From Mallory Keaton to Teddy Duncan:
A Comparison between Changes in Family Unit, Values, Social Issues and
Relationships in ‘80s, ‘90s and Contemporary Family and Tween Television Shows
Amanda F. Liverpool-Cummins
A Capstone Project
Presented to the Faculty of the AU School of Communication in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Public Communication
Supervisor: Prof. Caty Bourm Chattoo
April 24, 2013
Copyright ©
Amanda F. Liverpool-Cummins
2013
1
Abstract
The U.S. television shows that are available for the “tween” audiences (ages 8to 14) of
today have changed since the ‘80s and ‘90s with regard to their representation of family
unit, values, relationships and social issues. The cultivation and social learning theories
highlight the relationships between how we learn about the world from television media.
These two theories were used to help draw conclusions with regard to is the TV content
consumed by the tween audience across three decades. The issues represented in U.S.
television have changed over the decades based upon the issues represented in society.
Using a rhetorical analysis, this capstone examined the differences in these four
components in six different television shows from three decades -- the 1980s, 1990s, and
the 2000s to today. Differences were found in many areas, including the representation of
homosexuality, drinking and drug use and morality.
2
Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................ 4
Significance ....................................................................................................................................................................................................6
Background of the Issue ...........................................................................................................................................................................6
Overview of the Research ..........................................................................................................................................................................7
Literature Review ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9
History of the Times ....................................................................................................................................................................................9
Cultivation and Social Learning Theory .......................................................................................................................................... 11
Television Studies: Social Issues .......................................................................................................................................................... 14
Television Studies: The Family Unit ................................................................................................................................................... 16
Television Studies: New Marketing to Tweens .............................................................................................................................. 17
Methods...................................................................................................................................................................................... 20
The Television Programs........................................................................................................................................................................20
Episode Selection.......................................................................................................................................................................................21
Content Examination ...............................................................................................................................................................................22
Table 1: Code ..................................................................................................................................................................................24
Results ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 26
Total Distribution of Components Across the Full Sample ............................................................................................. 26
Variable Distribution Between Decades .................................................................................................................................... 27
Values ................................................................................................................................................................................................27
Social Issues ....................................................................................................................................................................................28
Relationships ..................................................................................................................................................................................29
Family Unit ......................................................................................................................................................................................30
Discussion ................................................................................................................................................................................. 31
Real World Reflections ............................................................................................................................................................................31
Tween Television Networks .................................................................................................................................................................. 32
New Findings ..............................................................................................................................................................................................32
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................................................. 34
Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................................................34
Limitations...................................................................................................................................................................................................35
Future Study................................................................................................................................................................................................35
Works Cited .............................................................................................................................................................................. 37
Appendix.................................................................................................................................................................................... 41
Table 2: Total Distribution of Values Content across the Full Sample by Show ........................................................ 41
Table 3: Episodes Viewed ................................................................................................................................................................. 42
3
From Mallory Keaton to Teddy Duncan
Introduction
Four students walked into their old high school history classroom in their last hours
before they moved to New York. They had graduated from college and said goodbye to
those they loved and the classroom was their last stop. They sat in the seats they had once
occupied every day; the room was deserted except for one other person, their old
professor.
The girl in the group spoke, “we wanted to know if you had anything else left to
teach us?” she asked of the professor.
“Believe in yourself. Dream. Try. Do good.”
“Don’t you mean do well?” she questioned.
“No, I mean do good,” he replied, instilling his last words of wisdom on them before
they depart on their journey.
This scene is a description of the last moments in the final episode; season seven,
episode 158, “Brave New World,” of the popular 1990s television show “Boy Meets World.”
In this scene the professor, George Fenny, is imparting on his four favorite students – Eric,
Cory, Topanga and Shawn – an important lesson before they leave home for New York. This
show represents one of the many television shows that American families and “tweens”
(young people between the ages of 8 and 14) have watched while growing up; these are
shows that have taught societal structures and spoken on various social issues.
The type of family programming that is available for today’s older children and
young teens – commonly-labeled as “tweens” has greatly varied in content and social
challenges presented in them from the shows available in the past, including program like
4
“Boy Meets World” (de Mesa, 2005). The tween market is comprised of adolescents who
are no longer children but not yet adults. As they are still developing, the group is highly
impressionable and easily influenced (Dahl, 2004); it is therefore important to understand
how television content has changed and continues to influence them. While previous
studies have focused on specific aspects of changing social norms, from the presence of
homosexuality and different racial backgrounds (Bacue & Signorielli, 1999; Gibson, Holz
Ivory & Ivory, 2009), few have examined these changes in relation to the values of today’s
family and tween shows. The market for tween programming is fairly recent and the
comparison of these shows to shows of the past are not as widely discussed. Shows like
“Boy Meets World”, which told the story of an 11 year-old boy and his middle school
friends, were aimed for younger viewers (Kolbert, 1993), and “Gilmore Girls”, whose WB
target audience began at girls age 12 (Bauder, 2001), helped to show how influential
marketing to tweens could be. Additionally, they highlighted the family style structure for
new programming. American pop culture, American values, and the television messages
presented to the audience based on them are constantly changing; it is important to take
note of how the changes in the past can create implications for changes the future.
Furthermore, what are the implications of the portrayal of these changes in television
shows on tweens today?
This capstone will explore the content and framing of families and values in U.S.
family and tween sitcom programming over time, with focused attention devoted to three
particular decades – the ‘80s, the ‘90s and today. Precisely, the capstone will examine the
family unit, interpersonal relationships (the type of relationship and affection in a
relationship between two people), social issues and values in two shows from each decade.
5
By looking at these aspects, further conclusions may be drawn about today’s family
entertainment in comparison to shows of the past.
Key research question: How do the values, content of social issues, relationships
and family unit in ‘80s and ‘90s family television shows and shows aimed at tweens
differ from those of contemporary shows?
Significance:
This study will shed light on how societal norms have shifted, and how these
changes are reflected in the television media. Furthermore, the potential impact of this
change in the television and marketing to families and tweens may be found in this study.
In addition, from this study, further conclusions may be drawn on what is necessary to
relate to a tween and family of today as tweens are relating to the television shows targeted
to them in this time.
Background of the issue:
Many studies have examined the family dynamics, social issues, values, and even
different societal structures within family television shows (Greenfield & Uhls, 2011;
Signorielli, 2009). Although family shows may be looked at in through many lenses, this
research will specifically be examining these shows as they relate to a younger audience.
