#1: Thanks for the Memories

Even though some of you were barely alive in the 1980s, you have most likely been exposed to the sitcoms of this era via media like TV Land, Nick at Nite, and YouTube. For this blog, then, please consider one pre-Seinfeld sitcom with which you are (somewhat) familiar, discussing any of the following:

• what you recall about the show;


• which characters stand out to you;


• what topics were covered;


• how gender, sexuality, and/or race are handled;


• whether family or friends was the primary focus;


• what this sitcom says about the decade in which it was created.

While you should limit your post to roughly 200 words (this post is approx. 230), be sure to explain your answer in detail, citing for example WHY you think shows like Diff'rent Strokes and Webster position African American children in all-white homes. What if anything does this suggest?

In alphabetical order, here's a sampling of 80s sitcoms to jump-start your memory: ALF, Amen, Bosom Buddies, Charles in Charge, Cheers, The Cosby Show, Designing Women, Diff'rent Strokes, A Different World, Family Ties, Full House, Gimme A Break, The Golden Girls, Growing Pains, The Hogan Family, Married. . .With Children, Night Court, Punky Brewster, Roseanne, Silver Spoons, Three's Company, 227, Webster, Who's the Boss? and WKRP in Cincinnati.

REMINDER: All sitcom titles must be italicized or placed in ALL CAPS.

Rules for the Road

IMPORTANT!! If you do NOT adhere to the following rules, your posting may be deleted and thus rendered ineligible for your "Final 10." Consequently, please, please keep all of these things in mind before you hit that publish button!

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Place sitcom titles in italics or all caps (e.g., Seinfeld, SEINFELD).

Place episode titles in quotes (e.g., "The Contest").

Explain your answer in detail, citing for example WHY you think food is such a prominent part of Seinfeld's mise-en-scene. What if anything does this suggest?

Limit responses to about 200-250 words (this post is approx. 150). If you exceed that count, tighten your writing, i.e., review what you’ve already written and see what can be omitted, combined, and/or made more concise.

Include an attention-grabbing title.

Respond tactfully. By all means, make your case, but be thoughtful when you do it.

Welcome!

As you've already discovered, we are going to spend the next 16 weeks screening, examining, and writing about Seinfeld. This blog/discussion board is one of many assignments that will allow us to delve further not only into the sitcom's characters, themes, and complex narrative structures, but also its treatment of social issues (e.g., gender, sexuality, race, religion) as well as its status in popular culture.

As your syllabus indicates, you are required to post to this forum at least once a week excluding Spring Break (March 10-14) and the final week of classes (April 28-May 2). Therefore, by the close of the semester, you will have responded to my and/or your classmates' postings nearly 15 times. Only ten of these responses, however, will be graded. Obviously, the more you post, the more you'll have to choose from!

In any case, before you begin writing and hit that Publish button, please keep in mind the following Rules for the Road...