WOVEN – English 1102: Television and Feminism

Tag: WOVEN

Broad City is a show known for its absurd sense of humor that plays well with its demographic of millennial viewers. But with this off-brand sense of humor, the show tends to not cover critical current events that happen around us. That changed when the fifth episode of Season 3, titled “2016,” aired in early 2016.

While Broad City is not usually known as a deep show that tackles current issues on a large scale, the creators Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer decided to chime in by creating an episode based on the 2016 election. This episode is pivotal for the show, not only for its cameo appearance of Hillary Clinton herself, but also because it signifies a tremendous shift of the tone and mood from what the show initially conveyed.

Hillary Clinton’s cameo appearance on Broad City

In “2016,” Ilana stumbles upon the HRC headquarters in New York when she picks up a job being a bike messenger. Ilana adores powerful feminist icons, and she holds Hillary Clinton to an almost deity-like stature, so she decides to quit and volunteer for the campaign. At the end of the episode, Hillary Clinton walks into the room to meet the girls, and Abbi and Ilana, for the lack of better words, lose their shit.

After this episode aired, there were speculations as to why Hillary chose this show to cameo on, but it does bring up a point that relates to Broad City’s unique demographic of young, female viewers. Maybe her cameo was to boost her exposure and likability among young voters, but maybe this appearance was a way for the creators to show their support for her campaign in the upcoming election. Besides the speculation, “2016” was a pivotal episode for the show, but it was not entirely intentional.

Many did not see Hillary losing the election, especially Abbi and Ilana, so when the show came back for a fourth season, Abbi’s and Ilana’s characters surprisingly matured from their pasts of being absurd yet optimistic about the future. This maturity and part-of-the-resistance tone is evident throughout the fourth season, especially in the second and eighth episodes. The second episode of Season 4 opens with Abbi and Ilana wearing the pink Women’s March hats as they guide women through protests to the Planned Parenthood clinic. The eighth episode has Ilana seeing a sex therapist because she cannot have sex ever since Trump became president.

Abbi and Ilana escorting women to Planned Parenthood

Ilana going to sex therapy

These examples highlight the hysteria around the 2016 election, and the results have created a polarized atmosphere where the young people are increasingly resisting and opposing the current administration. Therefore, it is key to note that Broad City has taken a step back from their comedic absurdity in order to shed light on the atmosphere of the country after the election, especially for their demographic of millennial viewers. The show as a result has become a beacon for the millennial psyche of resistance, which makes Abbi’s and Ilana’s characters much more relatable, real, and funnier than before.

Willful Writing

By Callie Anderson

On September 25, 2018

In Review Topic 2

When words fail, fries and wine will do the trick! A few fries might have aided me in the writing of this very blog post…

In today’s blog post, I will be discussing the willful writing of Shonda Rhimes, in Season 1, Episode 3 of Scandal, “Hell Hath No Fury.” First, I will define “willful” so that the word has appropriate meaning within the context of this blog post. The definition of willful I will be using is, “deliberate, intentional, or done on purpose,” rather than, “a strong sense of will or stubbornness.” Throughout this post, I hope to show you that Rhimes’ writing obtains a very deliberate and intentional purpose.

For this specific episode and the entire series, Shonda Rhimes is credited with the writing. In addition to writing Scandal, Rhimes has also written other TV shows such as Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice. Rhimes is credited with the production of other widely popular shows like How to Get Away with Murder and Station 19. She also wrote Crossroads, a film about singer, Brittney Spears. Finally, last but certainly not least, she wrote my absolute favorite movie of all time, Princess Diaries 2: The Royal Engagement!!! Needless to say, Shonda Rhimes has a very successful, and almost unrivaled, writing career, especially in the female television writer and producer arena.

Now, back to the third episode of Scandal. The dialog in the show is very cold and straight-forward. The characters speak without warm and convey no emotion. I believe Rhimes does this to authenticate Olivia Pope within the harsh, cut-throat environment of Washington and the White House. In this particular episode, Olivia deals with a horrific rape case and yet she shows almost no emotion, and she definitely does not sympathize with the victim. Thus, Rhimes keeps Olivia’s female character from showing “traditional” feminine characteristics to show Olivia can handle the good, bad, and ugly, just like her male peer professionals. Therefore, the harsh dialogue discourages personal affections and reinforces work prioity.

There is no voice-over in Scandal, and I believe that again authenticates the show and its characters. Rhimes would rather have events play out and film the reactions or have the characters voice the plot themselves than have an unknown narrator provide information. The Scandal world is full of strong lawyers and highly successful businessmen, so providing information from a separate, unlinked source would not fit into the rest of the writing in this show.

