Drawing on political and cultural indicators to explain the sudden upsurge of gay material on prime-time network television in the 1990s, this book brings together analysis of relevant Supreme Court rulings, media coverage of gay rights battles, debates about multiculturalism, concerns over political correctness, and more.

Milestones of gay and lesbian life in the United States are brought together in the first-ever nonfiction book on the topic published specifically for teens. Profusely illustrated with period photographs, first-person accounts offer insight as each chapter identifies an important era. From the Gay '20s to the Kinsey study, from the McCarthy witch hunts to the Beat generation, from Stonewall to disco, and from AIDS to gay marriage and families, this overview gives a balanced look at how queer men and women have lived, worked, played--and fought to overcome prejudice and discrimination--for the past 125 years.--From publisher description.

Television has historically been largely ineffective at representing queerness in its various forms. In the 21st century, however, as same-sex couples have seen increasing mainstream acceptance, and a broader range of queer characters has appeared in the media, it seems natural to assume TV portrayals of queerness have become more enlightened. But have they? This collection of fresh essays analyzes queerness as depicted on TV from 2000 to the present. Examining Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The L Word, Modern Family, The New Normal, Queer as Folk, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, RuPaul's Drag Race, Spartacus and Will & Grace, among other series, the contributors demonstrate that queer characters in general have achieved visibility at the expense of minimizing much of their queerness--with a few eye-opening exceptions.

Bringing together key writings with original textbook material, the second edition of Media Studies: The Essential Resource explains central perspectives and concepts within Media Studies. Readers are introduced to a range of writing on media topics promoting an understanding of the subject from both contemporary and historical perspectives. The text is split into three parts covering Analysis and Perspectives, Media Audiences and Ecologies and Creativities. The key areas of study are discussed, with accessible readings from essential theoretical texts and fully supported with an author commentary. Theoretical perspectives are used to analyse contemporary media forms and activities direct students to interrogate readings further and apply their learning. Encouraging critical and analytical study, Media Studies: The Essential Resource helps students to understand the main theories and theorists within Media Studies.

This book takes an intersectional approach to explore gender, race, ethnicity and social class in television series and films produced by English-speaking countries. Starting from Kimberlé Crenshaw’s 1989 concept of intersectionality, and encompassing film studies, television studies, cultural studies, gender studies, Queer theory, African American studies, and post-colonial studies, this volume sheds light not only on revealing intersectional elements of on-screen fiction, but also on the very nature of intersectional criticism.

From the meth-dealing but devoted family man Walter White of AMCOCOs Breaking Bad, to the part-time basketball coach, part-time gigolo Ray Drecker of HBOOCOs Hung, depictions of male characters perplexed by societal expectations of men and anxious about changing American masculinity have become standard across the television landscape. Engaging with a wide variety of shows, includinga The League, a Dexter, anda Nip/Tuck, among many others, Amanda D. Lotz identifies the gradual incorporation of second-wave feminism into prevailing gender norms as the catalyst for the contested masculinities on display in contemporary cable dramas. Examining the emergence of male-centered serials such asa The Shield, a Rescue Me, anda Sons of Anarchy aand the challenges these characters face in negotiating modern masculinities, Lotz analyzes how these shows combine feminist approaches to fatherhood and marriage with more traditional constructions of masculine identity that emphasize menOCOs role as providers. She explores the dynamics of close male friendships both in groups, as ina Entourage aanda Men of a Certain Age, wherein characters test the boundaries between the homosocial and homosexual in their relationships with each other, and in the dyadic intimacy depicted ina Boston Legal aanda Scrubs .a Cable Guys aprovides a much needed look into the under-considered subject of how constructions of masculinity continue to evolve on television."

Spanning a broad trajectory, from the New Gaelic Man of post-independence Ireland to the slick urban gangsters of contemporary productions, this study traces a significant shift from idealistic images of Irish manhood to a much more diverse and gender-politically ambiguous range of male identities on the Irish screen.

Serialized storytelling provides intriguing opportunities for critical representations of age and aging. In contrast to the finite character of films, television narratives can unfold across hundreds of episodes and multiple seasons. Contemporary viewing practices and new media technologies have resulted in complex television narratives, in which experimental temporalities and revisions of narrative linearity and chronological time have become key features. As the first of its kind, this volume investigates how TV series as a powerful cultural medium shape representations of age and aging, such as in »Orange Is The New Black«, »The Wire« or »Desperate Housewives«, to understand what it means to live in time.

The Burden of Choice examines how recommendations for products, media, news, romantic partners, and even cosmetic surgery operations are produced and experienced online. With its cultural studies and humanities-driven methodologies focused on close readings, historical research, and qualitative analysis, this book models a promising avenue for the study of algorithms and culture.

This book spotlights the 25 most important sitcoms to ever air on American television—shows that made generations laugh, challenged our ideas regarding gender, family, race, marital roles, and sexual identity, and now serve as time capsules of U.S. history. What was the role of The Jeffersons in changing views regarding race and equality in America in the 1970s? How did The Golden Girls affect how society views older people? Was The Office an accurate (if exaggerated) depiction of the idiosyncrasies of being employees in a modern workplace? How did the writers of The Simpsons make it acceptable to air political satire through the vehicle of an animated cartoon ostensibly for kids? Readers of this book will see how television situation comedies have consistently held up a mirror for American audiences to see themselves—and the reflections have not always been positive or purely comedic. The introduction discusses the history of sitcoms in America, identifying their origins in radio shows and explaining how sitcom programming evolved to influence the social and cultural norms of our society. The shows are addressed chronologically, in sections delineated by decade. Each entry presents background information on the show, including the dates it aired, key cast members, and the network; explains why the show represents a notable turning point in American television; and provides an analysis of each sitcom that considers how the content was received by the American public and the lasting effects on the family unit, gender roles, culture for young adults, and minority and LGBT rights. The book also draws connections between important sitcoms and other shows that were influenced by or strikingly similar to these trendsetting programs. Lastly, a section of selections for further reading points readers to additional resources.