Category Archives: bibliography

Tyree, JM. “SPATTER PATTERN.” Film Quarterly. Fall 2008. Volume 62 Issue 1, pages 82- 86. <http://lion.chadwyck.com/searchFulltext.do?id=R04107181&divLevel=0&queryId=../session/1257307544_13879&trailId=12422DFD2BE&area=abell&forward=critref_ft>
The article dealt with issues of Dexter being a story that spans multiple media. They also brought up one of the most important elements of the show, especially early on, which is the atmosphere or aesthetic that the author calls “film noir graphic novel.” He goes on to mention the lush colors and overexposed qualities, and explains that this can create a hyper-real space that further invokes the stylized quality of a comic book. Later, the article goes into detail involving a key episode (in season 2) in which Dexter is more straightforwardly depicted as “The Dark Defender,” a comic book adaptation of his in-show antics. I want to bring up all these issues in my paper, as well as link the show to in the comic adaptation within it.

Holzapfel, Amy. “The Body In Pieces: Contemporary Anatomy Theatre.” PAJ. May 2008. Vol. 30, No. 2 (PAJ 89), Pages 1-16.  <http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/pajj.2008.30.2.1>
This article was interesting for its attempt to connect Dexter and similar shows to the history of Renaissance anatomy theatre. It also interrogates the desire that our culture has to see such grotesque sights, though from a perspective that spans hundreds of years of history. I am not sure if this article can be useful, though viewing Dexter through the lenses of a different genre than police procedural can very enlightening. It may speak more to the graphic aspect of the show and how it may resemble a pulp comic, as well as the mixing of genres and the lack of clear genre distinctions.

Haney, Craig. “Media Criminology and the Death Penalty.” DePaul Law Review. Fall 2008. Issue 1, pages 689-740. <http://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/deplr58&div=33&collection=journals&g_sent=1>
Brings up a lot of real world effects that media has on the American public, especially concerning crime and law enforcement. Police procedurals come with the aura that they are nonfiction and yet they often feel little need to hold true to the facts. This leads me to interrogate the implications of a story like Dexter thriving simultaneously in multiple forms of media. Are the American people taking the right message away, or are they merely seeing a vigilante subverting the law? Also, this article brought me to question whether the stylization of Dexter works to bring the narrative from a real to hyper-real setting, or to simply glorify the bloodshed, as well as whether the pursuit for “realism” has brought us to these precarious places.

Jensen, Jeff. “Q&A: His Killer Books.” Entertainment Weekly. September 2009. Issue 1064, page 68. <http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com hww/jumpstart.jhtml?recid=0bc05f7a67b1790eb0fa5fcc5e0d0664240152abb1beefbc49903c0277df6f6de50ffaa8364571d5&fmt=H Jensen, J. Q&A: His Killer Books [Interview with J. Lindsay]. Entertainment Weekly no. 1064 (September 11 2009) p. 68>
This is a small interview with the author of the Dexter book series, Jeff Lindsay. I thought he might have something to share about the interconnectivity of the different Dexter universes, but he mostly spoke about his books. He did mention that though the two Dexters have a lot in common, the divide is becoming deeper. “My Dexter pretends to be nice… their Dexter is trying to become nice,” is how he succinctly puts it. This is an interesting aspect of the two media, how the story grows depending on where it is planted. The nebulous authorship of television means that our desires are more visible than they have been at any other time, and on the other hand Lindsay needs to defend his books from rabid fans that must influence author. Compared to the rest of the interview, which is Lindsay defending his decisions concerning the life of book Dexter, it becomes evident that the two media are held to different standards of legitimacy. One hangs on the intuition of the author, while the other lies at the feet of the populace. This will definitely be at the heart of my paper.

Oppenheimer, Jean. “Dexter.” American Cinematographer. March 2009. Volume 90 issue 3, pages 30-33. <http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/jumpstart.jhtml?recid=0bc05f7a67b1790eb0fa5fcc5e0d0664240152abb1beefbca08c0099d0ca24fee6912846b4dfcffa&fmt=H Oppenheimer, J. Dexter [Part of a special section on television cinematography; cover story]. American Cinematographer v. 90 no. 3 (March 2009) p. 30-3>
I was hoping that I would find an article about Dexter that approached it from a cinematographer perspective, and here it is. In this interview Romeo Tirone, who worked on the first three seasons, talks about different tints used to create atmosphere, and describes the look of Dexter being a “graphic-novel style with a Scorsese- Cronenberg-Kubrick influence.” He breaks down the sets and lighting, and the purpose that each element serves and what he would like the viewer coming away with. I cannot wait to rewatch the show with the cinematography distinctly in mind. It will be interesting to see how the visuals attempt to bring to life the author’s ideas. The article also has a lot of technical data which is not going to be of any use to my paper.