Rhimes uses silence amongst her characters as a placeholder for emotion. Many times throughout the show, and especially in this episode, Olivia remains quiet instead of demonstrating her own feelings about a situation or scenario. For example, as the rape victim gives her testimony and continuously asks Olivia rhetorical questions, Olivia remains motionless and completely silent.

For this particular episode, I did not notice any literary allusions or callbacks. However, I did notice that Rhimes’ writing aims to put each character in a light of reality and truth. She does not hide Olivia’s cold heart, Quinn’s stupidity, Huck’s anxiety, or Steven’s doubt. Instead, Rhimes almost makes the faults of her characters blatantly obvious, as to appeal to viewers’ sense of reality and relatability.

An Issue For All Women

By Maya Krajeck

On September 10, 2018

In Review Topic 4

Crowded around each other expressing excitement and joy, the men of FYI discuss a night of opportunities that awaits them. When Murphy Brown enters the conversation is quickly hushed, as the subject is something they know will agitate her. The night they are discussing takes place at the last men’s only club in D.C, meaning Murphy is excluded simply because of her gender. The episode chronicles her fight against this, illuminating the sexism that continued to exist in the wealthy workrooms of 1989 America.

While the episode follows Murphy in her individual battle, the overall issue is one that affects more than just her. A notable moment occurs in the beginning of the episode when Miles is explaining that Murphy has no place in the club. At this moment, Corky quickly jumps into the conversation and her interruption is met with a cold shoulder as Miles shrugs her comment off stating “Corky, you’re not even in this conversation”. “Every woman in this room is in this conversation”, Corky quickly responds, illuminating that this single argument is undeniably connected to a greater issue of gender inequality. Backed by a multitude of other women, this statement is powerful, despite it being subsequently dismissed by the writers with an offside joke.

As the storyline progresses, we see Murphy’s multiple attempts at “breaking the sex barrier” and the rude and demeaning responses she receives from the men she encounters. When she first attends the club the manager bars her, claiming that her “behavior is inappropriate”, despite her being a highly respected journalist whose behavior is perfectly in line with the clubs policies. Later, when she manages to become a member due to discrepancies in the rulebook, every fellow member treats her rudely and eventually all of the men leave due to their discomfort with her presence. It is a disheartening and frustrating scene, documenting the ridiculous and childish attitude men had (and some still have) towards the other sex. While Murphy Brown often is able to triumph over her challenges, she fails in this episode, a smart choice by the writes which acknowledges that it will take more than one woman, no matter how incredible she is, to fight the system of inequality that women are subject to.

The episode does create hope in the matter, however, with the change witnessed in the character Jim. When first confronted with his good friend and coworker Murphy Brown’s desires to “infiltrate” the men’s club, he completely shuts her down. This dismissal continues throughout the episode until he experiences first hand the disrespect Murphy has to endure from the men in this club. A final scene depicts him fighting against the men in the club who he previously stood beside, showing that progress is possible when it comes to sexism and gender inequality.

Murphy Brown: Always relevant.

Switched at Birth? Maybe not. Switched for this class? Oh Yeah.

By Matthew So

On September 4, 2018

In Intro Post

Hey! My name is Matthew So, I am a Computer Science major, and I plan on graduating in 2022, assuming all goes well. Although for most of my life, I have lived in the U.S., for my earliest years, I was raised in Hong Kong, so there’s that.

Although I have, of course, taken English classes in the past, including AP English Language in high school, this is my first English class at Georgia Tech. However, as you may know, this class certainly diverges from most other English classes; for most, I remained unconvinced in my abilities to write, which led me to treat such classes begrudgingly, as only busy work to finish. As such, for me, I most enjoy non-verbal communication, since unlike most types, it remains hidden yet enhances other, more visible, communication modes; even the raising of an eyebrow can completely alter the connotations of a sentence. However, I still struggle with verbal and oral communication; it’s just that every word matters, and because of that, it’s difficult to balance both clarity and emotiveness, meaning that half the time, I act far too formally, causing me to speak nearly condescendingly or incomprehensibly, while in the other half, I become so informal that it outright becomes inappropriate (hopefully, this blog will address that). With this class, however, and the fact that this class involves significant interpretation of verbal and oral communication, since the class requires analyzing television, I’m confident that I’ll be able to become more aware of visual implications. Speaking of television, for me, I never really engaged with current TV, simply because I either couldn’t allow myself enough time or because none of the TV shows available on major networks at the time interested me. However, with many of the current TV shows that this class has introduced me to, such as Jane the Virgin and The Good Place, I believe that I might re-enter the realm of TV, especially with the wide variety available today (after all, this is supposedly “peak TV”).

