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| Reality TV Show Comic |
I have been researching the history of the American Family portrayed in television shows and am not too surprised by what I have found. I started off by researching television shows from the 1950’s and watched a few episodes. I then watched a few shows from today’s time so that I could get the full picture of how different these shows really were. Most all of my information came from my own knowledge after watching a couple of episodes of Leave It To Beaver as well as Keeping Up With The Kardashians and 19 Kids and Counting I was able to come up with my own opinion on which of these shows are the most alike, and what makes them so different from each other.
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| The Cleaver Family |
In the 1950’s, television shows were very family friendly. Most of them portrayed the family life to be an extremely pleasant, picture perfect lifestyle. After witching a few episodes of Leave It To Beaver, I noticed how the show had no profanity at all. The Cleaver family also wore very conservative clothing that covered most all of their skin. One of the episodes that I watched showed Beaver Cleaver receiving a note from his teacher at school. His teacher told him to take the note home and give it to his parents. This did not settle too well with Beaver because of the fact that the last kid who took a note home to his parents was expelled. Beaver postponed giving the note to his parents and the story went on. He later ended up running away because he thought he was going to get in trouble. Later that day his mother, father and brother found him in a tree. This shows how innocent family life was portrayed to be back in the 50’s. An object as simple as a note was a big deal back in that time. Also, it was no big deal for Beaver to run away in his small town. His family, though they were a bit worried, knew they would find him at the end of the day and that everything would be okay.
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| Kourtney, Kloe and Kim Kardashian |
In today’s society, television shows that are most popular are ones such as Keeping Up With The Kardashians and 19 Kids and Counting. These two shows are completely opposite from one another. For example, Keeping Up With The Kardashian’s is about a family who’s wealth is used for both good and bad. This show that I am very fond of, uses a lot of profanity and the stars show a lot of skin. The Kardashian’s are a very tightly knit family and would do anything for one another. Kim, Kourtney and Kloe are some of the most famous sisters in the world. But what are they known for? Their bodies, clothing line and their choice in men. These extremely popular women are seen as sex symbols by people everywhere. They know what they have and like to fault it. All of this is shown by watching just one episode of their reality TV show. On the other hand, 19 Kids and Counting is a television show portraying the gigantic Duggar family. Although I have only seen a few episodes of this strange TV show, it is nothing like the Kardashian’s. This family has a strong bond between one another and the love of Christ. Their morals are completely different than those of the Kardashian’s. In this show, I have never once heard any of them use and explicit, wear revealing clothing, or even show affection to someone outside of their family such as a boyfriend. One episode I clearly remember seeing, was one of their older daughters was starting to date this guy. They were not aloud to be alone together so their mom, dad or one of their siblings has to go wherever they go. They also are not aloud to kiss, or hug from the front, only a side hug is aloud. This show is extremely popular in today’s time because it shows how different their family is from the rest of the world and they are okay with it.
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| The Duggar Family |
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| TV from the 1950s |
After my research I have concluded that to be a successful, popular television show in today’s time, you have to be provocative, extremely wealthy and willing to do whatever it takes to become famous. In the 1950’s, television shows were based off of a good family who loved one another and showed their daily life. Shows back then did not have to have profound language for people to enjoy it.
Sources.
This allowed me access to watch the show. It was very helpful and it's the official website of Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
TLC gave me access to watch 19 Kids and Counting. This is where I found out about the show and the Duggar family. It was very helpful.
Netflix allowed me to watch Leave It To Beaver. It was so helpful because I have only seen the show once a long time ago and gave me access to learn more about it.
This was helpful because it gave me background information on TV show from the 1950's. I really didn't use it that much though because a lot of it was my own knowledge.
This was pretty helpful because it gave me lists of shows that played in the 1950's so that I could watch episodes of them or find out more about them if I needed to.
This website was very helpful and helped me see how perfect the family life was portrayed as in the 1950's.
i liked how you gave lots of details on the differences between how Tv shows are today and how they were in the 1950's. it was also a essay where i could almost hear you while i was reading. It was easy to read and also very entertaining.
ReplyDeleteHi Patton! I enjoyed your article about changing TV families. A couple of things spell check won't catch: "aloud" instead of "allowed" and "witched."
ReplyDeleteHere's my question:
Do you think the family life depicted in Leave it to Beaver was more realistic than the odd and extreme family life depicted in the Kardashians or Duggars? Why or why not?
Hey patton i have a question, and chances are that you have already answered it in your essay but how or why did the Tv shows from the 1950's change to what is popular now as in why don't we still watch shows that are family friendly or why arnt they as popular as they were back then?
ReplyDeleteGreat essay, Patton! I think that you addressed the topic well and answered it thoroughly. Do you personally think that the Kardashian's are influential or do you think that the only reason that their show has not been cancelled is because of the fact that they make tons of money doing absolutely nothing?
ReplyDeleteHey Jonathan! Thanks so much! I think the reason that we don't watch too many family friendly shows now in days is because of the media and the way things are now. I feel as if teenagers and kids are influenced differently by social media which causes them not to be interested in too many family friendly shows. Let me know if that doesn't answer your question!
ReplyDeleteI really liked your blog. I thought you did a really good job with comparing the T.V. shows.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think a show like the Kardashian's is so widely accepted and is more interesting to people today?
Hi Mrs. Lawson! Ok thanks I will correct those! To answer your question, I think that the family life depicted in Leave it to Beaver was more realistic for that time period than it would be in todays time period. I think the family life depicted in Kardashians and the Duggars is more realistic to what actually goes on in todays time and how some families act. I hope that answers your question!
ReplyDeleteHey Claire! Thanks! I think the Kardashian's is so widely accepted and is more interesting to people today because its what people are used to due to social media and how people act now in days. It is so much more popular to dress the way the Kardashians do and to use fowl language so that is why people are drawn to it. I hope that answers your question :)
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your essay Patton! I am a big fan of the Kardashians myself. What do you think made Leave it to Beaver popular in the 50's and what do you think makes two shows as different as 19 kids and Counting and Keeping Up with the Kardashians on the same success level today?
ReplyDeleteAw thanks so much, Reed! Well, I kind of think both that their show has not been canceled because of how much money it brings in and the fact that they do have influence on a lot of people. I think they influence people because they're such a tightly knit family and the fact that they own their own clothing line which many teenage girls dream of doing. I really hope that answers your question!! :-)
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