Moses, Lucia. “Initiative.” Adweek. June 2009. Volume 50 number 24, page 15. <http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/jumpstart.jhtml?recid=0bc05f7a67b1790eb0fa5fcc5e0d0664240152abb1beefbc9de2744637476ed7b2030ba16372d9a4&fmt=H        Moses, L. Initiative [Media Plan of the Year]. Adweek v. 50 no. 24 (June 15 2009) p. AM15>
This article documents the ad campaign in which Dexter is put on many different popular magazine covers. The magazines name is replaced by Dexters, but all of the patented fonts and layouts were exactly the same. What I found compelling about the article is the idea that Dexter is in yet another medium and yet subverting it in an interesting way. It is almost as though these magazine covers are creating their own narrative that is heavily incorporating mass culture. The parallels to the television show can be broken down as well. I am not sure if this is really applicable though, or whether it will merely dilute my efforts.

Nussbaum, Emily. “Men Behaving Badly.” New York. September 2009. Volume 42 issue 31, pages 80-81. <http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/jumpstart.jhtml?recid=0bc05f7a67b1790eb0fa5fcc5e0d0664240152abb1beefbccd1b5aaab544703e563c48e51560be57&fmt=H Nussbaum, E. Men Behaving Badly. New York v. 42 no. 31 (September 28 2009) p. 80-1>
This article compares Curb Your Enthusiasm, Californication, and Dexter, focusing mainly on the fact that the protagonists are concentrated examples of the anti-hero. I thought the comparison would be interesting, but ultimately the author described what happened in the different seasons and had little to say about the motivations of the characters or anything of critical value.

McCormick, Patrick. “Monster in the Mirror.” U.S. Catholic. December 2008. Volume 73 issue 12, pages 42-43. <http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/jumpstart.jhtml?recid=0bc05f7a67b1790eb0fa5fcc5e0d0664240152abb1beefbc8a611db00b89eb1c3947f9c727779abe&fmt=H McCormick, P. Monster in the mirror. U.S. Catholic v. 73 no. 12 (December 2008) p. 42-3>
I was pleasantly surprise by this article. I had thought that it might be a scathing review from a conservative publication, but it turned out to be a comparison of modern television to literary classics. The author links the shows My Own Worst Enemy, True Blood, and Dexter to the old horror stories Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dracula, and Frankenstein. The first two works are pretty obvious connections to make, but I was surprised by the many levels on which Mary Shelley’s beast can be compared to Lindsay’s Dexter Morgan. Ultimately, both are created by good men who ultimately betray them and leave them to face a world which they simply do not understand. This brings up issues of artifice and conformity in my mind, and which I will want to talk about in the paper.

Poniewozik, James. “A Unkind Cut.” Time. February 2008. Volume 171 issue 8, page 20. <http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/jumpstart.jhtml?recid=0bc05f7a67b1790eb0fa5fcc5e0d0664240152abb1beefbc71627673d95f9017e27e8d8a08299659&fmt=H Poniewozik, J. A Unkind Cut [Objection to airing of TV program Dexter by Parents Television Council]. Time v. 171 no. 8 (February 25 2008) p. 20>
I was glad to find this article about the Parent Television Council (PTC) objecting to the idea of the show Dexter rather than the merely the graphic actions depicted. Even after the most violent scenes were edited out of the show, the council still felt uneasy. “It’s the entire premise that’s the problem. You are in a disturbingly queasy way rooting for a mass murderer to kill somebody,” says their president. The article also talks about alternative ways of protecting children from such programming, such as parents doing their job rather than merely trying to restrict television programming. I thought it might be poignant to bring up the different standards the visual and print media are held to, and what limitations are put on both.

