Violence, in TV and the Media
The media and Television has always had something to say on every
subject conceivable. From the fifties when Television was just a new borne
idea, to now in the nineties we have seen just about everything we ever could
and more.
Now as the end of the second millennium approaches we look back on the
past and haw it's effected our life. From television programs like Star
trek, All in the family, I love Lucy, to Fraiser. Family Guy and The
X-files we have seen our share of good and bad plot lines, we have seen cable
get with away with alot more then the networks, and gone through every
kind of ratings game imaginable.
There have been stars like Carry Grant, Katherine Hepburn, and
Ingrid Burgmam, names we are sure we won't forget. Along with thousands
of other actors and actresses, who brought us laughter and tears.
Some more popular shows in this decade including ER, Chicago Hope,
NYPD Blue, Sinfield, Friends and Simpsons. From Drama, Comedy,
to Cartoons, they have all reached us when we least expected it and
effected us in ways we'd never dare admit it.
Television makes us hope and dream. Fall in love, and cry, characters in
the soaps we have grown with over the generations. And we have met with a
new life with every child born.
In the early nineties a show came out. Though the networks, at first
didn't even want to try this because they thought it wouldn't last past the
first few eps, one Network did give it a shot. The show not only featured
two characters that were smart, successful young beautiful people. They
dared to right out side of the norm, catching the imagination and stretching
it. It set out to prove it's own point, and when it didn't have one it made it
up.
Given the seven o'clock Friday time slot Fox 20th Productions was
sure this gamble wouldn't pay off. Starting off it featured a petite red
head, not the floozy blond that the networks wanted. And a strong willed
male lead. Together they would make an unforgettable duo.
After three seasons in the Friday time slot they were moved to
Sunday's at 8:00 to make way for the creatures new creation Millennium.
This from a man who when he presented the show three years previously got
turned down by Fox 20th productions three times before the finally agreed
to take a chance.
Now with the seventh and final season of the x-files approaching creator
Chris Carter has taught us a range of lessons, the most important don’t
trust the government, just kidding. No his most important lesson was
anything is possible, on the screen, and off.
Now with shows like the X-files testing the human imagination, I bring
you into this article.
Out of the sixties came a vision. Unlike anything anyone had seen
before. Not of this earth, it featured a cast of characters who lived in a
time of equality, and freedom. Teaching morals with each episode it lasted
five long years.
And in that short time it brought us to strange new worlds, while
seeking out knew life, and new civilizations. It made us see the innocence of
life, the strength of friendships, and the love of a group of people.
The captain a womanizing, not by the book roguish male lead, showed us
that we had hope for the future. Just not in him again just kidding. With
the Roswell incident in the forties bringing on a new rush about alien life
came more aliens then you could shake a stick at.
And in the late nineteen sixties came a man who's vision would out last
him, through four series, and nine motion picture, and now as Gene
Rodenberry, the great bird of the galaxy rests in heaven, we still enjoy his
vision today, some thirty years later.
Through out our lives television and the motion picture industry has left us
with some found memories, of times long ago and a glimpse into a foreseeable
future. Teaching us right from wrong, and show us the good, bad and the
ugly.
And in the early seventies this hit a peak with a new television show
that would change the course of comedic television forever.
Featuring a bigoted loudmouthed New Yorker, and his family. It dealt
with the side of humanity that everyone else at the time would have just
rather ignored. Archie Bunker, a name that won't easily be forgotten, was
this strong willed, bigoted loudmouth, who was also loved by millions of
Americans for his honesty.
Making a few guest appearances and later receiving his own television
show was the black neighbor George Jefferson. Just as stubborn, and
bigoted as Archie. It made for some interesting dialog.
To make it simple, All in the Family, will be the most memorable
comedy ever to come on television bar none.
So in this article we went from Sci-fi, to Drama, to comedy and
everywhere in between. But that's not what this is about. This is about the
accusation that television is to blame for the violence in today's teens. When
I think of the most violent thing I've seen on television, my mind doesn't go to
Babylon 5, or the X-files, I don't think of NYPD blue, or Chicago hope.
Instead, I remember the Kosovo bombings, or the Simpson trial. We don't
need to worry about violence in fiction when in reality it's bad enough.
And I know this, and I know other teens do to, it’s not because of the
violence in television and movies, and it’s not because of rap music, or video
games. It's not the parents' fault for working too much or the teachers for
not caring enough. Like adults, we know what we are doing. We
understand. We get it. We just don’t give a damn. And we know that we
won't get blamed, that it would be easier to blame someone else, and so
that's what the adults will do, because that's what we'd do, and we know that
we aren't that different. We know a little less, and we haven't experienced
that much. But we do think alike and we do know what we are doing, and
that it's wrong. We just don't care.
Thank you,
Karla Frances
Follow me- God
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