Television

Having recently finished watching Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet, I was struck by how my favourite episode was #5 Dark Quiet Death – a standalone episode that featured two completely separate characters. It got me thinking of other examples, like a similarly video-game focused episode of You're the Worst, and countless others.

So thought it would be a great idea to accumulate these into an article, or perhaps even analyse why audiences respond to these episodes (as Dark Quiet Death is the highest-rated Mythic Quest episode on IMDB by far).

Around WWII the television began to become more and more welcomed as a member of the average household in America. In the 1950's the television became the primary means of influencing public opinion on world events and politics. Later in the 90's we see the reflection of the culture surrounding television programming in postmodern writers like Don Delillo and David Foster Wallace. How have the infusion of the passivity of television-watching culture influenced the literature of subsequent decades? How has the expectation of the average reader been affected by this mass incorporation of this form of media in the average household?

Analyze how Better Call Saul's characters portray problems that people in real-life may deal with everyday. For instance, the talented lawyer who will not be hired by anyone due to lack of good references (or jealousy from those you least expect).

Not only is Better Call Saul a television series that hooks you instantly with drama, it is a series that makes the viewer see everything is not black and white, sometimes there are grays in between.

There has been an enduring presence of celibate male heroes in our media. Although these heroes are admittedly scarce, female protagonists that aren't romantically or sexually inclined, are even less common. Discuss the reasons for this absence. Give examples of TV shows and films that feature a female protagonist who has no love interest.

With the advent of online streaming services, is the television platform nearing its end? If so, how much longer can the platform last? If this topic was picked, the writer could research evidence leading to the conclusion that TV will die out soon or if it still has many years left to go.

While watching re-runs of the 1960s cult classic, The Avengers, I was reminded of the effortless cool of many of that era’s heroes. With their witty banter and impeccable fashion sense, John Steed and Emma Peel were the epitome of the clever and effortlessly cool hero. Sean Connery as James Bond, the ever-jaded Humphrey Bogart, and even Cary Grant with his many aliases in the comic film Charade all exuded debonair qualities. Nowadays, many audiences gravitate toward anti-heroes instead. We are all about gritty realism, whether that’s by casting non-celebrity faces with minimal if any make-up as in Orange is the New Black, showing explicit content as in Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, or simply having skewed morals as in House of Cards or Dexter. There are even heroes who revoke the traditional heroism thrust upon them as with Jessica Jones. Modern-day protagonists are not often meant to be looked up to, but humanly flawed and as susceptible to be corrupted as we are. Yet it goes even beyond mere human flaws. It seems we enjoy seeing the extremes of bad behavior and the worst versions of ourselves. How did this come about? Is there a way to attain gritty realism without sacrificing the self-assuredness of the supposed heroes?

Look into the psychological effects of modern television and see if there is any scientific evidence to suggest if TV can influence human behavior, and if so then to what degree and in what ways.

Analyze the use of LGBT stereotypes in TV, asking whether they serve to help the LGBT community by raising awareness, or do more damage by perpetuating stereotypes. Ideas: the "Gay Best Friend", the "Butch" lesbian, etc.

Are there any theatrical animation studios who you thought did better work when they transitioned to television in the 1950s and '60s, whether for weekend cartoons or television commercials? If so, which ones and why? For example, how does THE BUGS BUNNY SHOW of 1960 compare to the Warner Brothers theatrical cartoons of 1960? How do Terrytoons' television commercials for Piels Beer in 1957 compare to the studio's theatrical cartoons of 1957? How does the DISNEYLAND tv show compare to Disney's theatrical shorts of the 1950s? How do Paramount's tv cartoons for King Features Syndicate between 1960 and 1961 compare to its theatrical work of the period?

TV series have presented bold storytelling and characters within the last two decades. The advent of Netflix, Amazon, and other web-based streaming networks have further taken "TV programming" to new heights of artistic expression and creative topics. Even though Reality Shows dominate many stations, fictional series continue to capture audiences' imaginations.

While TV is experiencing a renaissance, the film industry is suffering from an obsession for reboots, adaptations, and re-imaginings. What are the factors that are contributing to this shift, given how film critics and audiences viewed film as the higher art form during much of the 20th century? Possible shows to discuss: Netflix's "House of Cards" (since it is an adaptation).

In fact, many popular 70s shows were adaptations from British TV ("Three's Company," "Sanford & Son," "All in the Family). Are there really more innovative shows today? "Orange Is the New Black," "Game of Thrones," "Forever," "Transparent," "Comedy Bang! Bang!" "Time and Eric" could be useful shows to discuss. Modern TV certainly has its share of adaptations and reboots: "Flash," "Once Upon a Time," and "Game of Thrones," being three, yet critics and audiences are viewing them as innovative, while the live-action Disney productions, for example, are not as well-regarded. With R-rated movies becoming a novelty rather than a regularity, film has lost its edge over TV for many reasons.