I’m an idiot and put this in the drop box on the 28th instead of posting it here and just realized my mistake right now. How embarrassing. Sorry everyone! Here’s my annotated bibliography.
Eng, Lawrence. “In the Eyes of Hideaki Anno, Writer and Director of Evangelion.” Cornell Japanese Animation Society. 2004. 27 Oct. 2009. <http://www.cjas.org/~echen/articles/spring97/05_03b.html>

Eng relates Anno’s speech at the 1996 Anime Expo, the year NGE was first released. It discusses how unlike most anime, the show was written as it went rather than the whole story being planned out in advance. It touches on Anno’s execution of the final two episodes, which were controversial at the time and later led to him making an End of Eva movie to replace them.

Hiroki, Azuma. “Anime or Something Like It: Neon Genesis Evangelion.” InterCommunication. No. 18.  27 Oct. 2009. <http://www.ntticc.or.jp/pub/ic_mag/ic018/intercity/higashi_E.html>

This interview goes into the psychology of each of Anno’s characters, and how each is a different manifestation of himself. He explains how the show is meant to be what one takes from it without having a literal meaning, as well its psychedelic inspiration.

Horn, Carl G. “Speaking Once as They Return: Gainax’s Neon Genesis Evangelion.” AMC Plus. 1.2. 1996. 27 Oct. 2009. <http://www.stanford.edu/~fenn/eva/eva1.html>

Horn talks about how Evangelion is different from most other anime of its genre because it tackles existential questions of life, death, sex, and religion in a poetic and metaphoric way. Good arguments here and contextualizing of the series.

Tsuribe, Manabu. “Prison of Self-Conscious: An Essay on Evangelion.” EvaMonkey. 1999. 27 Oct. 2009. <http://www.evamonkey.com/writings_tsuribe01.php>

Article relates Eva to other Japanese attitudes and cultural psychological trends.

Anno, Hideaki. “Interview: 1996 Anime Expo.” Transcript. 2004. 27 Oct. 2009. <http://lists.onegeek.org/pipermail/evangelion/2004-December/002032.html> <http://lists.onegeek.org/pipermail/evangelion/2004-December/002034.html>

Anno speaks about the series himself. Lots of really valuable insight. Definitely a major source.

Napier, Susan J. “When the Machines Stop: Fantasy, Reality, and Terminal Identity in “Neon Genesis Evangelion.” Science Fiction Studies 29.3 (2002): 418-435.

Bolton, Christopher, Istvan Csicsery-Rony, Jr. and Takayuki Tatsumi. Robot Ghosts and Wired Dreams : Japanese science fiction from origins to anime. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2007.

Freud, Sigmund. Totem and Taboo: Resemblances Between the Mental Lives of Savages and Neurotics. 1913.

Anno drew heavily from this and other works of Freud.

The Bible, Book of Genesis.

As much of the series uses Biblical imagery, I will be referring to the Book of Genesis to analyze the metaphorical significance of Christian mythology in the context of the series.

The Dead Sea Scrolls

The series often refers to these non-canonical Christian texts, which allegedly predict and name the angels.

1) Matt Stone’s Memo to the MPAA, 1999

http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/09/ps-this-is-my-favorite-memo-ever.html

This is a memo written by Matt Stone to the MPAA before the release of the South Park movie. They’re struggling to get an R rating, and not a NC-17 stamp of death. I want to use this memo to highlight some of the issues these writers have with trying to be funny, maintain profitability and still have to bargain with the higher authorities.

2) Secrets of South Park, Nightline Interview, 2006

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Entertainment/Story?id=2479197&page=1

This is a great interview where the guys from South Park talk about how their personal lives leak into their writing, their ongoing issues with censorship and free speech and how they can still enjoy doing the show at the start of their 10th season. It highlights the writing process they go through and it should be helpful in showing how difficult it is to stay funny, relevant and not have your message misunderstood.

3) Still Sick, Still Wrong: 10 Years of South Park, Rolling Stone Article, 2007

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/south_park_still_sick_still_wrong/

This article is similar to the ABC article. It pulls the curtain back on the writers and gives people a glimpse into what it takes to write an episode and get it on the air in a way that doesn’t compromise the quality. The writers seem to express a strong love for the show at the same time as a growing disinterest and hatred for what it’s become. Both the ABC and the Rolling Stone article make the point that at any point these head minds behind the series are ready to walk away, and apparently want to, but they want to keep making it even more.

