EXTRAORDINARILY ORDINARYTHE OSBOURNES AS “ AN AMERICAN FAMILY”

DEREK KOMPARE

By:Jason

MarcusLatisha

History facts of the modern day family era:

It has been almost 30 years since a television series has centered on an actual family. The first time they started to film this modern day family series for television was 1973.

The 1973 PBS documentary series “ An American Family featured the loud family of Southern California, who were subjected to similar media and viewer interest as nearly a year of their lives unfolded in 13 television episodes.

As the title of their series indicated, they became an emblem for the American Family of the early 70’s.

Continuing facts of the modern day family era:

Both An American Family and the Osbournes were media phenomena. That is were idiosyncratic texts command a sudden, high degree of attention during initial runs.

First trace of how the terms “genre” and “family” are linked through television.

Every concept of a real television family points squarely to questions of genre and family. Each category establish limits within edge, in order to succeed.

Genre and Family

Genre , and family are narrative concepts that described limited categories: text or social grouping it is only considered as a example of a particular genre or family.

The process has been fundamental to television, where ideals of both genre and family have systematically organized representation.

Television genres delimit narrative and representational parameters, facilitating audience.

The normative television family is a fully scripted set of generic expectations.

Links

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuIMXUGRn_I&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL11A2600DCE3C26A6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=invBjPmY8iE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5uuMr1YEyE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkT4CXzqgKk&feature=related

Links

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51sIqzEo7h4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37dG__jR5RI&feature=fvst

Documentary & Reality

American Family The Osbournes John Corner Documentary Argument Exhibition Reality

The First Reality sitcom

The Osbourne family first made their appearance on one of MTV’s hit shows Cribs.

The Osbournes were willing to share their mansion with America thinking that in exchange they would gain publicity.

They were right!

From sitcom to reality

Producers were able to manipulate the footage as if it were an actual sitcom.

Using generic codes: problems are introduced, conflicts play out, and the end of the episode reaches a mild resolution. (same format as a sitcom).

Therefore creating a reality sitcom. No script, no set.

Reality sitcom continued…

The Osbournes, although on camera still functioned as a normative unit. They cursed, kissed, wrestled, revealed their bodies, used the bathroom, and became famous for over using the “F” word.

The show reflected the “Cleavers of Leave it to Beaver and the Brady’s of The Brady Bunch.

Their home is a divided space of public and private areas, just as in any family sitcom.

Reality Sitcom continued…

Being that the Osbournes contained mostly everything a normal family sitcom would have they are known as the first reality sitcom.

Minus the script, set, and props. The show did not focus on Ozzie old rock

star career but more on the present times of them as a whole family. (elaborate)