Reality, Faith, and Family

The TV view of family has evolved greatly since the 1950s conservative domestic comedy to modern day shows of divorced parents who sleep around. What is the reality of family today? And where does the Christian view of family fit in?

More than 25% of American households do not consist of a married couple and children. Watching television ads, it seems like every minivan carting soccer mom has her 2.5 kids and a dog. In reality, most families are consisting of single parents, unmarried couples, or foster families. “The year 2000 marked the first time that less than a quarter (23.5 percent) of American households were made up of a married man and woman and one or more of their children -- a drop from 45 percent in 1960. This number is expected to fall to 20 percent by 2010” (The Changing American Family).

Some major structure developments for today’s families are on the rise of baby before marriage, single moms, and the more common acceptance of two dads (The Changing American Family).

We live in a significantly different culture from the Biblical era. Today’s families are more diverse and more unstable than ever before. The Bible does have universal standards on family.

“Wives are asked to submit, as in give respect to their husbands. The wife is in submission as a response to the husband's love for her and his providing. Husbands are asked to love their wives. Love is “symbiotic” as in mutually loving toward each other to build and improve each one's relationship. Children were expected to submit and obey by obligation. Paul says to do it by desire and then one will have a more joyful and contented life. “Wives and husbands, love each other and do not mistreat each other, as Christ has treated you beyond what you deserve or need. Children, you too must participate in the love of a home by obeying your parents and respecting them, for your obedience is pleasing to our Lord. This will also help you live well and right and not be discouraged or lose hope” (Sections from Bible Study Notes on Colossians 3:18 – 4:1)

Looking at television families you can see very few families that actually fit into this description 100%. The fifties were extreme with the woman bending over backwards to please the husband. The sixties were too pulled away from reality. The seventies became too absorbed in worldly ideas. The eighties became about personal success. The nineties were about self-gratification. Today is all about appearing good on the outside. A more Biblical family should take a little from each idea. While a woman should be willing to please her husband; he should also love her and treat her with respect. Christian families should be able to interact with their changing culture but still put their moral values in God. Families should also be transparent. They should be honest, open, and loving to each other and their neighbors. Above all, they are to love God and live to glorify Him.



Southeast Christian Church displays the two extremes of family. There is the overly fake fifties family and the overly dysfunctional family of today. Christians are to fit somewhere in the middle.

Bibliography:

The Changing American Family: Families, Privileges, and the Law." Parents - Pregnancy, Babies, Baby Names, Pregnancy Calendar, Ovulation, Birth & More. 11 May 2009 .

"Colossians 3:18-4:1 -." Into Thy Word Ministries. 11 May 2009 .

Jon and Kate and Hannah Montana (2000s)

There is not a lot of research being done on today’s TV families, mostly because today’s TV families are prompted from reality. No longer are family comedies just being scripted, but they have now become the basis for several reality television shows. Vastly becoming one the most popular television mediums, reality TV films real people in “real” situations. How real the situation is depends on what the producers decide for that week. “Rather than solely relying upon the use of actual documentary or ‘live’ footage for its credibility, reality programming often draws upon a mix of acting, news footage, interviews, and recreations in a highly stimulated pretense towards the ‘real’”(Seaton 1351).

The latest trend has been reality shows based on large families or families with unique traits. These shows give audience members a chance to see into the world of a real family that can often seem more chaotic than their own. Howver, often what is seen on camera is not the real reality for the family.

Television still has its fabricated TV family and this family still tends to fit into the mold of the 1990s. Usually it is a “broken” family, a child that has a special trait, or a child that doesn’t quite exceed expectations. There have been an insurgence of sitcoms that are aimed at children. Disney and Nickelodeon both promote kid-friendly, family-based situational comedies.

Jon and Kate Plus 8 is the extremely popular TLC reality show about the Gosselin family. It captures the stories of Jon and Kate Gosselin, their twins, and their sextuplets. Kate, who had infertility problems, signed up for artificial insemination. The first time it resulted in twins. The second time was a shock when she ended up with six babies. Part of the show is them standing up for their faith. They claim to be a Christian family that wants to instill those values in their children. Unfortunately, beyond the cameras their life seems to be getting some unwanted media attention. It is possible that Jon has been unfaithful to Kate. It goes to show that what is on reality TV may not always be a part of real life.