My face after realizing that I get to watch TV for a grade

As for the TV show to review, I have chosen Switched At Birth primarily due to its handling of not only class distinctions but also deaf/hearing distinctions as a television show from a national broadcaster in prime-time. The plot centers around two girls, Bay, and Daphne, the former of which was raised in a wealthy suburb and the latter of which was raised in an impoverished neighborhood and became deaf after contracting meningitis, which were, like the namesake, switched at birth. Overall, though, I’m excited for this TV show, especially considering the high representation of deaf or hard-of-hearing actors and actresses in this program.

First Time I’ve ever been excited for an English Class… ever

By Tanishq Sandhu

On September 4, 2018

In Intro Post

Hey everyone! I’m Tanishq Sandhu from Dacula, GA. I’m here at Georgia Tech as a Computer Engineering major hoping to graduate by 2022. This is my first English course at Georgia Tech and I’m beyond excited for this semester. Yes, watching Netflix may be one reason I am so excited butthe main reason is that this English course is more aligned with incorporating modern ways of communicating such as tweeting, blogging, etc. This makes the class seem more relevant and thus makes it more engaging as compared to the typical high school English courses that stress writing essays repetitively. Even in this class I came in with a fear, because that is the impression I have from high school- writing until your hands can barely function any longer. I enjoy electronic and verbal communication with friends (talking, texting, and meeting up), but I struggle slightly with verbal communication with strangers such as giving speeches or striking up a conversation with someone I do not know and so this semester I want to practice this skill around campus by talking to new faces. Not only this, but I also hope to look for a leadership position where I get lots of practice working with new faces and talking in front larger groups. I honestly haven’t watch TV on a consistent basis since before high school started. With the increase in work, and decrease in free time, watching a television show became a rare commodity for me. I have chosen Grey’s Anatomy, a drama show about the relationships of a group of doctors at a Seattle hospital, simply because many of my friends in high school had recommended it and it is on the list of shows for this assignment. Now, I’ll have an excuse to watch it without feeling guilty about wasting time. Wow, I really love this class.

Grey’s Anatomy is known for its plot twists; many characters who are come to be favored by the viewers unexpectedly pass away.

Supergirl 2.0

By Elizabeth Glass

On September 4, 2018

In Intro Post

Hello! My name is Elizabeth Glass, and I am a second year business administration major, and I expect to graduate in May of 2021… if all goes as planned.

This is me!

My last English course was AP English literature my senior year of high school, so I haven’t been in an actual English class in well over a year. This will be my first and last English course at Tech, but I am excited to get to experience one of my favorite subjects in a whole new way through the WOVEN teaching method. I loved analyzing literature and digging into the meaning behind the words that we read, but I feel that it’s time I expose myself to new and different challenges that I can’t get from a traditional English class.

When it comes to the forms of communication, I really enjoy the written form. My favorite type of this though would have to be the less traditional forms of written communication. Most people picture a five-paragraph essay when they think of writing, but I picture journaling, sonnet writing, and poetry because it is easier to convey emotion through the words while also having some structure to it. The mode that I struggle with the most would have to be oral communication because I like to have perfect versions of things, and there is only one chance with oral speaking. This semester, I hope to become more comfortable with oral speaking and communicating my thoughts clearly and confidently.

In all honesty, I did not have much experience with watching television series until my first year of college. I was too busy in high school with extracurriculars and schoolwork to be able to have a lot of time to watch TV, and I’m the kind of person that likes to watch an entire series in order so that I know what is going on. I’ve watched Friends and The Office in their entirety, along with most of Grey’s Anatomy, and I look forward to being exposed to many new shows as a result of this class.

This semester, I have chosen to review the show Supergirl. I love the DC universe and am a huge fan of The Flash and The Arrow, so I want to experience a new character in this universe. It is about Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El, one of the last surviving Kryptonians, who arrived on Earth twenty-four years after her cousin. I also feel that Supergirl is a really interesting one to review since most superhero tv shows and movies are geared towards a more male audience, and it will be interesting to see how the writers and producers find that balance between a mostly male audience while also representing women in an accurate way. This is also a character that has been around for decades, and I want to compare how Supergirl has evolved over the years and how it continues to adapt to the changing cultural landscape of mainstream television.

The New Supergirl

Not Too Broad, Not Too Specific

By Faisal Chaudry

On September 4, 2018

In Intro Post

Hey, everyone! My name is Faisal Chaudry, and I am a Civil Engineering student from Marietta, Georgia. I anticipate graduating with the class of 2022, but you never know what might come up along the way.