While there is a main family structure within the shows that will be examined, many of
these shows have a storyline that revolve around children within the family. Furthermore,
a family show will be described as a show with the target audience of a family and tween
included, compared a show that has only a family as its main focus. This is the appeal to a
younger audience and the connection focus that will be examined between family
programming and tween programming.
6
The market since the 1990s for tweens within the American entertainment and
television industry has been steadily growing (Barry, 2000). Television shows and
networks have been created solely to reach this target audience, but few studies have fully
looked at this new segment of entertainment. Even fewer have looked at the family
dynamics and social issues of these shows alongside those of the family shows that helped
to create a focus in this genre. Before the dawn of niche-targeted tween programming and
specialized networks devoted to this group, more general “family-targeted” television show
held values for this age group to learn from. Additionally, the social structures present in
contemporary family television programs differ greatly from shows of the past. This study
will help to focus in on the changing environment of family and tween programming in
order to locate and create better knowledge of these changes.
Overview of the Research:
This paper begins with a literature review that first lays out and explores the social
issues that were present during the ‘80s, ‘90s, and those of today. Understanding these
major social changes will help in viewing how these effects are distributed in the television
shows of the time. With this foundation in mind this paper is better able to draw
comparisons between how society has affected the programming being viewed and the
values being displayed.
Following a look at the historical issues of these decades, the literature review lays
out a theoretical frame work for this study and creates an understanding of how this issue
will be examined. The two theories that aid in the primary focus of this research are
cultivation theory and social learning theory. Cultivation theory sates that the more time
people spend “living” in the television world, the more likely they are to believe social
7
reality aligns with the reality portrayed on television, (Riddle, 2009). Social learning theory
suggests that people use social observations, such as observations they view on a television
screen, to learn different values of the world (Grusec, 1992). By using these two theories
conclusions were drawn about the relationship between the values expressed in these
shows and their potential impact in society. The literature review then focuses specifically
on television case studies that have previously observed the social aspects present in
television shows. The television studies literature review is broken into three specific
sections. The topics create understanding from studies on the theories of social learning
and cultivation, gender roles and social issues, the family unit and new marketing to
tweens.
The methodology of this study is an in depth rhetorical analysis of six television
shows, two from each of the previously mentioned time periods. After briefly describing
each of the shows, a description of the codes used and methods used to locate and analyze
specific values within each show is featured and the findings then represented. Finally, a
discussion of these findings is presented to create further understanding of the changes
that are present in the social issues and values of family television shows over time.
8
Literature Review
History of the Times:
In order to truly understand the changes in television over time, especially in areas
of social issues and family and cultural acceptances, the important events of the time
period must be recognized. Within the ‘80s, ‘90s and today, many moments marked social
changes that have brought us to today’s societal environment. In the United States, the ‘80s
were a time of great technological advances and global social issues were a topic of
concern. One of these matters included the AIDS epidemic and efforts to raise awareness of
the virus and its societal implications. The first case of AIDS in the U.S. was recorded June 5,
1981 (CDC, 2001). With the emergence and identification of HIV/AIDS in the U.S., the issue
of homosexuality was brought more firmly into the forefront of social topics. Because of the
attitudes on homosexuals at the time, the topic of AIDS was not often discussed or
breached in the public. A 1989 study found that those people who were highly for the
legalization of homosexual discrimination wanted very little to do with the topic of AIDS, “If
anti-gay attitudes limit one’s ability to assimilate information about AIDS transmission, we
would expect media exposure to be less strongly related to perceived risks among people
opposed to gay rights” (Kerr & Stipp, 1989, p.103). This could easily effect how the topic
was breached in television to various target audiences; the topic of AIDS and
homosexuality could be framed in a particular light.
The ‘80s similarly saw advancement for women in the work place. In 1981,
President Reagan elected the first woman to the Supreme Court of the United States,
Sandra Day O’Connor, and in 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space
(National Archives, 1981). Additionally, the amount of women in managerial work
9
positions increased by about 20 percent between 1980 and 1990 (U.S. Census Bureau,
2009). With the emergence of more working women, television shows had to focus in on
the portrayal of a new societal norm and what this meant for the family dynamics of a
show.
The war on drugs focused on persuading countless Americans to end their use of
illegal substances. “Just Say No” was one of many campaign slogans at the time, created
after President Reagan Signed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 (National Public Radio,
2007). As stated in Hartnett’s 1995 study, the news media increasingly found this to be an
area of importance and therefore determined the issues relevance within society by its
news portrayals. The topic of drugs is now often discussed within television programming,
especially in a teen environment.
In the 1990s, society continued to progress it its ideas and the issues that were
breached in society and television bloomed. The decade held many pivotal moments from
the Gulf War, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the cloning of the first sheep. With the
invention of the World Wide Web in 1991, the beginning of our highly digital society was
further molded. This major technological advancement and unification of the Internet has
vastly affected how people interact today. Another of the major social issues that was
important during the ‘90s included the Columbine shooting. The tragedy of the Columbine
High School shooting was not the first of its kind; and yet, due to the publicity of the event,
it left a lasting impact on society. Twelve students and one teacher were shot and killed by
two students, who later committed suicide, after their bombing attempt had gone wrong.
An article in the Washington Post recalls that the bullying of athletes in the school helped to
fuel the assault on the school (Lorraine & Russakoff, 1999). Although this was later
10
disproven, due to these claims, many instructional and family television programs have
focused on anti-bullying and the importance of inclusion.
In today’s American society there are many matters that have continued to evolve
from the past and have resurfaced in new ways in the cultural issues that are depicted in
television today. The growth of the Internet in the ‘90s has allowed for the creation of a
new form of bullying -- “cyber bullying, a new and popular form of bullying used by teens
on Internet technology to harm others, which spiked in 2004 (Cyberbullying Research
Center, 2010). This is a topic that has sparked many television shows and movies, which
continue to send the message to tweens about the need for acceptance of others.
Homosexuality has generally become more accepted over the decades; media
representation has increased and laws have been created to help ensure equality. Most
recently, the fight has turned to gay marriage, which is now legal in nine states and the
District of Columbia. A study shows that media representation of same-sex couples has not,
however, been fully inclusive, “While gay and lesbian couples made up nearly 17 percent of
sources, they spoke far less than their straight allies,” (Moscowitz, 2010). With the
increasing pressure for the legalization of gay marriage, television must continue to
evaluate its description of this audience as the teaching of sexual equality becomes more
prevalent in society.
