TV

The characters on The Wire are hardly new, novel, or interesting, but are regurgitations of other cop shows.

Is Orientalism, as posited by Edward Said, still alive and well in the West's new fascination with all things Korean? The skyrocketing popularity of kpop and kdramas, the flood of Western youtubers and vloggers living and working and documenting their time in Korean, are these healthy signs or signs of a distorted obsession?

A case in point would be the new tv series named Dramaworld, where a kdrama obsessed American woman is transported to the world of one of her beloved dramas. This fusion show, while a comedy, suggests that Westerners love the version of Korea that is presented in these fictional worlds. But is the version that Westerners have fallen in love with warped their ability to appreciate the actual Korea?

Discuss both the positives and the negatives of BBC's show Merlin, and consider why the show was cancelled after its previously successful seasons. Debate the reasoning behind ending the show the way it did, and the fans reactions to said ending. Hypothesize what benefits or negatives could have come out of continuing the show, both in terms of viewers and the BBC itself.

Humorous jab aside, I recently read an article here about the appeal of Friends to a younger generation of Netflix users. While the platform itself eases the process of binge-watching, what do we think about the notion of diversity which is presented here? This isn't a desire to recast Friends using actresses and actors of colour. Rather, it's a meditation on what exactly these six white characters offer that elicits such interest and intimate connection. Is it because they're the same on the outside but diverse on the inside? Is there a philosophy of entertainment which trumps race to viewers of Friends, or do are the characters themselves constituent to a desire for "emotions" transcending narratives of culture, ethnicity, and race (each of these ideally intersecting, rather than divorced from, class)?

Edit: Munjeera brought up a good point about the diversity of the cast members themselves, and the ways in which some character in the show attempted to maintain an authenticity to themselves (specifically the "Holiday Armadillo" episode). The point about love is something really important to consider too: love of others, love of self, love of life as is, and as it could be.

Musing aside, I what I was hoping to convey is why these individuals in particular seem to transcend Netflix user social borders marked by culture, ethnicity, and race. And, perhaps more importantly, is this the standard which must be met when creating a narrative of love and friendship? What does Friends make self-evident and what does it silence?

Analyze the impact of family channel shows such as Jessie, Victorious, Girl meets World (just to name a few) on the attitude and behaviour of pre-teen girls. For example, "Jessie" shows a young girl Jessie the nanny, who is always dressed impeccably is made fun of by her charges. It always makes me uneasy about the message it sends to young girls. Is her dress not good enough? Why is her clothing a topic of discussion for the children in her care? Is putting down the nanny appropriate? Analyze the way pre-teens and teens idealize the stars of the shows and emulate the way they dress and act.

Analyze the cause and effect of the representation of weed in popular media. Lately, smoking pot has been shown as a normal part of youth's life. Is that normal? Do everyone, at one point in their life, smoke pot? Or the media the cause of that increase? While more countries are trying, or at least talking about, legalizing the usage of medical marijuana, is the media making the distinction difficult? How are people, especially the youth, supposed to learn that pot is bad for them, if the media makes it look normal?
For example, shows such as Weeds and That 70s Show have no qualm in showing young people smoking pot. Other numerous shows (Parenthood, Roseanne, Gilmore Girls, and Friends just to name a few (there are many)) all have an episodes where the adults find/or acquire pot and reminisce about the times they smoked when they were young.

The quest for the Iron Throne is what has brought Westeros into its current mess. What needs to be done in order to bring unity back into Westeros, politically? What about the current governmental structure isn't working? Does there need to be a shift in how Westeros is governed? How did it all work before? Based on how the TV show is going, what type of government is needed and what kind of leader? And who best fits that mold? I always thought it might be better if Westeros was divided and governed by their respective divisions. Ex: The North would be a sovereign nation and governed by the head house of the North, and so on. But would this sort of system work? Could it work, and how so?

The death of popular characters on TV shows often leads to the fandom being outraged by their death and many fans claiming they're going to quit watching the show now that the character has died. But many don't actually leave. Does their behavior, in staying even after characters are killed, encourage the showrunners?