"That Seventies Show" and "Smallville"

Paper Summary:

This paper compares "That Seventies Show" and "Smallville," two television shows which represent mid-western American life. One is a breezy comedy reminiscent of the classic 80's movie such as "Pretty in Pink," which uses nostalgia as a set of reference points and inside jokes for a predominantly middle-aged audience. The paper shows that "Smallville," on the other hand, is a drama that draws heavily on the legacy of such recent teen-oriented programs as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," depicting the struggle of one exceptionally gifted protagonist (the young Clark Kent) who is at once beset both with the requirements of adolescence and those expected of a super-hero.

From the Paper:

"In That 70s Show, the action centers around a tightly knit group of friends. Although certain characters depict stereotypes, there isn't any enmity resulting from the interest factions that are thought by many to characterize high school. Social outliers, such as Fez (a foreign exchange student) and Steve Hyde (a conspiracy theorist) are incorporated into the social context of the show in a way that makes light of their awkwardness; they are not true outcasts but instead act as comic relief. Such characters are portrayed as being unaware of their social shortcomings, the chief example of which is Fez, who is trying to embrace suburban teenage culture in a way reminiscent of "Belky" from the 80's television show "Perfect Strangers." By contrast, the High School in Smallville is heavily factionalized in what almost amounts to a caste system. Upper middle class, athletic conformists enjoy the highest rung of this society, and plots often underscore the theme that their actions do not necessarily merit this distinction."

More papers on "That Seventies Show" and "Smallville":

• Term Paper # 147100 : "The Language of Fez from ''That 70s Show.''"
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• Article Review # 86510 : "Savagery, Show and Tell"

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