Life as TV:
Why We Like our shows and what that means as Christians
#1: Introduction and Foundations for Studying TV
? Opening—How are TV shows a part of your life?
-Watch a show to unwind
-To relax / it is my rest
-Communal activity (fellowship)
-We don’t watch
-As a date
“My [spouse] and I have a current standing TV date…after we put the kids to bed, we share a meal and conversation about marriage and work, [and then we watch.]…we wouldn’t dream of watching this drama without one another.” – Theology Professor at Wheaton College
A little Background:
Etymology—Tele (from Telos): End, far; Vision (from visio): Sight
History of TV:
-Late 1920s—First commercialized Telecommunication
-1950s—Television was the dominant form of media to communicate public opinion
-1960s—Color broadcasting
-1976—VHS (Video Home System) developed
-1997—DVD (Digital Video Disc)
-Mid-90s-2000s—Projection TVs were being replaced with flat-panel alternatives (Plasma, LCD,
-End of 2000s—Digital TV was being nationally and almost exclusively broadcasted
-2006—Blue Ray
-2010—Flat panel TVs were exclusively sold
-2010—Smart TVs were designed…
NOW… we have Smart TVs that surf the web, stream video, play in 3D, respond to voice activation and all while being wirelessly connected to the internet…
1939 article, “What Television Will Mean to You!” (the picture on handout)
Statistics:
-2013 79% of worldwide homes had a Television set
-2010 98% of American homes had 1 TV
- 41% of American homes had 3 or more
-7.5 (hours in a day TV is on in average American home)
-57 million (worldwide users of Netflix)
-47 billion (hours of TV streamed through Netflix each month)
-Top 10 Shows currently include:
- Breaking Bad, Scandal, Game of Thrones, Community, The Office, Madmen, Nashville, Walking Dead, Modern Family, CSI, 24
-Top on Netflix include
- Parks and Rec, Friends, New Girl, Arrested Development, The Office, Frasier, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Cheers, Alias
- Importance of Television in Our Culture
- TV Shows are a Powerful Influence on our Culture
? How might TV Shows influence our Culture?
Small ways: Fads and phrases—
Can you think of fads or phrases that have been popular because of TV shows?
-Haircuts that look like TV characters
-You can think of specific episodes of Seinfeld that stick out (“Man Hands” is one for me)
-Phrases?
- Friends: Joey’s “How you doin?”
- Seinfeld: “Newman…”
- The Office: “That’s what she said.”
Bigger ways: Subtle Theological Worldviews
Let’s look at ONE example: Marriage
How have TV Shows potentially impacted the idea of marriage?
-Shows that support:
- Modern Family, Glee, Will and Grace
-Does it matter?
“While movies and television cannot be blamed exclusively for our society’s rejection of theologically conservative ideas about marriage, they have certainly made it easier for our neighbors to imagine that such a marriage [(between one man and one woman)], especially its exclusive status, is impossible or undesirable.”
CT article, “Why we Lost the Marriage Plot” (David Taylor, 2014).
- TV Shows are a Powerful Reflection of our Culture
Idea: There is benefit for us and proper observance of what is reflected…
At the Top: Paul in Athens… HE bridges the cultural/religious gap by right observations…
Question: How might TV Shows reflect our Culture?
-Celebration / Support of social agendas:
- Modern Family
- Glee
-Celebration / Support of the norm of life at work:
- Parks and Rec / The Office
- Community
-Celebration / Support of fantasy:
- Game of Thrones (literal fantasy)
- Friends/Seinfeld/How I Met Your Mother (wishing life was a little more like the show)
- Answering the Question: Why do people love their TV shows?
WHICH WOULD YOU SAY IS MOST TRUE? WHY?
Thesis: People Love TV because they love “Stories.” TV Shows provide a mythical “Story” which gives meaning and purpose to people’s lives.
Thesis 2: People Love TV because they need to escape; The fictional “stories/lives” portrayed in a TV Series allow people to escape from the pressures and stress of life.
Thesis 3: People Love TV because they love being part of community; TV Shows create a culture of community and shared stories which provides a longed-for bond between people.
Big Idea: Sitcoms allow for an ongoing infiltration of the Christian worldview, which is why we should be actively engaging with the content.
II.Misconceptions About TV Among Christians
- “All TV is evil and should be avoided.”
Counterpoint: TV shows, like other parts of culture, have both fallen characteristics and redeeming characteristics. Christians are free to enjoy TV while using discernment and wisdom.
- “TV is just harmless entertainment.”
Counterpoint: We must not mindlessly and passively absorb Television, but must intellectually and theologically engage with series, using caution and discernment about the potential negative impact of a sitcom.
- “Christians have an obligation to watch TV shows to keep up with culture.”
Counterpoint: Although TV shows are a good way to engage the culture, Christians are not obligated to engage the world only in this way and should not be unduly pressed to do so. There are other ways to impact the world for Christ.
- “The most harmful things in TV shows are sex, violence, and foul language.”
Counterpoint: Although moral issues—sex, violence, and foul language—are important issues to address, the greatest danger in a TV Series is the overall worldview that they promote. We are not just concerned about individual immoral acts promoted in the series, but overall macro-truth claims that are promoted.
III.Framework for Approaching TV
- Aesthetic Analysis: Is it well-made?
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Story/plot
Acting
Genre
Screenplay
Videography
Sounds
Music
Special effects
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- Worldview Analysis: What is its Message?
1. Message/elements that reflect the Christian worldview
a. What are the elements of this series that reflect Christian truth?
- How are the true parts of the series dependent on a Christian view of reality?
- Are there images of Christ/salvation/redemption in this series?
NOT far-reaching, false connections—I.e. –Once Upon a Time—The continued plot: That everything will be returned to the way it was supposed to be…
2. Message/elements that reflect a fallen worldview
- Key Question: How does the series reflect moral relativism and/or secular dogmatism
- In what ways does the series challenge/contradict the Christian worldview?
- In what ways is the series inconsistent with itself and its own claims?
- Personal Analysis: What impact has it made on me? What response should I have?
a. How do I feel after watching this episode? What does it make me want to do?
b. In what ways is the personal impact of this series good? In what ways is it bad?
IV.TV Shamma—What receives greatest focus?
Read Deut. 6:7-9…
It seems that our world treats pop culture (Movies, Sports, and TV Shows) like the Israelite Shamma…
Does your life reflect a greater focus on being a disciple of the sitcom… talking about it when you wake up, when you lie down, when you walk along the way and when you are at home?
We want to be interpreting and engaging with our culture, but we want to be faithfully seeking the Lord above all things—OUR analysis should start with our own heart and our own participation in this culture-shaping and culture-telling form of entertainment…
Application:
Consider your own use of TV Shows—do they help or hinder your love for God and service in the world?
-Is it a form of escapism? Does it harm your relationship with spouse/children? Is it the “Sabbath” or “Shamma” in your life?
Consider they way you watch—Are you active or passive?
-Do you discuss what you watch with your spouse (or children) OR do you allow what is seen/heard/presented in the episode to remain untouched and as a potential seed of corruption?
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