TLC Music Video



Jon’s Birthday

Arguably Disney’s most successful television show, Hannah Montana has become a household name in family entertainment. Tweens and teens have made Hannah a cultural phenomenon. Miley Stuart (Miley Cyrus) is the secret real person behind pop-sensation Hannah Montana. She, along with her widower father, goofy older brother, and best friends, keep her secret. She desires the small southern-style living, but also desires the fame of Hannah. The show is often based around her growing up and her relationship with her father (played by her real-life father Billy Ray Cyrus). Miley has become a role model for thousands of girls across America. She openly tells people about her faith in God, her love of her family, and her desire to stay a virgin until marriage.



Opening Theme



Miley and moments with her Dad

Bibliography:

Seaton, Beth. "Reality Programming." Encylopedia of Television. 1st ed. 3 vols. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.

Welcome to The Gosselin 10. 11 May 2009 .

Friends House (1990s)

The strongest change in family portrayal in the 1990s was the loss of traditional families altogether. The 60s saw the start of single parents. The 70s saw ethnicities. The 80s saw dysfunction. The 90s threw it all in together and more. Censors no longer restricted divorce, homosexuality, or several other sexually-based relationships. Contemporary social humor far outweighed the amount of traditional families on TV.

Several TV families could not even be classified as blood-related families. Friends, Will & Grace, and Seinfeld had key characters that often acted as family members but were not related to each other at all; being married and having children was no longer the focus of families either. Mad about You was the story of an unmarried, childless couple living in New York City.

Even though the families were nontraditional, they often still had some of the same values. Family, whether blood or not, was supposed to be loyal to each other. The American dream of success was supposed to be sought out by all. The cries for politically correct tolerance and acceptance became key values as well.

Friends was the story of six young adults in New York City. Their friendships often developed into more romantic-based stories. Eventually, some of the characters were real family through marriage and children. Basically, the concept was six friends who were as close as family and how they interacted in each other’s lives. This show was a hit because it reached out to almost anyone. If you had friends you could relate to some of their misadventures. Often your friends can be better than your actually family. That was the key concept of this show.



Season 1 opening (Who doesn’t know this song?)



A little inappropriate language – nothing too extreme

Full House was the 1990s take on shows like My Three Sons from the 1960s. Bob Saget’s character, Danny Tanner, is a widower with three little girls. He, along with help from his brother-in-law and best friend, attempt to raise these girls to the best of their abilities. Often criticized as cheesy, Full House was a show that was based on traditional family values in a nontraditional setting. Where My Three Sons had portrayed the men as functioning well without women; Full House was much more vulnerable. The Tanner’s were not perfect, but because they all loved each other, they resolved their problems.



Opening



Clips of the girls

Bibliography:

"Full House on TV.com - Free Full Episodes & Clips, & Show Info." TV.com - Free Full Episodes & Clips, Show Info and TV Listings Guide. 11 May 2009
.

Marc, Robinson,. Brought to you in living color 75 years of great moments in television & radio from NBC. New York, NY: Wiley, 2002.

Spigel, Lynn. "Family on Television." Encylopedia of Television. 1st ed. 1 vols. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.

Television and Family - The Portrayal Of Family On Television

The Cosby Ties (1980s)

The 80s TV family was much more cynical but relatable. Programs began to show more ethnicities in less stereotypical roles. Shows played up the more dysfunctional roles in family. Soap opera families reflected Reaganomics, the dream of economical prosperity in America. Wealth and status became a key focus in many hit family shows. The politics of the era became natural canon fodder for the blossoming of sitcoms on TV.

Shows began to focus more to what family life actually was and not what it was idealized to be. The Cosby Show showed African – Americans as successful. Married…with Children brought forth the horrors of being a suburbanite. Family Ties showed the generation gap in families. The TV mom no longer had dinner by five prepared but was out working just like her husband. Children no longer held a high respect for parents; instead they often back-talked and schemed to get what they wanted.

The Cosby Show opened up new ground for African-American television. This show featured an upper middle class, wealthy black family, which sparked much controversy in the media about race and classes in America. It was not the first show to feature blacks in lead roles, but it was the first that truly featured them as equals to whites. The show was about the daily lives of Cliff and Clair Huxtable and the relationship with their five children. Cliff was a gynecologist and Clair was a lawyer. TV Guide called them the “most atypical black family in television history” (Hunt 432). They used regular family situations to find humor, decorated their house with black art, and most often played jazz for background music. They wanted to change the stereotype of black families. They had a stable father, a nuclear family, professional jobs, financial stability, multiracial friendships, and did not push their racial pride. The show was met with criticism from both whites and blacks, but it does stand as one of the most popular and influential shows of its kind.


