Women's Roles in Familial Sitcoms: Changed or Just Re-arranged?

Wax on Corpus Christi

Cumbia Tears

Cumbia Cryin'

Women in Familial Roles

Women in Familial Roles: Roles Changed, or Simply Re-arranged?

Kickin' It

Kickin' It

Photo Resize Exercise

Resize Exercise...

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                                                           Figure 3.  Size 16 x 9  photo

In Search of Evolving Inspiration

                                                Figure 1.  Top of the World Tour Poster 2003.

Figure 2.  Taking The Long Way Album Cover 2006.

Playlist: The Very Best of the Dixie Chicks Album 2010.

Figure 4.  Long Time Gone Tour 2013.

Figure 5.  Album Cover for Jason Mraz Live at the Eagles Ballroom 2004.

Figure 6.  Jason Mraz Poster 2008.

Figure 7.  Jason Mraz album photo.

Figure 8.  Jason Mraz Poster with Raining Jane 2014.

Figure 9.  Jason Mraz and Raining Jane 2014.

Figure 10.  Jason Mraz - Poster with Raining Jane May 2015.

      Figure 11.  Promo Poster for Live Art: Soul with Jason Mraz and others with student performers.

Figure 12.  Fleetwood Mac Rumors Album 1977.

Figure 13.  Adapted Cover.

Figure 14. The Dance Album Cover 1997.

                                  Figure 15. On With The Show Tour Promo Poster 2014-2015.

Composing Still Images

                                                                Symmetrically Balanced

                                                                 Asymmetrically Balanced

Doesn't Obey Rule of Closure

     Does Obey Rule of Closure

 Close Up

 

 Long Shot

                                                     Balanced Image - Obeys Rule of Thirds

Roles of Women in TV Sitcoms Since 1950: Have They Changed Or Just Been Re-Arranged?

Women's Familial Sitcom Roles Reflecting Societal Norms

Since art imitates life, in taking a look at the 1950s sitcoms, it is easy to see how the art of television reflected women's roles and the societal norms of the day.  Considering these early sitcoms, gives us an overall contextual experience of the perceived and accepted roles of women, particularly in the familial setting. We look back and laugh at the stereotypical roles of women like Gracie Allen, Harriet Nelson, June Cleaver and Lucille Ball.  They all have perfectly coiffed hair, are wearing pearls, dresses, high heels and aprons as they cook, clean and serve the men in their family - interestingly they all have sons, no daughters except Gracie and George who initially had no children and then later included their adopted son and daughter on the show.  The question is have these comedic, familial roles reflected in television sitcoms changed from 1950 to 2015, or simply been rearranged and dressed up in contemporary clothing to fit altered world contexts?

Figure 1. "I Love Lucy" theme song.

The theme song of "I Love Lucy "was so iconic in the 1950s sitcom genre, and since it was one of the first of its kind, debuting in 1951, it would be an excellent musical backdrop to pay to license as part of this documentary.

Take a Look Back…The Culture

America was searching and yearning for a return to normalcy after World War II.  Part of that normalcy came packaged in the huge television boom.  Six years after the end of the War, more than 10 million households had a television, and a majority of them were turned on and tuned in to "I Love Lucy" which aired at 9:00 p.m. on Monday evenings.  Every sitcom of the '50s and '60s placed women in a submissive, mostly ditsy role in which the woman's place was at home in pearls and an apron.  They were beautiful women, but seemingly only had value in a homemaker role, a role in which they asked their husband's permission for everything. The exception was when the women could go around their husbands on a secret escapade, which of course the husband always found out about and the women were either admonished or laughed at for trying to do something "so silly."

Figure 2.  Cooking and Cleaning in Aprons and Pearls.
Google Advanced Images - licensed for reuse

                                

George Burns & Gracie Allen Show

Figure 3.  "Burns and Allen Show" - Video from Prelinger Archive (Public Domain).                  

The "George Burns and Gracie Allen Show" was the first sitcom of its kind, and set the stage and the stereotypes of all the ones to follow. It aired from 1950 to 1958 and was considered hysterically funny for the day.  George Burns and Gracie Allen were also married, a couple in real life, and George Burns was heartbroken when Gracie died in 1964. This video, in the public domain would be used to "set the  stereotypical stage" in the documentary.
                                                                             

Figure 4. Coats & Clark 1950s Hostess Book.
Google Advanced Images - Licensed for Reuse

The Perfect wife, the perfect table, the perfect dinner and the perfect pearls and smile…Society wanted perfection after World War II and women in the perfect role "under glass in the familial role" were one way to show that the War was over and American was  back! This licensed for re-use image is an excellent print portrayal of society's message of the day.

The '60s and '70s: More Sitcoms With Women…All Dressed Up And Nowhere To Go

Figure 5. Laura Petrie 1960s in "Dick Van Dyke Show" is perfectly coiffed
as she serves breakfast to the men in her life. 
Google Advanced Licensed for re-use 

Figure 6.  Samantha in "Bewitched," still all dressed up  to cook.
copyrighted image

Fast Forward Gloria in Modern Family...

Figure 7. One more time...Gloria in "Modern Family.
copyrighted image

                                                                           
Women: Now You See Them, Or Maybe Not

Miss Representation - a documentary created by Jennifer Siebel Newsom discusses the roles of women as portrayed in film, television and media today, and how as a whole they are misrepresented and how we as a society continue to pass that  misrepresentation on from one generation to the next. This clip from her documentary, "Miss Representation" serves as a basis for the portrayal of women in society.  Based on her work, if you take a closer look at just one microcosmic element in television from the 1950s to today - women's roles in familial sitcoms - you can see how she is spot on with where we have been, where we have come, and where we continue to go... down the same path time and time again… This is a news story that includes clips from the documentary itself.  Actual clips from  "Miss Representation" and portions of this news clip as well would be placed in this sitcom documentary regarding women's familial roles and societal norms on a fair use basis.