Cultivation and Social Learning Theory:
Cultivation and social learning theories are two of the primary ways in which
scholars are able to examine the implications of audiences’ consumption of values and
perceptions gained from media, particularly television media. George Gerbner’s cultivation
theory suggests that the media create, or cultivate, our perceptions about the world based
11
on heavy viewing (Shrum, 2009). Cultivation theory can help understand the creation
social reality perceptions in viewers based upon their viewing habits. Although cultivation
theory is one of the most common ways to look at media perception, the theory holds many
faults and questions. Potter points out the faults of cultivation theory in the following
quote, “…providing strong evidence of its central proposition that heavier viewers of
television are more likely to hold television world beliefs about the real world than are
lighter viewers. Perhaps, one reason for the persistently weak evidence is the difficulty,
which is often ignored, of determining what television world beliefs are” (1990, p. 843).
Although there are various problems with the theory, it continues to be used, along with
social learning theory, to express how we understand and perceive the media environment.
Social learning theory, based upon the work of Albert Bandura, suggests that people
use social observations, such as observations they see on television, to learn different
values of the world (Grusec, 1992). Based upon viewers’ continual interactions with the
characters they interrelate with, people create values and understandings about the world
and others. Together, these two theories show how television media messages ideas are
nurtured or cultivated in a child based on the social observations they make to create a
common understanding of how the world is and important value structures.
Cultivation and social learning theories have often been used to look at how people
gain understanding of specific values through media portrayals. Specific messages such as
racial and gender messages have been looked at in relation to these theories in order to
build a foundation of understanding. Cultivation and social learning theories were used to
explain the social reality of self-esteem as it is molded by television in one study (Harrison
12
& Martins, 2012). By watching particular shows children were better able to create
meaning in the idea of how they see themselves. They then used these new understandings
of who they are in interactions with others in a more social environment. Gender roles are
also expressed and perceived by children based upon the presentation of genders in
television. One study focused on gender roles in television, including an examination of
how many main characters were female and the personalities of main characters, and then
linked them to gender perceptions created by children about themselves and others due to
gender. Findings show that girls are more likely to be accepting of male characters, which
are more highly represented in the media than females (Aubrey & Harrison 2004; Malik,
2009). Due to the multiple outlets of characters and brands that children are exposed to
every day, they are very much likely to conclude stereotypical knowledge and views about
genders, and likewise how they should and should not behave based upon the messages
portrayed by different genders in television. Malik (2009) points out that incorrect
messaging in television shows can lead to improper world-view.
Adolescents also view values such as good and evil based on their cultivated
perceptions of the media. The viewing habits of middle and high school teens and tweens
were examined in one study and findings showed that they had developed distinct values
about the world, which were correlated to their amount of television exposure. The
findings conclude that some specific value themes such as “good wins” and “luck is
important,” were highly related to the amount of television they watched while others
values were not (Potter, 1990).
13
One of the important aspects of cultivation is the idea that the greater viewing has
greater effects. It is, therefore, important to study effects over time. One study examines the
effects of cultivation in perceptions over longer period of time from childhood to
adulthood, as a way to examine the extent to which ideas and messages presented to a child
via media portrayal could continue to grow and become present in their interactions as
adults. Riddle (2009) surveyed adults and tested the use of cultivation on childhood
exposure to violent television viewing in the news. In the end, Riddle surprisingly found
that childhood exposure to violence via television viewing was not directly related to the
effects of social perception as an adult. One important factor in this study is the idea that it
was difficult to obtain proper records regarding how much time an adult had spent
watching television as a child. Furthermore, as this study was specifically focused on news
viewing, it is difficult to ascertain the same relations between news and children’s
television programming in particular. As cultivation theory was originally based on the idea
that views of violent television programming believed the world to be violent, it is
surprising that the results of this particular study were negative. This shows limitations on
the idea that media viewing can cultivate long lasting social values at latter stages in life
(Riddle, 2009).
Television Studies: Social Issues
Of the many aspects of television values and relationships that have previously been
studied, some of the most highlighted aspects often include the relationship between the
male and female gender and between different races. Cultivation and social learning
theories tell us that much of the perceptions we have of races and genders can come from
what we view in television. The relationship between men and women and their roles on
14
television have change greatly over time, especially as homosexual relationships have
become more recognized. Studies have proven over the years that women have
consistently appeared less on television than males. Additionally, the traditional stance on
the relationship between men and women has been one of male domination and woman
submissiveness (Bacue & Signorielli, 1999; Gibson, Holz Ivory & Ivory, 2009). There has,
however, been a change; as homosexual couples become increasingly common on
television, that the idea of specific gendered relationships is losing its prominence, “The
same-sex relationship, unlike its heterosexual counterpart, has no such sexual biological
dichotomy of male and female to mandate which partner possesses more power” (Gibson,
Holz Ivory & Ivory, 2009, p. 186). A depiction of a new kind of relationship is now
beginning to be seen on television.
In addition to the change in relationship patterns, there has been a change in
occupational status. The traditional jobs roles that have been classified to women,
including housewife and clerical positions, have been seen less and professional positions
have increased showing the growth in respect for women over time (Bacue & Signorielli,
1999). Not only have genders been specifically classified in stereotypical occupational
categories but different races have been classified as well. In her 2009 study of television
shows on ABC, CBS, FOX, the CW and various other networks, Signorielli found that most
television programs classified women in jobs that were “less significant” than that of a man.
Furthermore, black men were found to be in less prestigious jobs than black women,
although both are more likely to be seen in minority programming where they are
presented as having simple jobs. Very few other races – including Hispanic and Asian –
were featured at all or were not specified in a job classification. The separation between
15
genders and races has been consistently looked at yet their comparison to shows for a
tween audience has not been a focus.
Television Studies: The Family Unit
The television family has been a constant model for the family environment and
norms for many years. Over time, this image has changed in its appearance on television
from the traditional family unit -- a mom and dad and two children from the same racial
group -- to mixed-race families, and single parents. Tween-targeted TV programming has
also increased in the family displays that are present on television. Present studies have
found that the appearance of children in single-parent households, while still lower that
two-parent households, continues to be consistent in comparison with the US Census data
on single-parent households (Callister, Clark & Robinson, 2007). This shows a true
representation of the American society in today’s television programming. The amount of
exposure to the non-traditional family element has also affected societal views. One study
completed over a period of six years found that while the traditional family structure of
two children was still prevalent, the non-conventional portrayals of families with adopted
children and families with divorced or separated parents were not far behind (Skill,
Robinson & Wallace, 1987). The new idea of what a family can be has become increasingly
popular with generational changes.
The relationships and interactions between these television family units have also
changed with the new television environments. The relationships between members of the
family, including sibling interaction and physical affection, have often been examined.
