QR codeTCF 311 Critical Studies in Television
Fall 2013
http://goo.gl/gV5JaT


This is an addendum to the full syllabus. The instructor stipulates that a student's receipt of this addendum shall act as a contract between the instructor and the student. Receipt of this addendum presupposes that a student has read and understands the policies contained here and in the full online syllabus: goo.gl/Hv9fVE. Please contact the instructor if you have any questions about these policies.

Grades and other course materials are posted on Blackboard Learn.

THIS OUTLINE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGES ANNOUNCED IN CLASS
Illustrations icon = illustrations* | Screenpedia = Screenpedia | TV.com logo TV credits | YouTube logo = YouTube

Date Topic/Screening Readings
8/22 Introduction to the Course
The Andy Griffith Show (1966) Click for illustrations TV.com logo
 
8/27 TV Structure Screenpedia, Narrative Structure (Classicism) Screenpedia
Friends (1999) Click for illustrations TV.com logo
Butler, chs. 1, 2 (pp. 21-33);Click for illustrations
8/29 Narrative Structure (Series & Serial) Screenpedia
The Cosby Show (1984)Click for illustrations TV.com link
Butler, ch. 2 (pp. 34-51);Click for illustrations
9/3 Characters, Actors, StarsClick for illustrations Screenpedia Butler, ch. 3; Click for illustrations
9/5, 10 Beyond and Beside Narrative Screenpedia
Cops (1989-)Click for illustrations, CBS/NBC news Click for illustrations, The Daily Show (1996-)Click for illustrations
Deadliest Catch (2005-), Here Comes Honey Boo Boo (2012),
College Football (2004) Click for illustrations
Butler, ch. 4; Click for illustrations
recommended: Salon on Reality TV (local copy)
9/12 The Commercial Screenpedia
Appleby's, Verizon, Tums, Aussie, Oreo, Botox, Tyson Click for videos Click for illustrations Click for illustrations
Extra Credit: Évocateur: The Morton Downey Jr. Movie, Bama Theatre, 7:30pm, free
Butler, ch. 5 click for more illustrations
9/17 Exam #1 -- exam preparation
Gillette Fusion commercial
 
9/19 Television Studies: An Overview Screenpedia
The Honeymooners (1955-56) click for more illustrations
The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006-10)click for more illustrations
Butler, ch. 11; Butler, Appendix II
9/24 Genre Screening
Martin Kane, Private Eye (1949-54) click for more illustrations
Dragnet (1951-59, 1967-70, 1989-91, 2003-04) click for more illustrations
Detour (1945) click for more illustrations
Butler, Ch. 12, pp. 367-370 and 375-381 click for more illustrations
9/26 Genre Study Screenpedia
Mittell, "Policing Genres"
10/1 Semiotics Screening
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
(1997) Click for illustrations TV.com logo
Fangface
(1980) Click for illustrations
The Wonder Years (1991) Click for illustrations TV.com logo
Butler, Ch. 12, pp. 381-391 click for more illustrations
10/3 Semiotics Screenpedia Seiter, "Semiotics, Structuralism..."
10/8 Ideological Criticism, Cultural Studies & Production Studies Screening
Modern Family (2010) TV.com logo
My So-Called Life (1994) Logo
Butler, Ch. 13, pp. 395-410
10/10 Ideological Criticism, Cultural Studies & Production Studies Screenpedia Thompson & Mittell, How to Read Television
10/15 Discourse & Identity Screening
Designing Women (1991) TV.com logo
The Real World (1992), Justify My Love (1990) Click for illustrations
Butler, Ch. 13, pp. 410-421 click for more illustrations
10/17 Discourse & Identity I & II: Gender and Queer Theory Screenpedia
Girlfriends
(2000) TV.com logoClick for illustrations
 
10/22 Discourse & Identity III: Race and Ethnicity Screenpedia Smith-Shomade, "Laughing Out Loud"
10/24 Exam #2 Screenpedia  
10/29 Mise-en-Scene Screenpedia
Northern Exposure (1990-95) Click for illustrations TV.com logo
Butler, chs. 6 and 7 click for more illustrations click for more illustrations
10/31 Mid-Semester Break  
11/5 Cinematography/Videography ScreenpediaFocal length illustrationsDVD illustrations
New Girl
(2011) DVD illustrations
He Said, She Said (1991)
CameraSim Exercise
Butler, ch. 8 click for more illustrations
11/7 Editing: Single Camera Mode Screenpedia Classical editing illustrations
Northern Exposure (1990-95)Northern Exposure clip TV.com logo
The Sopranos Click for illustrations TV.com logo
Chevrolet ad Chevrolet commercial storyboard DVD illustrations
Butler, ch. 9 click for more illustrations
11/12 Editing: Multiple Camera Mode Screenpedia
Seinfeld (1990-98) click for illustrations Classical editing illustrations TV.com logo, All My Children (1970-2011)All My Children
As the World Turns (1956-2010)click for more illustrations
The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006-10)click for more illustrations
Butler, ch. 9 click for more illustrations
11/14 Sound Screenpedia
Exercise: Dodge commercial click for more illustrations
Butler, ch. 10click for more illustrations
11/19 Style and Stylistics Screenpedia
Scrubs
(2001-10) click for more illustrations
The Mindy Project
(2012-) DVD illustrations TV.com logo
Butler, ch. 12, pp. 370-375;
Butler, "Televisuality and..." (PDF)
11/21 A History of TV Style Screenpedia
Clorox commercialClorox commercials Clorox commercials

Copeland (PDF)click for more illustrations

11/26 Special Topics I: Music Television Screenpedia
The Buggles, The Replacements, Alanis Morissette,
Peter Gabriel, Guns N' Roses, Lauryn Hill, Lamp of Memoryclick for more illustrations

Allan (PDF)click for more illustrations

11/28 Thanksgiving Holiday  
12/3 Special Topics III: Animation Click for illustrations Screenpedia
Steamboat Willie (1928), Gerald McBoing-Boing (1951) ,
Crusader Rabbit (1949-51,'57-69) ,
The Flintstones (1960-66), The Simpsons (1989-)
Butler/Goldmark, "Animated Television" (PDF)click for more illustrations
12/5 Course Summary / Exam Preparation (bring a laptop) Screenpedia
Course Evaluation
12/6 Extra Credit due, TCF Office (484 Phifer), 4:30 pm
Requirements
 
12/9 Exam preparation due, 4:45 pm, TCF office (484 Phifer)  
12/12 Final Exam Period, 8:00 a.m., Thursday
Exam #3
R.E.M. "Stand" (frame grabs)
 

Textbook:

Television cover Jeremy G. Butler, Television: Critical Methods and Applications (New York: Routledge, 2011). Online resources.

Additional Readings (Alphabetical Order):

PDFs of the readings are posted on Blackboard Learn.

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Contact: jbutler@ua.edu
Original material is copyright © 1994-2024 Jeremy G. Butler.
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