4) The Deep End of South Park: Critical Essays on Television’s Shocking Cartoon Series, Leslie Stratyner, McFarland, 2009

This is an analytical text about why South Park exists, how it was started and the direction the author thinks it is headed. The author argues that South Park is an extremely relevant source of cultural satire and, despite bad taste and shocking antics, it’s a series worthy of academic study. But is all of that something Matt Stone and Trey Parker would appreciate hearing or is it just mangling what they set out to do with this series?

5) South Park Webcasters Told To Stop, Wired, 1997

The show that got its start online grew too big for the fledgling, mostly 56k at best, method of delivery. Comedy Central’s lawyers had to step in and shut down sites that were streaming the show and helping it spread. This is significant to take a look at how the Internet helped a show like South Park get started, how it might have been impossible for it to happen earlier or later in history even with a similar show and Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s long term plans for digital distribution.

6) South Park to Offer All Episodes Free, Wired, 2008

10 years later, after shutting down all streaming sites, Matt Stone and Trey Parker took it upon themselves to offer their content for free online. This is a very progressive attitude towards digital distribution, isn’t greedy at all and shows how they’ve come full circle from their origins. It’s also the kind of thing that you couldn’t do unless you had complete control over your show in the way they have for over 10 years.

7) Comedy Central makes the most out of irreverent, and profitable, new cartoon hit, New York Times, 1997

http://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/10/business/media-broadcasting-comedy-central-makes-most-irreverent-profitable-new-cartoon.html

This article takes a look, form the persepctive of the New York Times, at the very popular and profitable new series for Comedy Central. Comedy Central wasn’t a network known for large amounts of original programming, and it looks like South Park really shook up the whole network in a way The Simpsons did for the early Fox network.

There are a ton of articles and interviews out there and I plan on finding more, but this is a start for the ones that stood out to me.

Aubrun, Axel and Joseph Grady. “Aliens in the Living Room: How TV Shapes Our Understanding of ‘Teens’”. The Frameworks Institute. 18 September 2000.

The article explores the different expectations and definitions of viewership and how they are applied to the teenage audiences. There is also consideration of how these definitions determine what portrayals are seen of corresponding characters and demographics represented on television. It will contribute to the discussion in the essay of what teens are seeing when they view themselves on television, and in particular what type of teenager was displayed on Freaks and Geeks as compared to other teen television fare.

Berger, Arthur Asa. Narratives in Popular Culture, Media and Everyday Life. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications Ltd, 1997.

The work of Berger generally concerns the decoding of any type of media text down to a fundamental storytelling core. This book emphasizes the presence of narrative in every aspect of a person’s life, from entertainment capacities to conversation and personal recollections. Its primary purpose within this paper is to provide meaningful literary examples that can be compared to storytelling tactics that were effective in Freaks and Geeks. It also features (and defines) terminology that is useful in breaking down the creative technical components of the show’s story.

Bowe, John. “The Trouble with Paul Feig.” New York Times Magazine 26 September 2008.

The subject of interview in this article is Paul Feig, co-producer and writer on all 18 episodes of Freaks and Geeks. Written in 2008, Feig elaborates on his potential projects and current chief job as co-executive producer of NBC’s The Office. However, there is a lot of reflection on his open dedication to Freaks and Geeks, the influences of his personal experiences on the creation and content of the show (and all of his material in general), and his personal disappointment at the cancellation of the series. This different take on the series from someone who could be considered “auteur” of the show as much as Apatow offers a more intimate perspective on the meaning and message of the material, as well as the profundity of personal experiences invested during creative development.

Conaway, Sandra B. “Lindsay Weir Doesn’t Give a Damn About a Bad Reputation.” Girls Who (Don’t) Wear Glasses: The Performativity Of Smart Girls On Teen Television. Dissertation: p. 152-158.

Conaway examines the importance and influence of gender roles on teen television. As varied as girls can be (and as uniform as they tend to appear) it is important to distinguish what is perceived as the “smart” girl from the other teen female portrayals on television. Discussed in the paper will be the significance of choosing a female lead in Freaks and Geeks despite having a strong male presence (both creatively and in production), and what that reflects on the “auteurs” of the program, Judd Apatow and Paul Feig.