While most shows still portray the relationship between parents and children to be one of
16
mutual affection and respect, many others present an image of undisciplined children and
parents who are often mocked or absent (Douglas 2001 as cited in Callister, Clark &
Robinson, 2007, p.147). Additionally, interactions between siblings have shown
discrepancies in both positive and negative relations to each other. Larson’s 1989 study
found both relationships to be prominent with regards to television families. He found that
in “The Cosby Show” relations were more positive yet in “Growing Pains” it was reverse.
This is evident of the ever changing relationship structures in television. The affectionate
responses between parents and children on television have also been a topic of
consideration. One study concluded that television children are much less likely to
reciprocate or give affectionate responses to parents as parents will give to children, a
reality to true studies of real families (Callister & Robinson, 2010). The affection that is
present between various family members has often been a consideration of what is
represented in reality.
The overall values that are present in television families have changed over time.
The recent standard of television family has created a new staple of family values.
Television’s changing dynamics have encouraged viewers to become more comfortable
with different family patterns. In their 1999 study, Leggett, Morgan and Shanahan focused
on how the changing perceptions of the family on television had created different feeling
about families within reality. They concluded that heavy television viewers were less likely
to endorse traditional family values. This study helps to tie in the idea that the cultivation
of viewing television can create particular ideals about reality for the audience.
Television Studies: New Marketing to Tweens
17
The adolescent period between ages 8 and 14, known as tween, holds unique
changes to a person as they struggle to become more adult. Dahl (2004) notes that this
period is, “marked by rapid increase in physical capabilities. By adolescence, individuals
have matured beyond the frailties of childhood, but have not yet begun any of the declines
of adult aging” (p. 3). In this stage in life, a tween is still developing into who they will be as
an adult. They are still unsure how to control their behavior and emotions and are
therefore highly vulnerable and easily emotionally influenced by outside forces (Dahl,
2004). These influences can include family, peers and even content that is repeatedly
viewed on television programming.
With the growing economy, television networks have found that to capitalize on the
tweens who are truly making purchases, they must create programming marketed to this
unique audience. This younger audience has the disposable income to help bring in
revenue to these networks and is more likely to enjoy shows that depict characters similar
them. With the growth of cable television channels in the 1980s, there was an emergence of
children’s targeted television networks including Disney Channel. Networks that had
previously been established, such as Nickelodeon, began experimenting with different
types of children’s programming (Museum of Broadcast Communications, 2013). Since the
late ‘90s and the early 2000s, network television shows have increasingly moved back to
the “family show” format as opposed to shows like “Dawson’s Creek” and “Friends;” shows
focused primarily on adult friendships. The market for younger actors has also increased
on cable channels such as Disney Channel and Nickelodeon (Barry, 2000). This new market
target has created a genre of television family show that has not been often examined.
18
The tween genre of television has been found to hold many of the same content
views as typical television programming. In a study of tween television programming not
only were there more males present than females and the racial distribution fell heavy on
the white and Caucasian side as has been traditionally seen in family television
programming. Additionally, many issues that are particular to this age group, including
beauty and body image, have been discussed in these family shows (Gerding, 2011). What
are yet to be discussed are the differences between the family relationships, social issues
and values in the shows of the ‘80s and ‘90s and these family shows of today.
19
Methods:
In order to be better able to understand the differences between family and tween
programming of today and that of the previous 30 years, it was necessary to examine the
content of television shows from each decade in question. The following research question
was the focus of this study:
Research Question: How do the values, content of social issues, relationships and
family unit in ‘80s and ‘90s family television shows and shows aimed at tweens
differ from those of contemporary shows?
Specifically, this study completed an in-depth rhetorical analysis into the values,
social issues, family unit, and relationships present in two television shows from each
decade – the ’80s, ‘90s and contemporary programming. Contemporary programming
followed the 2000s decade to today. By looking at television shows from each decade, a
comparison was drawn to determine the similarities and differences between each show
and decade. It was necessary to have at least two shows from each decade to be able to
draw conclusions regarding how the programming of the decade represented values, social
issues, the family unit, and relationships.
The Television Programs:
The shows that were chosen were all targeted to a family and tween audience,
based on understanding from audience research and network location of programming.
First, each show had no more than a PG television rating to ensure that it was appropriate
for the intended younger audience of tweens. The chosen programs were each originally
aired on the following family or tween focused networks: NBC, WB, ABC’s TGIF and Disney.
20
Furthermore, the shows that were chosen provide different family compositions and
focused on storylines that center around the children and relationships within the family.
The following six shows were examined in this study: “The Cosby Show” and “Family Ties”
(1980s), “Boy Meets World” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” (1990s), “Gilmore Girls” and
“Good Luck Charlie” (2000s).
•
“Family Ties” is a show about the life of a suburban family
•
which aired from 1982-1989,
•
from 1984-1992.
“The Cosby Show” related the lives of an extended family
“Boy Meets World” aired from 1993-2000 and chronicles the
life of a young boy, Cory, his family and his friends from middle school to
•
college.
“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” aired from 1990-1996 and tells
the story of a poor high school student, Will, who goes to live with his
•
wealthier relatives.
•
parent family which aired from 2000-2007.
“Gilmore Girls” is a show that examines the life of a single
“Good Luck Charlie” is a show about a young girl, Teddy, who
chronicles her family’s lives to share with her younger sibling in later years.
Episode Selection:
Ten episodes were examined from each television show to give a varying basis of
the content of these shows over time. To be able to understand the full scope of the content
21
of each of these television programs, every season of the program must be examined. It was
important to look at change over time within the show as well as between each decade. One
episode was chosen at random from each season of each show. As each of these shows do
not have 10 seasons, the supplementary shows were chosen at random from each season
given availability; that is, a show that has run for seven seasons had one episode examined
from each season and three episodes chosen at random from any season. In the final
sample, 20 episodes were examined from each of the three time periods. A full list of each
episode is located in the appendix, in Table 3. Each episode was between 22-45 minutes in
length.
Content Examination:
With the help of previous research that has examined television using cultivation
and social learning theories, a code chart was created; although this is not a quantitative
study, the code chart provided the framework which enabled the researcher to
systematically examine the complex context elements that answer the key research
question. There were four key categories to look for within each episode: Values, Social
Issues, the Family Unit, and Relationships. For the purposes of this study, these four
categories are described as “components.” The more detailed breakdowns of components
are identified as “variables.” The research focused on locating displays of each of the
components within the shows. The study was interested in how often each component was
present in each show and decade to better be able to determine how often an audience may
have had the chance to observe these premises, and therefore draw conclusions on how
each component was viewed by the audience.
