HBO.  While these shows are not quite as graphic or disturbing as Oz, they both show problems in America through struggles in their respective cities.  Via a sprawling murder and narcotics investigation, The Wire shows the struggles of urban youth, political corruption, and issues with the integrity of the media in the city of Baltimore.  Treme depicts the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and how much the disaster affected the city.

It is easy to notice that the content of these shows is nothing like that of the popular shows on standard cable TV.  Despite being universally critically acclaimed for their realism, these three shows do not even garner the highest ratings on HBO, let alone television in general.  In fact, of the 18 series HBO has aired in the past ten years The Wire ranks 14^th in ratings and Treme ranks dead last behind shows such as Entourage, Sex and the City, Game of Thrones, True Blood, and many more.

This begs a difficult question.  Is there really that big a difference between HBO and regular cable?  After all, Time Warner also owns all the Turner Broadcasting channels (CNN, TNT etc.), Warner Brothers, The CW, Cartoon Network, and numerous other holdings in the visual media.  Are Oz, The Wire, and Treme simply anomalies swimming in an ocean of premium cable programs that are all at their core just well-made network shows with more sex and foul language?  There is no absolute answer to this, but it is disappointing that HBO does not use the liberties it has to incorporate more realism into all of their programs.

Why The Wire is the Realest Show Ever

President Barack Obama calls it his favorite show (Ryan, 2008).  Entertainment Weekly ranked it number one on its list of the greatest television shows of all time, stating that creator David Simon tells “tales of race and class with unprecedented complexity” (EW staff, 2013).  I love The Wire for both its phenomenal story and its raw, realistic depiction of real world issues.  The shotgun toting, homosexual stick up boy Omar Little is one of the most unique characters to ever grace the small screen.  In bucking many stereotypes about the masculinity of young men he acts as a lens into issues often considered too controversial for basic cable.  The show also delves deeply into the problems with No Child Left Behind and the bleak reality of street life for inner city youth.

The tough as nails stick up boy Omar Little is a central character on the show.
He happens to be both black and openly gay.

 



Omar Little is one of the most fascinating characters on the show for a multitude of reasons.  The fact that Michael K. Williams never won an Emmy for his portrayal of Omar is a sin.  He has stated that he loved the idea of the character because he was non-traditional in many ways (Williams, 2005).  Openly gay characters are often portrayed as weak and effeminate in the entertainment industry.  One of their common uses in mainstream film and TV is comic relief.  The Wire completely flipped those stereotypes around.  Omar is actually the most feared character on the show, so much so that gang members run when they see him coming down the street.  In reality there are all types of people that happen to be homosexual, so it is nice to see the realism that the Omar character brings.  

The middle school kids in season four have already started
to lead lives of crime.

 

A harsh reality that is explored in the final two seasons of The Wire is the failure of the inner city school systems and the struggles of urban youth.  The contradictions of No Child Left Behind are bluntly displayed, namely inner city schools losing funding for poor test results when they are the schools that need the most help.  The cop turned middle school teacher Prez is frustrated by being forced to “teach to the test”, feeling that his students are not learning anything.  Bunny Colvin, the former commander of the West Baltimore precinct, conducts research about urban youth at the middle school with a professor.  Their discoveries are bleak.  Many of the middle school kids are already dealing and using drugs.  Fighting, robbery, and even murder are part of their everyday lives, prepping them for life on the street.  We also see them engaging in more childlike activities such as playing Xbox and saving money to go to an amusement park, reminding us how young they really are.  Colvin discovers that by age eighteen many “corner kids” are already hardened criminals that never finished school. 

 

Almost the entire Barksdale crew is either dead or in prison by
the end of the show.

 

This bleak future for Baltimore’s youth is also embodied in the Barksdale gang that is introduced in season one.  By the conclusion of the series, twelve of them have been murdered and three have been imprisoned for life, Slim Charles being the proverbial last man standing.  The series takes a powerful look at a serious social issue in this country, which is that failing inner city school systems lead many urban African American youth to lives of crime.  These lives typically end in incarceration or death.

The Wire unabashedly examines serious problems in modern America while also being very entertaining.  Being on HBO gives the show more flexibility than network programming, but all of those shows could still take a page out of David Simon’s book when it comes to depicting real world issues.