Hatcher, Thurston. “’Freaks and Geeks’ leaves NBC with three-hour finale.” CNN.com. 2000. 28 October 2009 http://archives.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/05/freaks.geeks/index.html.
Hatcher’s article was published in 2000, the year that Freaks and Geeks was officially cancelled. It features excerpts from interviews with executive produce Judd Apatow and cast member Samm Levine, who both offer insights as to why the show, despite being a critical darling, couldn’t gain enough ratings to remain in production. The opinions from members of the show who worked in its creative and business aspects are relevant to this paper in understanding what the importance of the show was, which consisted of providing a sense of comfort and familiarity rather than, as Apatow puts it, “escapist fare” that is so popular in the format of the teenager/family show. Additionally, there are sentiments about the network’s apparent lack of interest in promoting the show, which assured the early conclusion of the series.

Poniewozik, J. “Save This Show!”. Time Magazine. 1 May 2000: p. 68-9.

This article provides an assessment of Freaks and Geeks from the perspective of a critic rather than a regular viewer or person involved with the show. There is also a comparison of this show to two competing (but similarly styled) programs that were on at the same time and suffered the same fates, Felicity and Roswell. According to the author, it is important to consider that the climate of television at the time is relevant to determining success, and the paper will discuss the notion that a show may fail not only because of time slot or lack of promotion but what the viewers are demanding at that time in a general sense.

Rodrick, Stephen. “Judd Apatow’s Family Values.” New York Times Magazine 27 May 2007.

This interview of Judd Apatow during the filming of Knocked Up offers a perspective into his personal and professional lifestyles. There is a huge emphasis on Apatow’s appreciation of hard work and practice over just luck and talent, and how this attitude has afforded him not only great success but respect among his peers and admiration from his co-workers. It offers great insight also on his close relationships to a particular group of actors and writers who he has simultaneously influenced and been influenced by, including members of the cast form his first major production Freaks and Geeks (especially Seth Rogen). This article highlights the techniques and experiences Apatow developed over the years that contributed to his transformation into an auteur of sorts.

This is a list of the work sited that I will use for my assignment:

1) Ginsburgh, V.A., ed. Contribution to Economic Analysis. San Francisco: Elsevier, 2004. Print

The fourth chapter of this book speaks of “measuring the cultural discount in the price of exported us television programs”, which is exactly what I want to look at in the main body of my assignment.

2) Hayden, Goran, Michael Leslie and Folu F. Ogundimu, ed. Media and Democracy in Africa. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 2002. Print.

This book talks about the interplay between democracy and the media. It tackles issues such as broadcasting, the internet, media ownership, communicative spaces and twenty-first century Africa. I think all this information will come in handy when looking at the affects and effects of loving in a globalised Africa, and how this is shaping both the country and the African media world in a different direction.

3) Lev, Peter. History of the American Cinema. New York, NY: Charles Scribner and Sons, 2003. Print

This book looks at Hollywood in the 1950’s to the 1960’s. This was also an important time in South African cinematic and performance history. There is a place called Sophia town in Johannesburg. This town was famous for its swing and jazz era that was very much influenced by American films of the time. There were real gangsters that wore two toned shoes, top hats and long flowing coats, much like the gangster in the American movies. Sophia town was demolished because of forced removals, but there is now a play about the place, showing the vibrant lifestyle that existed in Sophia town. This book will help me explain with more detail this era, and how it affected the rest of the world (South Africa in particular).

4) McAnany, Emile G. and Kenton T. Wilkinson, 1st ed. Mass Media and Free Trade: NAFTA and the Cultural Industries. Texas: University of Texas Press. 1996. Print

I will use this book when speaking about international trade of television texts. I will be looking at chapter 3 in particular, titled: ‘Television and Film in a Freer International Trade Environment: US Dominance and Canadian responses. Just to see the fluidity that goes with the selling and buying of media texts and the choices thereof.

