Deadline #10, C/C Rough Draft

Drastic changes can be seen in television over the last thirty years. Programs featuring hip, cool heroes fighting crime have been replaced by gray-suited investigators looking at dead bodies. Sitcoms presenting characters in comical situations have been exchanged for comedies that use constant earthy humor. The comedy and music of variety shows have been traded in for the unscrupulousness of reality shows. The television shows of 1977 were more wholesome than the shows of 2007.

There are extreme differences between the substance shown in the crime shows of 1977 and 2007. In 1977, consideration was made as to what may be deemed offensive to crime show audiences. Violence and gore was kept to a minimum. Sexual abuse of children, although rarely a main topic of an episode, was handled in a delicate manner. Only basic details of the characters’ love lives were set forth, and loves scenes were minimal. Several crime shows in 1977, featured crime fighting super heroes as the stars. On the other hand, crime shows of 2007 use the offensive as a selling point. They include realistic looking scenes of violent acts and mutilated bodies. Not only do numerous episodes of crime shows draw viewers by focusing on and graphically portraying the sexual abuse of women and children, but whole series are based on the horror. The personal aspects of the sex lives of the crime fighters are highlighted in 2007, often with partial nudity to draw an audience. The use of super heroes as crime fighters on television has diminished, and the line between the good guys and the bad guys has become especially thin.

Sitcoms of 1977 drew an audience by presenting amusing everyday situations rather than by staging a stream of implausible and raunchy one-liners, as is the norm in 2007. Family sitcoms were truly aimed at everyone in the family. Most of the sitcoms in television in 1977 were safe for children to watch without the accompaniment of an adult. Many shows were aimed at children with the purpose of providing entertainment along with moral lessons. Although adult themes were alluded to in several sitcoms, they were presented in a way so as not to be perceived by young children. In 1977 sitcoms, the parents typically exhibited responsible behavior and expected decent manners from their children. However, in 2007, family sitcoms may incorporate a family of characters, but not be appropriate for children. Both adults and children are exposed to vulgar conversation almost every time the television is turned on. Programs aimed at children often contain hidden lewd humor and symbolism. Almost all sitcoms present adult themes and a large number include children in course jokes. The use of offensive language and rudeness towards spouses and children is prevalent in 2007 sitcoms.

In 1977, clean-cut comedy and musical variety shows were main staples in the television viewing diet, but reality shows are the addiction of 2007. Variety shows in 1977 invited whole families to spend time laughing and singing with each other. Individual and family acts commonly hosted one hour extravaganzas of sketches, monologues, songs, and celebrity guest appearances that families could safely watch together. In programs that did utilize off-color humor, the jokes were kept to a minimum and the meanings were concealed in order to protect the youth who may have been watching. In contrast, the reality shows of 2007 expose their viewers to numerous acts of immoral behavior and greed. Several programs present contestants lying to, betraying, and using each other in order to win prizes. Other programs impart audiences with groups of one gender using trickery, mind games, and lust to attempt to win over one member of the opposite gender. People trading lives with each other and verbally tearing the other person’s family apart is yet another type of show popular with the audiences of 2007.

The past thirty years has brought countless changes to television. The choices of what to watch on television has significantly increased. Although viewers still enjoy watching programs that include crime, situational comedy, and various mixes of excitement, the presentation of subject matter has been altered. TV watching is certainly a greater moral dilemma in 2007 than it was in 1977.