 Figure 8.  Video Review of Miss Representation.  Clips would be used on a fair use basis.

Living In The Moment

Living In The Moment……


This is a test, a test of your personal broadcasting system.  How do you see your life, those snippets of time that add up to a lifetime? Musician Jason Mraz believes it's about Living in the Moment.




                                                                             

Musician Jason Mraz

                                                                   

                             
                                                           Song - Living In The Moment

Some See Life In Defining Moments. They See Milestones.

First Bike 

Graduation 

First Job 

Marriage 

Family

                                                                         

Some See The Unexpected And Celebrate It...

 Snowmen On the Beach In South Texas

Whoa…Look What We Found!

Surpise!  Surprise!  Surprise!

Yes!

Tweedie & Sylvester Take Note…

And Some Experience, and Enjoy the Moments as They...

Take On Life With Wild Abandon

Savor The Flavor

 Experience Togetherness

Breathe…

…And Take Time To Live Life Large!

Man and Dog...

The Man & The Dog…

A PSA With a Powerful Punch

The Man and The Dog video shines light on a well-established, loyal friendship between a "pooch and their person".  It is, however, the unexpected final message in this PSA that not only touches the heart, but also motivates the viewer in the last frame to give of him or herself.  Not only is this video effective in its simplicity, its message cuts through all languages and cultures.  In fact, there are no decipherable words used, only visual language and music. And actually no words are necessary, as the words and emotions are well played out in the viewer's head.  The four simple words placed on the screen in the ending frame provide the power that fuels the over-arching, motivating message in this PSA.

The first frame…that face, the one that connects you with your canine…it is almost impossible not to want to continue to at least the next scene of the video.  They chose a perfect pet for the first frame, one that would be appealing to all, with bright eyes, upright, attentive ears and a smiling countenance that is almost irresistible. The dog is waiting, anticipating and so are you as the viewer…ready for the the next command, the next adventure, the next scene.

Figure 1. That Face

This frame sets the stage that the dog is ready to go for the day and is not going away until his owner, his master gets out of bed.  It's time to get up and meet the day…and this alarm does not have a snooze button.  Without audible words, the importance of each scene, each frame to render the message becomes paramount to the success of the viewer receiving, understanding and accepting the message being presented.

Figure 2.  Morning Alarm without an off or snooze button

They are out for the day and the man is beckoning the dog just as a friend would do, saying, "Hey, I'm waiting for you, and we'll cross the street together"- something long-time friends and companions would do.  This scene is framed on a busy street with cars parked on either side, so it is obvious to the viewer that the man is taking care of the dog and making sure that they cross together, safely.  This sets up the caring relationship.

Figure 3. We'll cross together.



These frames serve to further establish their relationship built on trust and sharing.

Figure 4.  No need for a leash.

Figure 5.  Sharing - What friends do.

There are a couple of scenes that establish that the man's is not feeling well; the dog is right beside him and obviously knows all is not well with his friend. Following this shot comes one which is extremely effective, but does not work as a still. It's is a shot taken from  inside of the ambulance - ambulance siren blaring - looking out the window. Behind the ambulance comes the dog…running full tilt…not wanting to lose his friend.  

Figure 6.  Not feeling so well

Once at the hospital, the man is taken into the emergency room, someplace the dog cannot follow.  In fact the doors are shut in his face and he is left outside looking through the glass for his friend.  Often in medical situations this is not uncommon, and most people can relate to the fact that when their loved one is in crisis at a hospital, there are places we are not allowed, regardless of whether you are a canine or a human. You are figuratively and literally left on the outside looking in. 

Figure 7.  Arriving at the emergency room

Figure 8. Left on the outside looking in.

The man's loyal friend, his family, never waivers. The dog waits, all alone but determined to wait it out.  And just like us as human beings, the dog will stay with with the person he loves, rain or shine.  No one is paying attention to the dog.  It is a lonely, wet scene.  The dog's head is down, and he is in a darkened corner. The scene emotes sadness and potential loss, a sense of hopelessness. The viewer is "all in" emotionally, and fears the worst.  

Figure 9. Alone, waiting.

But then everything changes. Cutting away to the dog, suddenly there is a brightness, a recognition in his/her eyes.  Something has changed.  The viewer is pulled into the emotion, the anticipation and is hoping, expecting to see the man, his friend, coming toward the loyal friend.

Figure 10. Loyal friend's moment of recognition

But what the dog sees, does not meet the viewer's expectation.  It's not the man.  In fact, it's a woman, a much younger woman in a wheelchair, but the dog runs to her and jumps up in her lap.  There is something the dog recognizes in her, something that he has to be close to and touch.  At this point, the viewer is not sure what that something is, what the dog who has been waiting for who knows how long…recognizes intuitively. The body has no resemblance to The Man, but there is something about the spirit, the heart. 

Figure 11.  Joy abounds.

Figure 12.  Can I get in your lap?

Then suddenly the screen goes black, with those four, simple and completely unexpected words reversed out present in the middle of the screen:  Become an organ donor. Those four words, unspoken, tie the whole PSA together.  They are four powerful words presented simply on a black screen that jolt the viewer into an unanticipated moment and emotive state of mind. It is a moment of vulnerability that in turn has the opportunity to cause the viewer to want to take action, which is of course the whole purpose of the this PSA. In this case, the unexpected and its simplicity in conjunction with the relationship between the man and dog in the video create a power-packed, resonating message.

Figure 13.  The Power of four, simple words.