That 70's Show example essay topic

Normally, I don't watch television because I actually do have better things to do. I find myself watching a movie sometimes on a weekend with a date, but as for sitcoms, I feel like I could be doing something more worthwhile with my time. This would include playing basketball, writing music, eating, hanging with friends, homework, sleeping, and the list really does go on. So why watch TV? Well, I guess you know it's time to do so when your sociology teacher tells you it's an assignment.

Which TV shows should I choose? I quickly realized I didn't even know which sitcoms were on the air at this present date. So I decided to watch the only 2 I knew I would enjoy; the longest running sitcom on television, "The Simpsons", and "That 70's Show."The Simpsons", as most probably know, is about a family of 5 people, Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart, and Maggie. The TV show has covered a lot of ground on characters and situations, as it has been on for several seasons. The show has illustrated each of their personalities through each of their own lives. Sometimes we see Bart at school, Lisa playing the saxophone, Homer at work, and Marge as a housewife taking care of Maggie and the rest of the family.

This particular episode was about Homer's past as a member of a singer group called "The Be Sharps". He simply tells a story about his past. From watching this episode, and from past knowledge about the show, it has occurred to me that all of the main characters are white. I was only able to think of three characters out of the hundreds that have been created that are other than white. There's Homer's coworker at the plant, Karl, and then the Quickie Mart owner, Apu, who is Indian, and Dr. Hibbert from the hospital. Neither of these is a major character, and play just about as big a role as every other side character.

Sure, an entire show has been written for Apu's character at one time, but the Simpson family is in every episode, constituting them as main characters. I would say, as an estimate, the ratio of white people to another race is about 250: 10, and of people in leading roles, 4: 0. Now because of this, it's safe to say that as far as race goes, the people of the Caucasian persuasion have more authority and power. In the family, it's obvious that in the end, Marge is usually the right one with every conflict, and henceforth has the authority from the family.

Homer is the father, so they listen to him, but he is usually wrong, so may not have as much respect. Bart is the tougher and braver family member, and so may have power over his siblings, the indicators being that Bart can pretty much boss his sister around any time he feels like it and get anything from her that he wants. Now the gender of the main characters, or the family, is about even. The family has 3 females, and 2 males. However, Maggie is young and an undeveloped character, so there are the 2 males of the family vs. the 2 females.

I would have to say that there roles are rather stereotypical. Homer is a typical dad. He plays the role of a husband, father, safety inspector at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, bowler, beer drinker, small business owner, while maintaining his comic behavior. Marge is a loving housewife, and mother of 3.

She loves all her children and her husband Homer very much. Bart, an underachiever and troublemaker, and Lisa an intellectual bookworm. These are typical personas of kids today. The simpson family lives in a nice neighborhood in a house that they own. Homer does not have a spectacular job, and Marge, though she has tried several times, doesn't continue with any careers.

So, though they are doing alright, I would place them in the middle class. However, I do recall an episode where George Bush moved across the street into a nice big home, indicating the neighborhood is nice enough for an ex-president to live in. Still, this is a middle class family. This sitcom follows the intergroup relations patters of pluralism. Everybody in the town may belong to a different group in society, as there is a large variety of characters.

However in the town of Springfield, it seems everyone has equal access to resources and power for the most part. At sometimes, the town of Springfield has felt so strongly about something they have all come together into their own group, or made an amalgamation. I would say that since this show has been on for so long and I grew up watching it, it may have impacted the society around me as I know it. It may not have totally represented it when it came on, but when it first hit the air, people thought it was repulsive and vulgar. Now, we see these characters, and people in school like these characters, and there are plenty of worse shows on TV than the Simpsons...

"That 70's Show", is about a family of 4, including Red, Kitty, 18-year old Eric, and older sister Lori. Every episode I've seen involves interaction between Eric and his parents, struggling for his own independence. Eric and his group of friends spend most of their time in the basement of his house talking, and thinking, about their lives, their future, and their friends. The race of the main characters is clear. The show is dominantly white, while the only character not white is simply called "foreign". His name in the show is Fez, and though the only foreign person on the show, he is still a main character, and considered by many the most funny.

The ratio of leading roles of white to people of color is 8: 1. The characters with more authority would be the parents of Eric and Lori, as they are constantly controlling his life. However, it is the loving, more caring mother, Kitty, that is less strict, and therefore earning more respect from the kids. At the same time, Redd is trying to control the household all the time, but the family is always sneaking around behind his back. In the inter-relationships between the group members, Jackie and Kelso, Eric and Donna, the girl is always the one in the relationship that controls the other... That is until the guys are off by themselves.

This is indicated by the constant lack of control of confidence when confronted by the other. With this in mind, I'd say that the gender seems to be split rather equally. The 4 girls seem to have just as much to do with the show as the 5 guys. The girls often have more power and authority. These are also rather stereotypical roles for these characters, because like most families on TV and in real life, the father is the one working, the mother is the housewife, and the kids are all struggling to find themselves in the world. I would place this family in the middle class.

They having their own house of decent size, and the father having a regular job indicate this. They don't seem to have financial troubles, but also don't seem to be spending exorbitant amounts of money. They drive a family station wagon, and dress the same as every other kid on the show. Within this circle of characters, I would put them as pluralism.

Again, everyone has their own place in society but has equal access to resources. This show does stray too far from the society I live in. I can relate a lot of what goes on, and the situation they are all in to my own life often times. However, the show is supposed to take place in the 70's, and I'm not so sure they acted the same way they do now as they did in the 70's.

This show portrays a modernized 70's family.