22
Values that were focused on were described as displays or themes of a community
feeling, fame, benevolence, self-acceptance, financial success, achievement and morality.
With regard to social issues, not every issue that is relevant in today’s society was able to
be looked at. Specifically, the following social issues were observed; sexuality, violence,
drinking/drug abuse, homosexuality, racism, and bullying. The major variables of the
relationship that were focused on included mixed-race and homosexual relationships (both
romantic and platonic), affection, the romantic relationship between a man and a woman,
openness in the relationship. The final component that was examined was the family unit.
This included age and gender, the family make up, race, parenting styles and parent
occupation. The full description of each variable in these four key components is described
within Table 1 below.
The author was the only coder and had specified the definition of each component
that will be examined. Any representations of these variables, whether as the focus of the
scene or in passing, were recorded as “yes” in being present in the time limit of the episode.
For those variables that were not clearly “yes” or “no” – such as racial identity of the main
character – the researcher made inferences based upon visual clues alone. The race of the
family was based upon the researchers known definitions of white races and non-white
races. These findings were recorded based upon definition of race, as opposed to “yes,” it
was present. The research took place within a two-week time period.
23
Table 1
Code:
Values
Social Issues
Family Unit
Relationships
Specific Themes of:
• Sexuality:
• The family
• Mixed race
• Community
Romantic
composition:
relationships
feelingRelationships,
single
both platonic
community
sexual
parent, mom
and romantic
involvement in
innuendos, sex
and dad,
• Romantic and
the family
mom and
• Violence:
platonic
mom/
dad
• BenevolencePhysical
homosexual
and dad,
being charitable
violence
relationships
mom
and
• Fame-viewed as
• Drinking/Dru
• Affection:
grandparent,
g presence,
between parent
important in the
divorced
use and abuse
and child,
episode,
parents,
step
between
occupational, or
• Homosexualit
parents,
siblings,
something the
y, discussed/
missing
between
character is
present in
parents, the
friends,
trying to
characters
amount
of
between
achieve.
• Racism:
children,
partners:
• Self-acceptancediscussed or
adopted
physical
characters
present in
children,
touching
acceptance of
interactions in
non-related
affection (hugs,
themselves or
the episode,
caretaker or
friendly kisses,
deprecation of
racial slurs,
guardian
not of a sexual
themselves,
discrimination
• The race of
nature)
believing in
based on race
the
family
affectionate
themselves
• Bullying:
praise
• Financial
being picked
• heterosexual
success- is the
on or harmed:
romantic
family
physical, and
relationship:
financially
mental
woman as
successful, do
passive, man as
the
aggressive: who
children/tweens
is the financial
believe they can
supporter, who
be financially,
gives orders,
successful? Is
who follows,
poverty spoken
who makes the
about?
decisions, who
• Achievementshows
children are
indecisiveness?
instilled with the
• Openness:
idea that they
24
can
do/accomplish
anything
• Moralityfollowing/learni
ng important
morals, making
decisions
between good
and bad
Truthful
sharing in
feelings
25
Results:
The key research question was focused on the changing representation of Values,
Social Issues, Family Unit, and Relationships presented in television shows of the ‘80s, ‘90s
and contemporary programming, as examined and articulated by the informed
presentation of the researcher’s code chart. The following results examine the overall
dispersion of these four components in these three decades, across six TV shows (two per
each decade across the ‘80s, ‘90s and today). This section begins with an examination of the
total presentation of values as seen across the full sample for all six programs, followed by
more detail about each content area (Values, Social Issues, Relationships, Family Unit) in
subsequent subsections.
Total Distribution of Components Across the Full Sample:
The breakdown of each component by decade is seen in the following table.
The component of relationships was demonstrated in each of the three decades in
comparison to the other two components; each decade held relatively the same amount of
26
relationship component values. The values component showed the greatest change
between the decades. The representation of values in contemporary programming was
almost double the representations in the 1990’s after a dip in representation from the
1980’s. The component of social issues had growth from the 1980s to ‘90s but was stagnant
from the ‘90s to contemporary programming.
Variable Distribution Between Decades:
Values:
This table examines the values of community feeling, Benevolence, Fame, Self-
acceptance, Financial success, Achievement, and Morality as categorized over three
decades.
Many of the values focused on within this study were highly evident within each
decade of television programming. Specific values were found to be more prominent
within each decade. Earlier decades, the ‘80s and ‘90s, had more issues of self-acceptance
in the characters; contemporary programming half as many views. As a whole, the values of
“community feeling,” “benevolence,” “fame,” “self-acceptance,” “financial success,”
27
“achievement” and “morality” were present in contemporary programming more than ‘80s
and the ‘90s. Programs of today are highly dominated by “financial success,” “community
feeling” and “morality,” compared to programs in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Previous decades
programs were most dominated by self- acceptance and, in the ‘80s, achievement. Morality
in contemporary television shows is the most evident value out of any value in each decade.
Social Issues:
Important social issues of sexuality, violence, drinking and drugs, homosexuality,
racism, and bullying were looked at in the following graph.
Social issues like “sexuality,” “violence,” and “bullying” made their way into
programming in the ‘90s and programming 2000s at a rate that is almost twice that of ‘80s
programs. “Drinking and drugs” were the most common social issue in both the ‘80s and in
contemporary television shows. In the ‘90s, “sexuality” was the social issue most clearly
present. Similarly, in both the ‘80s and contemporary programming the issue of “racism”
was never breached while in the ‘90s the social issue was spoken about twice. Overall,
28
“drinking and drug” use in contemporary television was the social issue viewed most in
programming from any decade. The issue of “homosexuality” was not seen as a theme in
any programs across all three decades.
Relationships:
Mixed-race relationships, homosexual relationships, affection, heterosexual
romantic relationships and the openness presented between each character was the basis
of the relationships examined between each decade.
“Mixed-raced relationships” in programming held the least amount of change and
were viewed relatively equally across each decade. Similar to what was seen with social
issues, there was no representation of “homosexual relationships” in the ‘80s and the ‘90s
programming. There was one situation of a “homosexual relationship” in today’s
contemporary programming. The quality of affection was seen at the highest rate in all
three decades. In the ‘90s, openness in relationships was viewed almost twice as much as it
was in both the ‘80s and today’s television programming.
29
Family Unit:
The family composition and race of the family were examined in the Family Unit
over each of the three decades. The race of the families represented were split equally --
one black and one white for the ‘80s and ‘90s programming. Contemporary programming
held both white families. None of the families were of mixed race. Each decade held
different compositions of families. The contemporary programming was the only decade to
feature a single parent family; all other programming featured a family with both a
husband and a wife. In the ‘80s and ‘90s programming both featured a family with
extended family represented.