5) Woodward, Gary C. Perspectives on American Political Media. USA: Allyn and Beacon, 1997. Print

I will be looking at this book particularly because it talks about television (more specifically news television), democracy and the public sphere in America. This is an interesting and relevant point in my argument because this book also makes reference at the representation of Africa, and other third world countries in news media (the ethnocentric view among others)

6) Zegeye, Abebe and Richard L. Harris, ed. Media, Identity and the Public Sphere in Post-Apartheid South Africa. Boston: Brill, 2003. Print

One of the chapters in this book basically talks about the technology to formulate media texts in South Africa or the lack thereof, especially new technologies. It emphasizes how small and disadvantaged communities do not have access to these and therefore cannot participate in the mass media or getting their stories across with the use of multimedia recourses.

7) South Africa.info Window to the Nation. African animated series for US, 19 June 2007. Web. 27 Oct 2009.

This article that I found online, speaks of the reverse of the cultural interchange that I will be looking at, which is an interesting paradigm. It speaks of a cartoon that was developed by a South African production company, in conjunction with a Canadian production company, to form an educational cartoon program, aimed at South African, Canadian as well as American child audiences.

Abelman, Robert. Reaching a Critical Mass A Critical Analysis of Television Entertainment (Lea Communication Series). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc Inc, 1997. Print.

Abelman explores the significance of studying television as an academic text and work, by deconstructing the production and consumption process of television.  The book explores the television industry in terms of its production components, but in a theoretical and interesting way because it conceives of the production process in terms of master narratives and aesthetic values reproduced by the television medium.  Within the book he also explores closely the work of meta-television as to how the TV genre engages with the television viewer in a way that speaks to their intelligence and knowledge of television conventions.  In the context of my paper the insights derived from the work can give more support to the arguments of what the relationship between the show and the genre signifies.  While also paying close attention to how the relationship is altered or influenced by meta television components in The L Word.

Bolonik, Kera. The L Word Welcome to Our Planet. New York: Fireside, 2006. Print.

The book contains interviews and insight from producer Ilene Chaiken into how the show is produced and written on an episodic basis, but also as to how it was originally conceived.  I think the book is an important component of the overall concept of the show because it is evidence of this intertextuality as the show spills over into other mediums for consumption – books.  In terms of my paper it gives me a little more backing and information as to some of the intentions and influences that Ilene Chaiken had in making of her show, as well as that it can provide some sort of common thread to look for throughout the seasons, while constructing my own meaning of the work that the show is doing in the season that I am exploring.

Fiske, John, and John Hartley. “Television Realism.” Reading television. London: Routledge, 2003. Print.

Hartley and Fiske breakdown this concept of “television realism” into its critical components that explains the way in which the audience perceives the signs being put out in television shows – in relation to the lives that the audience leads outside of the television reality.  While exploring aspects of television realism it also deconstructs the notions of realism that television, as a medium, has transformed.  In understanding this television realism Hartley and Fiske point out that television has the capability to conceal certain meanings and motivations of the text that the producers have put into the show.  This chapter is critical in understanding how the work put out by producers is perceived by its audience and within the context of The L Word; how do we consider the meaning as being concealed within this realism, when what is being represented is a representation of its own self within television.  What are the layers of this reality and how does this help us understand meta-television – or create a definition of meta-television realism?

Gehring, Wes D. Parody as film genre “never give a saga an even break” Westport, Conn: Greenwood, 1999. Print.

Gehring explores parodies as “critical approaches, offering insights through laughter;” so as the medium is masked in this veil of unimportance and humor it provides thoughtful critiques.  While the content of parody is quite important, so is the form in which it is delivered; Gehring identifies the artistic and aesthetic nature of parody as well.  In understanding parody as a film genre, television genres can be examined too; which it can illuminate in the motivations behind Chiaken’s decision to create the season in a way that parodies itself.  Reading The L Word in these different ways puts the show within the greater context of media studies as well as gives meanings to the specific decisions made in the production of the show. Also, it is interesting to examine the significance of putting a form of parody within a show that is not a comedy but defined as a drama.

Griggers, Cathy. “Lesbian Bodies in the Age of (Post)Mechanical Reproduction.” Literary and Cultural Theory Carnegie Mellon University (1992). Print.

The article identifies the lesbian body as being broadcasted through popular culture and becoming a part of the mainstream as result of these technologies.  While doing this, the article also considers the different significances the lesbian body carries throughout modern representations of women.  Positioning the lesbian body and identity in contrast to certain notions of feminine identity, opens up many more complexities of the lesbian body and image in the age of constant cultural production.  This is one of the more theoretical works that I think is important to understand when writing my paper on lesbian bodies and their portrayal and issues in The L Word.

