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Analysis of 1950s Sitcoms POST #9


 Haralovich explains "The suburban middle-class family sitcom of the 1950s and 1960s centered on the family ensemble and its homelife--breadwinner father, homemaker mother, and growing children placed within the domestic space of the suburban home." Between these sitcoms I was analyzing the show "Ozzie and Hamlet" in the episode "The Ladder" we get the immediate system that is portrayed as Haralovich has mentioned prior. Ozzie is fitted into the role of the father that delegates matters outside the home, while the wife Harriet you see will be in the role of someone who is taking care of her children and providing the meals as well as answering the door and making guests feel acquainted. In this episode in particular whilst the husband accidentally along with his neighbor gets stuck on the roof unintentionally avoiding all PTA related responsibilities. But despite the mishaps that occur in this plot, a key note that I observed was the sponsored advertisements from Kodak and Quaker Oats. Kodak had a very focused presence on explaining how this "Brownie Movie Camera" would be an improvement or almost marketed as an essential item to complete this nuclear family dynamic that would complete the home life. The target audience that it appeals seems to appeal more to families who seem to fit within these standards, especially white suburban families. Especially as Haralovich stated that these commercials "Just as suburban housing provided gender-specific domestic space and restrictive neighborhoods, consumer product design and market research directly addressed the class and gender of the targeted family member, the homemaker" the way these commercials were marketed to home maker (the mother) by emphasizing that creating memories with the family would become quintessential, mostly showcasing the mother and her children in these advertisements.

    Whilst for Quaker Oats they placed the idea of convenience to home makers that it would only take one minute to cook the meal and provide enough protein for the whole family. This form of entertainment and creation of the division of lowbrow and high brow culture according to Grazian "This invention of class cultures required conscious efforts at boundary maintenance and social exclusion, most obviously through the devel-opment of special entertainment venues,  so-  called legitimate theaters and muse-ums in which to consecrate and present classical music, opera, drama, and art as  “serious” culture for  upper-  class audiences." so despite this social implication, analyzing the structure, and how the portrayal of 1950s-1960s is playing up this kind distinction, taking for granted many aspects of the problems and benefits that these families have as a form of entertainment that not only is detrimental to themselves playing into societal norms, contributing to more profit to these brands in order to stay within these restrictions.

Comments

  1. Brian NguyenOctober 12, 2020 at 10:24 AM

    Hi Grace, I thought that your description of a 1950s sitcom family was very accurate. It was interesting to see that although I focused my blog post on another sitcom, the family description of both cast are almost identical. Where along the line did we create these gender roles? What would society look like if there were no gender roles? These are some questions that I am interested about. I though that your blog post was well written and thought out!

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  2. Aryana HernandezOctober 12, 2020 at 2:11 PM

    Hi Grace,

    I enjoyed reading your blog post, it really broke down and explained what these sitcoms represented. I thought it was significant that you mentioned how the ads were placed as well, they knew who was watching and these companies used the TV families that everyone knew and loved as a great marketing strategy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Manny CostaOctober 14, 2020 at 10:48 AM


    Hi Grace,
    I was also fascinated by the commercials and I really enjoyed your article. The way they advertised each product for the home and how they did a really good job of trying to hit their target audiences. Companies are trying to keep the nuclear family life style and force these products on people so that they will continue capitalism.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousOctober 17, 2020 at 6:10 PM

    Hi Grace, your post was very thorough and effective in the way you tied in the Grazian readings. While watching all of the sitcoms it was obvious how much marketing and consumerism bleeds into television and popular culture.

    ReplyDelete

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