A collection of clips from the show

Few shows portrayed how family was changing in the 1980s like Family Ties. It showed how the Reagan Era was changing the generation of the time. The Keaton family showed the classic nuclear family structure, but was focused on the generation gap between the teens and their parents. The parents, Elyse and Steve, were leftovers from the hippy era. They had strong liberal views, had been in the peace corps, and showed strong love for thier family. Their foil was their son, Alex. The role that made Michael J. Fox famous, Alex P. Keaton was a Reaganomics, conservative, middle-class teenager who dreamed of strong success. Alex became a symbol for clean-cut entrepreneurs of the 80s yuppies. He was so popular the President Reagan actually wanted to guest star at some point (something that was ignored by producers).



Opening for the show


Alex’s 18th Birthday

Bibliography:

Hunt, Darnell M. "The Cosby Show." Encylopedia of Television. 1st ed. 1 vols. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.

Saenz, Michael. "Family Ties." Encylopedia of Television. 1st ed. 1 vols. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.

Spigel, Lynn. "Family on Television." Encylopedia of Television. 1st ed. 1 vols. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.

Television and Family - The Portrayal Of Family On Television

All in the Happy Days (1970s)

The baby boomer teens of the sixties drove the cynical, realistic culture of the seventies. Where the sixties glazed over social issues the seventies approached them head on, usually with satirical laughter. Racial diversity became a major development on television.

African-Americans, Hispanics, and whites from all social classes were being presented on television (Sanford and Son, Chico and the Man, All in the Family). At the same time, shows that gave an emotional call back to “better” times were also popular (Happy Days, Little House on the Prairie).

The families in the past had been focused more on supporting each other. Parents were respected and children were silent when it came to social factors. The seventies broke away from this equation. The television family began to show disdain and dysfunction between all members.

Arguably the most influential family show of the 1970s was All in the Family. This show focused around Archie Bunker and his relationship with his wife, daughter and son-in-law. Archie was a “bigoted loading dock worker disturbed by the changes occurring in the American society” (Gunzerath 34). All in the Family covered any social topic of the age, from racial discrimination, sexuality, and politics. Archie became an American icon. This show helped to usher in a new generation of comedic programs. It took its focus from domestic issues to social issues.



The Opening



Politically incorrect; Archie Bunker style!

Happy Days was the seventies take on the fifties. Just the title gives away the whole feel of the show. It was a retro call-back to what seemed like happier days. Focused around the teenage antics of Richie Cunningham, his best friend Potsie, and the Fonz, his family represented the middle class values of the 1950s. They would have a minor squabble but still have mom’s prepared dinner together as a family. Richie was the golden boy while the Fonz was the contrast with his rebellious edge. As the show progressed, it began to show the changes happening with the era. Richie was getting out of his hometown, while the Fonz, who was the ultimate cool guy, was the one getting trapped in Milwaukee.



Happy Days Opening



The Fonz gets some motherly advice.


Bibliography:


Gunzerath, David. "All in the Family." Encylopedia of Television. 1st ed. 1 vols. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.

Lewis, Lisa Ann. "Happy Days." Encylopedia of Television. 1st ed. 1 vols. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.

Marc, Robinson,. Brought to you in living color 75 years of great moments in television & radio from NBC. New York, NY: Wiley, 2002.

Spigel, Lynn. "Family on Television." Encylopedia of Television. 1st ed. 1 vols. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.


Television and Family - The Portrayal Of Family On Television

My Three Witches (1960s)

The 1960s brought color TV to the world. This new novelty was first shown by the National Broadcasting Company (NBC). It was a symbol of a promise of American splendor and optimism. Times were changing throughout this era. TV reflected those changes, as well.

In the 1960s, the nuclear family structure was beginning to break down. In reality, divorce rates were climbing. The nation had just been struck by the Presidential family being broken when JFK was shot. The tight-knit family was becoming rarer. TV shows began to reflect this as they begin featuring single-parent families. The censors required that they not be shown as divorced, but widowed (Spigel 588).

Another popular new trend was “fantastic” families. These focused on characters that had some sort of bizarre twist such as magic or powers. They often had traditional views with untraditional characteristics.

These untraditional structured families often still reflected the values of the 1950s. The focus was still placed on the family being cohesive and supporting each other. Two popular shows would be My Three Sons and Bewitched.

My Three Sons was touted as a program that was representative of America. Up until the 1960s, most TV families were nuclear but My Three Sons put the focus on a single, widowed parent raising the family. It has been criticized as being misogynistic. It touted men as being completely capable of all the things women do and showed the female guest stars as slightly hysterical.



The opening



A promo for the show

Bewitched was the story of Samantha and Darrin Stephens, a young couple that had a unique twist. Samantha was a witch. The conflict was usually family based and was often fixed when Samantha used her powers. Darrin makes her vow to not use her powers, but she often does for the sake of her family. This show showcased some of the underlying issues of women’s role in society and changing domestic ways of life.



The original black and white opening



Sam and Darrin at home.

Bibliography:
Lane, Christina. "Bewitched." Encylopedia of Television. 1st ed. 1 vols. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.

Leibman, Nina C. "My Three Sons." Encylopedia of Television. 1st ed. 2 vols. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.

Marc, Robinson,. Brought to you in living color 75 years of great moments in television & radio from NBC. New York, NY: Wiley, 2002.

Spigel, Lynn. "Family on Television." Encylopedia of Television. 1st ed. 1 vols. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.

The Adventures of Beaver Cleaver (1950s)

The 1950s saw the beginning of the household television. 1950-1955 is deemed the “Era of Trust.” Television was only in black and white, both in picture and values. Only 9% of household’s had televisions and they became an item of status. It became a symbol of optimism.
The American’s were good; the communist were bad. Father worked hard all day; mother was the homemaker. Everything was portrayed as an idealized portrait of what America wanted reality to be. Family on television claimed to be presented as a traditional, nuclear, cohesive family.

The fifties TV family did have some simple diversity. Families were found in the suburbs, in the west, and cities. The majority were white nuclear families, some were ethnic families (mostly just first generation European immigrants), and most were working middle class.
Two television shows that epitomize 50s television families were Leave it to Beaver and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.

“Leave it to Beaver, a series both praised for its family-bolstering innocence and panned for its homogenized sappiness, served as a bridge between the waning radio comedy and the blossoming of the television ‘sitcom’” (Orlick 939). The show was based off the creators Joe Conelly and Bob Mosher’s own children. It was a show whose viewpoint was that of the children, Beaver and older brother Wally. The story focused on the boys growing up and their interaction with their parents, June and Ward. June and Ward have been described as “Mr. and Mrs. Average – American living in their typical Good Housekeeping home” (Orlick 941). It was on the air from 1957 until 1963. While it did not focus on major social issues; Beaver has become memorable for its attention on the love and care of family.




This is the pilot episode’s opening.



Ward Cleaver explains morals to Beaver

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet was yet another family – based comedy. It was the story of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson and their two sons David and Ricky. “The Nelsons embodied wholesome ‘normal’ American existence so conscientiously (if blandly) that their name epitomized upright, happy family life for decades” (Wiesblat 17). This was a real life family with a not so real life show. They premiered in 1952, and lasted for fourteen years. The show focused mostly on Ozzie and how he tried to raise his two sons. Harriet was the wise wife he truly held the household together. She defined the 1950s TV house wife in her elegant dresses and pearls.



This is the opening of the show.



Ricky Nelson sings.


Bibliography

Orlick, Peter B. "Leave It to Beaver." Encylopedia of Television. 1st ed. 2 vols. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.

Marc, Robinson,. Brought to you in living color 75 years of great moments in television & radio from NBC. New York, NY: Wiley, 2002.

Spigel, Lynn. "Family on Television." Encylopedia of Television. 1st ed. 1 vols. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.

Wiesblat, Tinky "Dakota". "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet." Encylopedia of Television. 1st ed. 1 vols. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.

Introduction to Family on Television

We live in a world where television has become like a member of the family. Children from the earliest ages are plopped down in front of a T.V and absorb the information it provides. Television has become an information staple to all ages, whether it’s learning the Rubber Ducky song on Sesame Street or discovering the acceptance of homosexuality in New York on Will and Grace. It’s no surprise that the American audience gains its view of family life by seeing the portrayal of family on T.V. Since the television became a family-based medium, the public often assumes that the fictional representation of family does have a strong impact on reality's families.

Television has become a source for learning about the family. We learn what family is supposed to look like, what an ideal family is supposed to be, how spouses are supposed to behave, the relationship between children and their parents, and how families are supposed to resolve their problems. People assume fictional households ought to mirror not simply family life, but their own personal values regarding family life.

The portrayal of family has evolved on television since T.V. became a household staple. The 50s’ T.V. family was an idealized, nuclear family. The 1960s saw the family structure begin to vary. The 1970s saw more racial diversity. In the 80s, family situations became more based in reality. The 1990s saw less and less of the nuclear family. Today’s television family has become “reality.”

Bibliography:

Television and Family - The Portrayal Of Family On Television

Spigel, Lynn. "Family on Television." Encylopedia of Television. 1st ed. 1 vols. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.