“The (in)visible lesbian: Anxieties of representation in the L word.” Reading The L word outing contemporary television. London: I.B. Tauris, In the United States and in Canada distributed by Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. Print.

The author deconstructs the representational and concerns that emerge from constructing this community of lesbian women on the television screen.  Closely examining examples from the show in the context of gender performativity being a crucial component of the shows perception by critics.  The authors look closely at the anxiety and concern that emerges from these representations of lesbian identity as being prevalent in multiple aspects of the shows creation as well as in its content to create this meta-narrative of anxiety within the show as well.  Exploring the feelings of the characters about their representation within the television reality and society in a way that reflects the outside critiques of this representation brings in another concern that I choose to look into for this paper.  Considering that if it seems that the characters in the show are aware of their presence within this television show, how do they feel about their own representation?

Lipstick Leviathans: Demonologies of the Lesbian Body. Reading The L word outing contemporary television. London: I.B. Tauris, In the United States and in Canada distributed by Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. Print.

The article explores how The L Word represents its lesbian characters as demonic characters as a means of providing an alternative perspective to the representations of queer women on television.  The article argues that by consistently attempting to portray lesbians on merely the positive and affirming position on The L Word it falls into the trap that it is often accused of – misrepresenting the lesbian community.  By portraying the women in this counter-narrative The L Word reclaims the demonized representations of them that are too often put out the dominant narratives.  This article will work in my paper to provide insight as to how to understand the work of representations of these women that doesn’t align with the typical form of minority representations on television – it functions as a way of queering their narrative. Also, in another way it gives insight into the work that Ilene Chaiken the producer does as well as Jenny the character when directing these characters.

Just a quick reminder of my thesis, mostly for my own sake. How Battlestar Galactica changed the science fiction genre with it’s emphasis on post 9/11 themes

Works Cited

Eberl, Jason T., ed. Battlestar Galactica and Philosophy. Oxford: Blackwell, 2008. Print.

Though the book is huge and I won’t use most of it, the beginning of almost every article begins discussing the differences between the new and old BSG in some way. While the subject of the book is obviously philosophy, I’d like to use it for the questions it arouses about modern life. The book is very dense, so it will take me a while to see which articles are useful and which are not, but I can already tell that any moral questions BSG arouses will be answered by this book.

Ford, James E. “Battlestar Galactica and Mormon Theology.” Journal of Popular Culture 17.2 (1832): 83. Print.

This is a source discussing the Battlestar Galactica of the 70’s. I was looking for a source about the link between Mormonism and BSG after seeing it referenced in another source. I’m still looking for more sources on BSG in the 70’s, but this is a good start. It discusses the original BSG as being the first fictional television show to ground its theology in one religion; which happens to be mormonism. It gives a good history of religion in BSG, making clear much of the terminology in the show. It also sums up the plot of the old BSG, which has been great because I haven’t gotten a chance to watch it yet. The article also talks about how the personal views of the head writer influenced BSG’s mormon themes.

Franklin, Nancy. “The Critics: On Television: Across the Universe: A Battlestar is Reborn.” The New Yorker 23 Jan. 2006: 92-93. Print.

This article glosses over a brief history of science fiction writing in television, and then proceeds to cover how Battlestar is reshaping the genre by tying in modern themes with it’s wacky universe.

Gerrold, David. The World of Star Trek. New York: Bluejay Books, 1984. Print.

Another book I thought I might need for my comparison, but no longer. Not really of any use to me, I don’t think. But I have it.

Gilmore, Mikai. “‘Battlestar’ Apocolypse.” Rolling Stone 19 Mar. 2009: 36-38. Print.

This article discusses the blatant 9/11 themes present in BSG, along with many quotes from producers. Lots of great observations here, but little to no information about the adaptation of BSG.

Goldberg, Jonah. “How Politics Destroyed a Great TV Show.” Commentary 34-7 128.3 (2009). Print.

