Paper packet 1 - The course has a mandatory assignment, this is the assignment fully complete. PDF

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The course has a mandatory assignment, this is the assignment fully complete. ...

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1/21/19 TV-GENRE 1. Compare and contrast the world of television as portrayed in 30 ROCK versus UnREAL. How are these shows similar in their portrayal and characterization of the television industry? How are they different? 30 ROCK and UnREAL are two completely different genres. 30 ROCK is a sitcom while UnREAL is a drama. 30 ROCK is a single-camera show, which means it doesn't have a laugh track and looks more like a movie. UnREAL is a serial drama, which consists of a major storyline that overlaps from week to week. Although these two shows are different in their genres, their characterization is similar. In 30 ROCK, the obstacle Liz faces is The Girlie Show's new network executive Jack Donaghy. Jack tells Liz and Pete that he has been sent to 30 Rock to reorganize The Girlie Show. After he carelessly insults her, Liz is initially frustrated towards Jack. Jack asks Liz to hire Tracy Jordan, a male actor in order to attract male viewers between the age of 18 and 49. Basically, Liz's main challenge/obstacle is her boss Jack, who is trying to make changes to a show that is already successful. In UnREAL, Rachel returns to her work after having a mental breakdown that lead to multiple felony charges in which she stole a car and crashed it. Rachel's sole role is to manipulate with the contestants' emotions to cause a dramatic scene or reaction. Rachel is essentially blackmailed to do her best in manipulating emotional responses because her boss, Quinn King, would not drop the felony charges otherwise. Although Rachel is working hard in trying to do what she's tasked, she also has to make sure she doesn't have another mental breakdown while she's around her ex-boyfriend and working 18- hours long. So, her challenge/obstacle is dealing with her boss, who is willing to do anything to keep the show's ratings high and also trying to maintain her own mental stability. This is where 30 ROCK and UnREAL are similar in their characterization: they both have the main character have some sort of conflict with another character. In both cases, the other character happens to be their

1/21/19 TV-GENRE bosses. In 30 ROCK, it's Liz's new network executive. And in UnREAL, the reality shows executive producer. How are they different? Rachel from UnREAL happens to have an obstacle that she must deal with herself as well. Along with Quinn King demanding she's doing her best, she also has to keep her mental health together. She faces a self-struggle. This isn't really seen in 30 ROCK. 30 ROCK characterization plot seems solely based on Liz and her new network executive, Jack Donaghy.

2. How is friendship portrayed on FRIENDS versus SEINFELD? How are these episodes similar in their portrayal of friendship? How are they different? Which group would you personally be more likely to befriend and why? If you would not be friends with either group, why wouldn't you want these people as your friends? Friendship on Friends is portrayed much more like what you would think friends are supposed to be: caring, yet immature and stupid. This is seen throughout the episode as Ross is trying to get everyone ready for the event. They're supposed to leave in 30 minutes or so, yet no one is ready except Phoebe. While everyone is in the family room, the phone plays an old message from Richard, Monica's ex-boyfriend. Monica starts to get worried, but everyone is very supportive and caring towards her throughout the whole episode as they're trying to get her to not call her ex. While this is happening, Joey and Chandler are still fighting and teasing each other by hiding and wearing each other's clothes while Ross is trying to be the peacekeeper. This is exactly what friends really are. On the other hand, Seinfeld's portrayal is a bit different. The scene where Elaine is supposed to meet Jake at the movies, but she gets the message that he was in an accident. Instead of rushing to the hospital as any good friend would, Elaine turns around to buy some candy. It's like the friends in the show almost don't have much care or support for each other. Jerry said that when Elaine is doing great, George is down. And

1/21/19 TV-GENRE when George is doing great, Elaine is down. No good friend would actually say that. Friends on Seinfeld are portrayed as so passive and friends that have no faith in each other. I would much rather be friends with the characters on Friends than Seinfeld because that's what real friends are supposed to be like. Friends are supposed to be caring and supportive. Yes, you have disagreements, but most importantly you understand one another. Joey and Chandler are the types of friends who goof around all the time and make fun of each other. A friendship that's very unique and quite relatable with men.

3. 30 Possible points. Discuss the obstacles which impede Agents Mulder and Scully from solving their case on THE X FILES. What objective and subjective obstacles do the detectives face in solving the crime in the pilot episode? How do they overcome them? Agents Mulder and Scully face different types of obstacles. One Subjective obstacle Scully faces is when Mulder and Scully go to visit Billy Miles. After examining Billy's foot, Scully comes to the conclusion that Mulder's theory of extraterrestrial activity and Billy Miles being responsible for O'Dell's death. The subjective obstacle Scully faces is that she's the one who has to write the theory in her report that may sound unbelievable because it's a case involving aliens. This becomes a subjective obstacle because she's the one who didn't believe Mulder's theory at the beginning of the episode and now, she has to report it. An objective obstacle Mulder and Scully face is after they visit O'Dell, they go back to the motel to find it on fire with all the evidence burned. This is an objective obstacle because the two agents were gathering information and evidence the whole episode to solve the case, and all of it gets burnt. However, they overcome this obstacle because it leads Mulder and Scully to speculate that there must be more evidence in the cemetery. When they go to the graveyard, the graves are dug up and the coffins are missing. Mulder realizes that Billy is responsible for bringing the victims to the

1/21/19 TV-GENRE woods. Returning to the woods, they encounter Detective Miles, but hear a scream and find Billy nearby with Theresa in his arms. There is a flash of light, and Billy and Theresa are recovered unharmed. Months later, the FBI question Miles and he recalls how he and his classmates were abducted by the "light." So, they overcome the objective obstacle they faced by witnessing Billy with Theresa in his arms and seeing the light, giving them enough evidence. This also helps Scully overcome her subjective obstacle of having an unbelievable report about aliens because she now has more evidence to support her report along with the Billy Miles confessing....