30
Discussion:
Real World Reflections:
The results of the study showed that each decade did not fully reflect the reality of
life in the U.S. during each respective decade. HIV and AIDS were an important societal
issue in the 1980s, and at the time, the topic was considered the “gay disease.” The topic of
homosexuality and homosexual rights has only increased in representation today. Gay
marriage rights are on the forefront of political debate and the need for their media
representation is strong. According to the 2011 U.S. Census data, 605,472 households with
same sex couples, not depicting the amount of homosexuals living separately, were
represented in the United States (U.S. Census, 2011). This representation, however, was not
reflected in the sample of television shows viewed per decade. The social issue of
homosexuality was never breached and the relationship representation of homosexuality
was only hinted at in one scene. This begs the question of whether or not American
television is truly representative of U.S. society and cultural make-up.
Similarly, despite the changing culture, none of the families represented mixed-race
family units, which are more present in the United States today than in previous decades.
The 2010 U.S. Census reported a 28 percent increase in interracial married couples from
2000 (U.S Census, 2010). Although there were many representations of mixed race
relationships, both platonic and romantic, a married couple of opposing races was never
seen. Furthermore, although the change in the number of single parent households has not
significantly changed since 2007 when Callister, Clark and Robinson’s study found that the
representation of single-parent households in television was relative to the representation
in the population, it is still notable see that there was only one family that did not have both
31
a mother and father represented. This overall shows an unbalanced relationship between
what is known about society and what has been produced on television. These
nontraditional family styles were not fully expressed in the sample.
Tween Television Networks:
With the growth of cable networks in the ‘80s, the production of networks dedicated to
showing children’s programming greatly increased. These networks hold content focused
for a target tween audience. These programs include shows such as Good Luck Charlie,
which was part of the sample for research. Because of this outlet tweens are more likely to
have the opportunity to watch only these networks and shows produced just for them and
may not be introduced to other outlets. As Gerbner’s cultivation theory states, we create
world views based upon continued viewing of the media. Due to viewing and reviewing of
similar shows and episodes, tweens are likely to gain more information and create
observations from these shows in particular. Good Luck Charlie in today’s U.S. society is
likely to have a greater influence on a tween than other programming because it is openly
available just for them. This is the television environment that they are seeing as a
reflection of the reality of the world and it is likely the basis for their views about
relationships, social issues, values and a family unit.
New Findings:
In Greenfield’s 2011 study, he found that, based upon television studies of tween
programming, the value most important to this demographic, due to their viewing of tween
programs, was fame. Unlike what was stated in previous research, the value found to be
most present in contemporary programming was morality. This would suggest that from
viewing of contemporary family and tween television the audience would likely come away
32
with views on morality, right and wrong, as opposed to fame. It is important, however, to
note that the sample for this research covered a different variety and representation on
tween program than previous research.
According to the sample, drinking and drug use is an extremely common occurrence
in contemporary programming. The issue ranked considerably higher in comparison to all
other social issues of previous decades. This is interesting to note due to the fact that
drinking and drug use was a salient topic in the ‘90s yet not as much in contemporary
social issues. Due its numerous representations in today’s programming, it appears to be an
extremely lax and readily-accepted topic in comparison to what it used to be. The lack of
representation of drinking and drug use in the ‘90s may represent a societal ideal of the
time as opposed to what was actually present in the United States.
33
Conclusions:
The television content available in today’s society for the tween market varies
greatly in comparison to the family programming of previous decades. Because tweens
today spend large amounts of time in the digital world and viewing television
programming, it is important to understand what these changes are and how this audience
may be influenced by them. This study explores how the societal norms of the U.S. have
shifted over time and draws conclusions about what is being represented to today’s tweens
in comparison to older generations. The focus of this study was to understand how the
values, content of social issues, relationships and family unit in ‘80s and ‘90s family and
tweens television shows differ from those of contemporary shows.
Summary:
This study was a rhetorical analysis of six family and tween television shows from
the ‘80s, ‘90s and contemporary programming. Each show was examined to understand
four main components: Values, Social Issues, Family Unit and Relationships. With the use
of cultivation theory and social learning theory, a coding-instrument-like research tool was
created to understand these four components using specific variables. The goal was to
understand how these specific components had changed over time in regards to this
specific type of programming. Additionally, conclusions were drawn based upon these
findings with regard to how tweens may learn from television content.
This study was significant in order to better comprehend the changes in television
culture that are presented to tweens in today’s society. By understanding the content in
these shows we were better able to examine how tweens of today understand society to be
34
in contrast to how tweens of previous decades may have perceived the American society
through television viewing.
Overall, there have been many changes over the decades in regards to what is
represented on family and tween television programming. The social issue of drinking and
drug use in contemporary programming was most present in relation to any other social
issue in any decade. Similarly, morality, understanding the difference between right and
wrong, was represented in contemporary programming and surpassed representation of
other values in any other decade. Most surprising may be that although the issue of
homosexuality was a very important social issue in the U.S. in both the ‘80s and
contemporary society, there is hardly any mention of it in any television program
throughout each decade. This was similar for mixed-race relationships and families and
single family representation. As a whole, relationship factors were greatly displayed in all
three decades.
Limitations:
Limitations of this research include the lack of multiple researchers to examine the
programming content. The researcher was the only coder for this research and therefore
there was no other person to check for researcher bias. Additional limitations include the
number of reviewed television episodes. Future research may wish to add additional
television shows to provide a fuller representation of each decade.
Future Study:
Not only are some social groups not represented in the sample of this study, but for
those family units, social issues and relationships that are represented, the question is
raised of how realistic these representations are of the United States culture. It would be
35
interesting to do further research of actual family units and social issues in comparison to
these family and tween television shows to find similarities and differences. Furthermore,
as these are the primary television shows designed for the tween audience, a next step may
be to find how tweens truly feel the world to be based upon their viewing of these shows. It
would be necessary to conduct focus groups or experiments to assess the degree to which
young people in the U.S. believe the world they see in U.S.-produced family and tween
television programming is a realistic portrayal of today’s society.
36
Works Cited:
Aubrey, J.S., & Harrison, K. (2004). The gender-role content of children’s favorite television
programs and its links to their gender-related perceptions. Media Psychology, Vol. 6
(No. 2), 111-146.
Bacue, A., Signorielli, N., (1999). Recognition and respect: A content analysis of prime-time
television characters across three decades. Sex Roles, Vol 40 (No. 7/8) 527-544
Barry, G. (2000). Wonder days. Hollywood Reporter Vol 365 (No, 25).
Bauder, D. (2001). Gilmore girls keep struggling. The Free Lance Star. Vol 117 (No. 32) 21.
Retrieved February 24, 2013 from
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=20010202&id=bOoyAAAAIBA
J&sjid=QggGAAAAIBAJ&pg=4417,476439
Callister, M.A., Clark, B.R., Robinson, T., (2007). Media portrayals of the family in children’s
television programming during the 2005-2006 seasons in the us. Journal of Children
and Media, Vol 1 (No. 2) 142-161.
Callister, M.A., Robinson, T., (2010). Content analysis of physical affection within television
families during the 2006–2007 season of us children's programming. Journal of
Children and Media, Vol. 4 (No.2), 155-173.
CDC (2001). Mobility and mortality weekly report. Retrieved February 23, 2013 from
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5021a1.htm.
Cyberbullying Research Center, (2010). Lifetime cyberbullying victimization rates.
Retrieved on February 23, 2013 from
37
http://www.cyberbullying.us/2010_charts/cyberbullying_victimization_meta_chart
.jpg
Dahl, R.E. (2004). Adolescent brain development: A period of vulnerabilities and
opportunities. Keynote Address, New York Academy of Sciences.
de Mesa, A. (2005). Marketing and tweens. Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved on April 6,
2013 from http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2005-10-11/marketing-and-
tweens
Gerding, A. (2011). Be-tween two worlds: A content analysis of tween television
programming. (Unpublished Master’s Thesis) University of Delaware.
Gibson, R., Holz Ivory, A., Ivory, J. D. (2009). Gendered relationships on television:
Portrayals of same-sex and heterosexual couples. Mass Communication and Society,
Vol 12 (No. 2) 170-192.
Greenfield, P.M., Uhls, Y.T. (2011). The rise of fame: An historical content analysis.
Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace. Vol 5 (No.1).
Greenfield, P.M., Uhls, Y.T. (2011).The value of fame: Preadolescent perceptions of popular
media and their relationship to future aspirations. Developmental Psychology.
Advance online publication Retrieved February 22,2013 from
http://www.cdmc.ucla.edu/Welcome_files/The%20value%20of%20fame-1.pdf
Grusec, J. E. (1992). Social learning theory and developmental psychology: The legacies of
robert sears and albert bandura. Developmental Psychology, Vol 28, 5, 776-786.
Harrison, K. Martins, N. (2012). Racial and gender differences in the relationship between
children’s television use and self-esteem: A longitudinal panel study. Communication
Research, Vol. 39 (No. 3), 338-357.
38
Hartnett, S. (1995). Imperial ideologies: Media hysteria, racism, and the addiction to the
war on drugs. Journal of Communication, Vol 45 (No. 4) 161-169.
Jayson, S. (2012). Census shows big jump in interracial couples. USA Today. Retrieved on
April 20, 2013 From http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-04-
24/census-interracial-couples/54531706/1
Kerr, D., Stipp, H. (1989). Determinants of public opinion about aids. Public Opinion
Quarterly. 98-106.
Kolbert, E. (1993). The media business: Television; timing can be everything for a show’s
success as networks tailor schedules to hold onto audiences. The New York Times.
Retrieved on February 24, 2013 from
http://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/31/business/media-business-televisiontiming-can-be-everything-for-show-s-success-networks.
Larson, M.S. (1989). Interaction between siblings in primetime television families. Journal
of Broadcasting & Electronic Media Vol 33 (No. 3), 305-315.
Leggett, S., Morgan, M., Shanahan, J. (1999). Television and family values: Was dan quayle
right? Mass Communication & Society 47-63.
Lorraine, A. Russakoff, D. (1999). Dissecting columbine’s cult of the athlete. Washington
Post. Retrieved February 23,2012 from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpsrv/national/daily/june99/columbine12.htm.
Malik, C. (2009). Growing-up in a branded world: Revisiting cultivation effects in the new,
brand-driven, children’s marketing environment. National Communication
Association.
39
Moscowitz, L.M. (2010).Gay marriage in television news: Voice and visual representation in
the same-sex marriage debate. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, Vol 54
(No.1) 24-39.
Museum of Broadcast Communications, (2012) Children and television. Retrieved on April
20, 2013 from http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=childrenand
National Archives, (1981). Regan’s nomination of o’connor. Retrieved on February 23, 2013
from http://www.archives.gov/legislative/features/oconnor.html.
National Public Radio, (2007). Timeline: America’s war on drugs. Retrieved on February 23,
2013 from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9252490.
Potter, W.J. (1990). Adolescents’ perceptions of the primary values of television
programming. Journalism Quarterly, Vol. 67 (No. 4), 843-851.
Riddle, K. (2009). Cultivation theory revisited: The impact of childhood television viewing
levels on social reality beliefs and construct accessibility in adulthood. International
Communication Association, 1-29.
Shrum, L. J. (2009). Media Consumption and Perceptions of Social Reality: Effects and
Underlying Processes. In J. Bryant & M. B. Oliver (Eds.), Media Effects Advances in
Theory and Research (pp. 50-73). New York: Routledge.
Signorielli, N., (2009). Race and sex in prime time: A look at occupations and occupational
prestige. Mass Communication and Society. 332-352.
Skill, T., Robinson, J.D., Wallace, S.P. (1987). Portrayal of families on prime-time tv:
Structure, type and frequency. Journalism Quarterly Vol 45 (No.2) 360-367.