This article discusses BSG’s origins as a post 9-11 commentary. It discusses BSG’s origins in right wing theory, but also maintains it does not have a right wing agenda. Most importantly it discusses the duel approach to every issue which BSG takes. It presents BSG as trying to show both ends of an issue, without being decisive about the ends of the issue. I’m still digesting this piece as a whole, as I do not quiet understand why not taking stance is, in fact, taking a stance, as the writer concludes. This piece is also useful as it discuses the absolute rage many regular viewers had at the end of the series.

Harrison, Taylor, Sarah Projansky, Kent A. Ono, and Elyce Robert Helford, eds. Enterprise Zones: Critical Positions on Star Trek. Boulder: Westview, 1996. Print.

I originally got this book for the purpose of comparing BSG to Star Trek, or another show within the sci-fi genre. After settling on comparing the new BSG to the old BSG, I have little use for this book. It could possibly be useful for making generalizations about science fiction history. It could also be useful because the producer of the new BSG had a large role in much of the later Star Trek series.

Lehrer, Eli. “Battlestar Rules.” The Weekly Standard 6 Apr. 2009. Print.

This article is in sharp contrast to “Battlestar Galactica: The Beginning of the End”. This article talks about the campiness and failure of the old BSG, and talks about how the new BSG takes everyday themes to their extremes and the success the show has with doing so.

Peed, Mike. “Shuttle Diplomacy; Brave New World Dept.” The New Yorker 6 Apr. 2009. Print.

This article discusses the usefulness of the sci-fi genre in the modern world, and the UN forum about BSG that took place early this year, before the series finale aired. Limited usefulness besides its mention of conference taking place, a lowly news bulletin almost.

Potter, Tiffany, and C.W. Marshall, eds. Cylons in America. New York: THe Continuum International Group Inc., 2008. Print.

This book useful overall, as it covers much of the history of BSG and the various changes it has undergone over the years. It focuses extensively on BSG’s themes of modern American life. One essay in particular disccuses how BSG’s middle ground (BSG always presents both sides of an issue and never concludes on it) is a potentially dangerous weapon. My thesis that BSG’s use of modern themes changed science fiction television is heavily supported by the content of this book, though I have only been able to read a few of the chapters thus far. More to come on this one as I am able to read.

Tulloch, John, and Henry Jenkins. Science Fiction Audiences: Watching Doctor Who and Star Trek. London, New York: Routledge, 1995. Print.

This book discusses science fiction audiences as they pertain to Doctor Who and Star Trek. I might use this book to extrapolate how BSG changed the science fiction genre, especially in who wants to watch it. It actually discusses the changes they predict would happen with science fiction audiences, and I would like to see if they match up with what BSG has done. It also contains an entire chapter devote to authorship in science fiction and it’s role in telling stories in space.

Vary, Adam B. “Battlestar Galactica: The Beginning of the End.” Entertainment Weekly 20 Mar. 2009. Print.

This article discusses the differences between the old BSG and the new BSG through interviews with the shows producer, Ronal Moore, and various cast members. It discusses the selling of BSG through the miniseries, the negative reactions of fans to the miniseries, and the subsequent series start-up and what they changed to ensure it’s success.

Steiff, Josef, and Tamplin, Tristan D. “Battlestar Galactica and Philosphy: Mission Accomplished or Mission Frakked Up? Chicago. Open Court. 2008

This is a review of the book “Battlestar Galactica and Philosophy”. I thought it might be useful, it really wasn’t. It mostly talked about how the book wasn’t so much about philosophy as it was an eclectic collection of essays. Fortunately for me, that’s what I wanted anyway.

1. Nick Hornby, “Interview with David Simon.” The Believer. August 2007

http://www.believermag.com/issues/200708/?read=interview_simon

An interview with David Simon that traces his career from his beginnings in journalism and discusses the aesthetics of The Wire and his other works.

2.

Oliver Burkeman, “Arrogant? Moi?” The Guardian, Saturday 28 March 2009.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/mar/28/david-simon-the-wire-interview

This is another interview with Simon, mostly discussing the wire. I was interested in the parts where Simon discusses his disillusionment with contemporary journalism.

3.

Mark Bowden, “The Angriest Man In Television” The Atlantic, January/February 2008

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200801/bowden-wire

Yet another interview with Simon. This was interesting because it explicitly references Tom Wolfe and his theories on narrative journalism or “New Journalism” and how Simon fits into that context.

4.

Wolfe, