Very Special Episodes

Televising Industrial and Social Change
Erscheinungsjahr 2021
ISBN: 978-1-9788-2116-3
Verlag: Rutgers University Press

Buch, Englisch, 252 Seiten, Hardback, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 235 mm, Gewicht: 463 g

Very Special Episodes examines how the quintessential 'very special episode' format became a primary way in which the television industry responded to and shaped social change, cultural traumas, and industrial transformations. With essays covering shows ranging from the birth of Desi Arnaz, Jr. on I Love Lucy to contemporary examples such as a delayed episode of Black-ish and the streaming-era phenomenon of the 'Very Special Seasons' of UnReal and 13 Reasons Why, this collection seriously and critically uses the 'very special episode' to chart the history of American television and its self-identified status as an arbiter of culture. Through the study of this unique television format, this anthology traces the history of television's engagement with many of the most important political, aesthetic, economic, and social movements that continue to challenge our society today. In doing so, the essays collectively argue that the 'very special episode' has always helped television conceive of itself and its relationship to the world around it.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Spezielle Soziologie Freizeitsoziologie, Konsumsoziologie, Alltagssoziologie, Populärkultur
• Sozialwissenschaften Medien- und Kommunikationswissenschaften Medienwissenschaften Fernsehen & Rundfunk

Über Autor(innen)

Jonathan Cohn is an assistant professor in digital cultures at the University of Alberta. He is the author of The Burden of Choice: Recommendations, Subversion, and Algorithmic Culture (Rutgers University Press).

Jennifer Porst is an assistant professor of media arts at the University of North Texas. She is the author of Broadcasting Hollywood: The Struggle Over Feature Films on Television (Rutgers University Press).