40
United States Census Bureau, (2009). Women in the workforce. Retrieved on February
23,2013 from
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/pdf/women_workforce_slides.pdf
United States Census Bureau, (2011). Same sex couples. Retrieved on April 20, 2013 from
http://www.census.gov/hhes/samesex/
Appendix:
Table 2 TOTAL DISTRIBUTION OF VALUES CONTENT ACROSS THE FULL SAMPLE BY SHOW
Show:
Family Ties
(1980s)
The Cosby
Show (1980s)
Boy Meets
World (1990s)
The Fresh
Prince of BelAir (1990s)
Gilmore Girls
(2000s)
Good Luck
Charlie
(2000s)
Values
Community
feeling: 0
Benevolence: 0
Fame: 0
Selfacceptance: 5
Financial
success: 1
Achievement: 4
Morality: 1
Community
feeling: 2
Benevolence: 1
Fame: 1
Selfacceptance: 3
Financial
success: 2
Achievement: 4
Morality: 4
Community
feeling: 2
Benevolence: 0
Fame: 0
Selfacceptance: 6
Financial
success: 2
Achievement: 2
Morality: 4
Community
feeling: 0
Benevolence: 0
Fame:1
Selfacceptance:2
Financial
success: 1
Achievement: 3
Morality: 1
Community
feeling: 5
Benevolence: 1
Fame: 0
Selfacceptance: 2
Financial
success: 5
Achievement: 7
Morality: 5
Community
feeling: 1
Benevolence: 0
Fame: 2
Selfacceptance: 2
Financial
success: 3
Achievement: 3
Morality: 9
Total: 11
Sexuality: 2
Violence: 1
Drinking/Drugs:
1
Homosexuality:
0
Racism: 0
Bullying: 0
Total: 17
Sexuality: 0
Violence: 1
Drinking/Drugs:
4
Homosexuality:
0
Racism: 0
Bullying: 2
Total: 16
Sexuality: 1
Violence: 3
Drinking/Drugs:
3
Homosexuality:
0
Racism: 0
Bullying: 1
Total: 8
Sexuality: 6
Violence: 3
Drinking/Drugs:
0
Homosexuality:
0
Racism: 2
Bullying: 2
Total: 25
Sexuality: 5
Violence: 3
Drinking/Drugs:
10
Homosexuality:
0
Racism: 0
Bullying: 0
Total: 20
Sexuality: 0
Violence: 2
Drinking/Drugs:
0
Homosexuality:
0
Racism: 0
Bullying: 1
Total: 4
Family
composition:
Two parents,
four children
Race of family:
Black
Total: 7
Family
composition:
Two parents,
five children,
one cousin, two
children
married, three
grandchildren
Race of family:
Total: 8
Family
composition:
Two parents,
four children,
one child
married
Race of family:
White
Total: 13
Family
composition:
Two parents,
four children,
one cousin
Race of family:
Black
Total: 18
Family
composition:
Single parent,
one child,
grandparents
Race of family:
White
Total: 3
Family
composition:
Two parents, 5
children
Race of family:
White
Social Issues
Family Unit
41
Relationship
Mixed race
relationships: 0
Homosexual
relationships: 0
Affection: 19
Heterosexual
Romantic
relationship: 10
Openness: 2
black
Mixed race
relationships: 6
Homosexual
relationships: 0
Affection: 9
Heterosexual
Romantic
relationship: 5
Openness: 5
Mixed race
relationships: 2
Homosexual
relationships: 0
Affection: 12
Heterosexual
Romantic
relationship: 5
Openness: 8
Mixed race
relationships: 4
Homosexual
relationships: 0
Affection: 16
Heterosexual
Romantic
relationship: 6
Openness: 7
Mixed race
relationships: 1
Homosexual
relationships: 0
Affection: 20
Heterosexual
Romantic
relationship: 11
Openness: 5
Mixed race
relationships: 4
Homosexual
relationships: 1
Affection: 11
Heterosexual
Romantic
relationship: 6
Openness: 2
Total: 31
Total: 25
Total: 27
Total: 33
Total:37
Total: 24
Table 3 Episodes Viewed:
Program
Boy Meets World
Episode Name
“If You Can’t be with the One You Love”
Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World
“Chasing Angela”
“State of the Unions”
“Boy Meets Girl”
“Wrong Side of the Tracks”
“Home”
“Brothers”
“I Never Sang for my Legal Guardian”
“Learning to Fly”
“Brotherly Shove”
“Study Date”
“Boys Meet Girls”
“Charlie Goes Viral”
"Driving Mrs. Dabney"
“Appy Days”
“Gabe’s 12 ½ Birthday”
“Amazing Gracie”
“Make room for baby”
“Baby Steps”
“Teddy and the Bambino”
“Theo and the Joint”
“Mr. Quiet”
“Close to Home”
“You Only Hurt the One You Love”
“Trust Me”
“I’m ‘In’ With the ‘In’ Crowd”
“No More Mr. Nice Guy”
“Olivia Comes out of the Closet”
“Pam Applies to College”
“Out of Brooklyn”
“Pilot”
Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World
Good Luck Charlie
Good Luck Charlie
Good Luck Charlie
Good Luck Charlie
Good Luck Charlie
Good Luck Charlie
Good Luck Charlie
Good Luck Charlie
Good Luck Charlie
Good Luck Charlie
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
Gilmore Girls
Season
5
5
6
1
2
2
5
3
4
7
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3
1
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
8
5
1
Rating
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV PG
Decade
1990s
1990s
1990s
1990s
1990s
1990s
1990s
1990s
1990s
1990s
2000-Today
2000-Today
2000-Today
2000-Today
2000-Today
2000-Today
2000-Today
2000-Today
2000-Today
2000-Today
1980s
1980s
1980s
1980s
1980s
1980s
1980s
1980s
1980s
1980s
2000-Today
42
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls
Family Ties
Family Ties
Family Ties
Family Ties
Family Ties
Family Ties
Family Ties
Family Ties
Family Ties
Family Ties
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
“Rory’s Dance”
“Presenting Lorelai Gilmore”
“Those are Strings, Pinocchio”
“The Incredible Sinking Lorelais”
“Girls in Bikini’s, Boy’s Doin’ the Twist”
“Raincoats and Recipes”
“A House is Not a Home”
“Driving Miss Gilmore”
“Gilmore Girls Only”
“Give Your Uncle Arthur a Kiss”
“Oops!”
“Speed Trap”
“Working At It”
“ Love Thy Neighbor”
“Bringing Up Baby”
“The Old College Try”
“A, My Name is Alex: Part 1”
“Invasion of the Psychologist Snatcher”
“Rain Forest Keep Fallin’ on My Head”
“Not With My Pig, You Don’t”
“The Ethnic Tip”
“72 Hours”
“Working it Out”
“Be My Baby Tonight”
“Bundle of Joy”
“Papa’s Got a Brand-New Excuse”
“Bullets over Bel-Air”
“Not With My Cousin You Don’t”
“Breaking Up is Hard to Do”
1
2
3
4
4
4
5
6
7
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
5
6
7
1
1
1
1
2
3
4
5
6
6
TV PG
TV PG
TV PG
TV PG
TV PG
TV PG
TV PG
TV PG
TV PG
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV G
TV PG
TV PG
TV PG
TV PG
TV PG
TV PG
TV PG
TV PG
TV PG
TV PG
2000-Today
2000-Today
2000-Today
2000-Today
2000-Today
2000-Today
2000-Today
2000-Today
2000-Today
1980s
1980s
1980s
1980s
1980s
1980s
1980s
1980s
1980s
1980s
1990s
1990s
1990s
1990s
1990s
1990s
1990s
1990s
1990s
1990s
43