I have taken advanced English courses in high school, like AP Language and AP Literature. ENGL 1102 is the only English course that I will be taking at university, and frankly, I am quite relieved. Although I do relatively well in English classes, I always find them to be my least favorite course. I can read and write well, but having required books to read is so demotivating for me. Also, writing essays has always been a constant annoyance of mine, especially timed writings.

looking at you, AP Lit teacher

Despite my general frustration with English, I am excited for ENGL 1102. Rather than writing long, worthless essays and reading extensive novels, I get to watch TV shows for homework!

when your hw is to binge s1 of The Good Place

I enjoy using visual and electronic communication because I express myself more through showing others how I feel or what I believe rather than just telling or writing about it. I struggle the most with oral communication because I am not a sociable person, so speaking confidently is not my strong suit. However, I hope to build my oral skills so that I can interact with my peers throughout this semester.

I am aware of the role television has in perpetuating feminism in the mainstream. I have three sisters who are TV fanatics, so I tend to know a great deal about female-driven TV shows and storylines because they will unsolicitedly tell me everything about what is happening. Therefore, I am somewhat familiar with shows like Jane the Virgin, The Bold Type, and New Girl (not saying I ever watched them).

As for me, I consider myself an aficionado of television. I do not frequently start new shows all the time, but when I do, I will binge it. No question about it. Shameless is one of my top shows right now, and I binged all eight seasons within a month. I also enjoy BBC miniseries, like Sherlock, Luther, and Peaky Blinders, because they have captivating characters and suspenseful story arcs that keep me hooked.

me when Season 9 of Shameless premieres on Sunday

I am choosing to review Broad City for these blog posts because it is a show that I would never typically watch. It seems like the quintessential millennial comedy- a dynamic duo of female twenty-somethings in New York City who get into wacky yet hilarious situations, usually to meet new people or get more money. I have heard countless rave reviews about this show, and I know that it has a uniquely quirky sense of humor that I believe is a refreshing step away from the conventional sitcom. I cannot wait to see what this series has in store for my late-night TV bingeing.

Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer, creators of Broad City

Fresh Off a Netflix Binge

By Bailey Moore

On September 4, 2018

In Intro Post

Hey, y’all! My name is Bailey Moore and I’m from Norcross, GA. I’m a first- year BME student here at GT with a Spanish minor and an anticipated graduation date of 2022 (probably, hopefully, maybe in December #relatable ).

me, still shook that we get to call enjoying TV homework

I was in the IB Diploma Programme in high school which meant a LOT of writing and speeches and more writing. This is my first English course at Tech, so I’m enjoying a little bit of a twist to the old monotonous English classes I dreaded in high school. Can you tell I’m a STEM major? I do, however, enjoy making infographics and doing oral presentations, especially creative ones rather than the long literary analysis speeches I’m used to because I feel interested and engaged myself when I use those methods of communication and I feel that the comfort and confidence of the communicator has a large effect on how the message is communicated. I struggle with nonverbal communication mainly because I haven’t practiced it or really looked into its significance. I am hoping to improve my nonverbal and electronic communication this semester, especially with infographics, body language, and voice tone, because I feel that they could contribute to making me appear more put- together and knowledgeable than I may be.

In reference to the course theme, I have a ton of experience with both TV and Feminism. I watch Netflix more than I’d like to admit and I even have a tattoo on my wrist of the equal sign which I got after the Women’s March here in ATL, but I haven’t previously combined these two passions, so I’m excited to see what the course has to offer. I also tend to watch the same types of shows when I watch. For leisure, I watch laid- back adult comedies like Modern Family, Bob’s Burgers, and The Big Bang Theory, and for Netflix binges, I go for thrilling dramas like Bloodline, Sherlock, and Stranger Things. I hope that this course will show me new types of shows and let me expand my thinking about TV and how it can reflect our culture as an art form.

I guess you could say I’m kinda an expert. heh. (10 points if you understand why I chose Emma Watson for this)

For this semester, I have chosen to review Fresh Off the Boat because I like that it shines a light on immigrants in America and I want to widen my scope of TV viewing to include a wider range of characters. It is about a first- generation Asian- American teenager who is uprooted from Chinatown DC to suburban Orlando with his family as his father chases the American Dream. Although the show is humorous, I also think that immigration is a huge topic in our political climate right now and I’m interested to see what opinion this show will argue. With that said, let’s get binging!!

me, in the car, constantly irritating my friends by singing loudly and not well

UNBREAKABLE ENGLISH

By Lukas Hessler

On September 4, 2018

In Intro Post

Hello! My name is Lukas Hessler, and I am a first year here at Tech studying Industrial Engineering. I hope to complete my undergraduate degree within 4 and a half years so I can head back to work in Southern California (where I am from) sooner rather than later and start work.

