Television History and Criticism

This course is an examination of the television medium as an art form, sociocultural text, and industry. Emphasis will be on the development of formal/aesthetic elements, genres (sitcom, soap opera, talk show, drama, news, reality programming, etc.), themes, narrative patterns, and characters, as well as the depiction of gender, race, and class on network and cable channels. Relevant TV shows and episodes will be screened, analyzed, and discussed in the context of their historical and theoretical significance. The required textbooks are: Television: Critical Methods and Applications, 3rd edition, by Jeremy G. Butler, and Television: The Critical View, 7th edition, by Horace Newcomb.