Image result for lukas hessler

Me on a beach

1102 is my first and last English course I will take at Georgia Tech, and I am really looking forward to it. In high school, the thing that irritated me the most about my English courses was that they were always the same course work: reading, analyzing and writing essays. English has always been my least favorite subject because I always hated the tedious cycle I went through year after year. However, I am super excited to learn about the relationship between the entertainment medium of Television and the social wave of Feminism. Not to mention, learning about these topics while completing fun, interactive projects such as the ongoing Twitter posts and Blog posts is something I really look forward to.

In regards to the WOVEN methods of communication that we will also be studying this semester, I believe I communicate most strongly through the Oral method as I feel more confident in sharing my opinion while also being able to express emotions and sentiments toward others. On the contrary, I think I will most struggle with the written method of communication as I have never solid prose in English writing assignments but I hope to improve in my communication via the written mode of communication.

As of recently I have not been watching very much TV at all but I do re-watch episodes of Friends, The Office, Parks and Rec, and Workaholics on streaming services occasionally. However I am looking forward to watching more TV series and hopefully rekindle the love for the television industry that I used to have when I would watch Spongebob everyday before elementary school.

With that being said, this semester I will be watching and studying the TV Series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”. The sole reason I chose to study the intricacies of this series is because my older sibling loves watching the show and talked me into watching it. I have been told that the show is about a group of girls, one being the main character Kimmy Schmidt, who were kept underground in a nuclear bunker by a priest who convinced them the world had ended and that they couldn’t go outside. The series begins when all the girls get saved from the bunker by the government after nearly a decade. The series tracks the main character, Kimmy Schmidt, getting accustomed to the world that she hasn’t seen since she went into the bunker. It’s seems like a very interesting premise and I’m looking forward to watching and analyzing the series!!

Image result for Unbreakable kimmy schmidt show

My face when I can watch TV for homework

Zimmeroni the Blogger

By Zhane' Zimmerman

On September 4, 2018

In Intro Post

*I actually hate talking about myself so lets get this horrible act of narcism out of the way.*

It is I, Zhane’ Zimmerman or better known as Zimmeroni. I am a first year Industrial Engineering student expecting to graduate in 2022. This is my first english class at Tech and I am so excited to see how classes without a stem focus function. The first three weeks in this class have shown me that english classes here are way more relaxed than any english class I’ve taken before and obviously way more relaxed than the other classes that I take at Tech. This makes me want to switch my major to LMC.

: People’s reaction when I talk about considering switching my major to LMC.

In high school, I took english classes that were heavily focused in literature. Every other month we read a book, analyzed it, and repeated the process. All to learn??? Well, I am not exactly sure what was the end goal of these horrid classes but that is exactly what I expected to experience in college. Since it is different, and I can actually focus on myself for once and not Shakespeare, I want to reevaluate what it is to be a writer and communicator. Based on WOVEN, I struggle the most with nonverbal communication but the best with visual. I want to take those skills I have of making posters and graphics aesthetically pleasing and applying that to my face! I am so excited to learn that we actually will be learning about something we can all have an appreciation for- TELEVISION.

Now, I have a love hate relationship with watching series. One reason because whenever I start, I always seem to get busy and forget about the show completely. It seems like I need some sort of motivational pill to finish a series (which is why this class is perfect for finishing showssssssss). Second reason is because whenever I sit down and watch television I only watch the home improvement channel (I know, lame right?).

Because of this relationship that I’ve developed with television, I’ve decided to finish a series that I started and loved but haven’t seemed to finish, Orange is the New Black. A show centered around various women doing time for various crimes that have over the seasons grown into incredible friends which makes the show confusing on who and what it is really about :).

English 1102: Television and Feminism

Dr. Casey Alane Wilson • Georgia Institute of Technology

Tag: WOVEN

Part Of The Resistance: How Broad City Tackles The Current Political Climate

Willful Writing

An Issue For All Women

Switched at Birth? Maybe not. Switched for this class? Oh Yeah.

First Time I’ve ever been excited for an English Class… ever

Supergirl 2.0

Not Too Broad, Not Too Specific

Fresh Off a Netflix Binge

UNBREAKABLE ENGLISH

Zimmeroni the Blogger

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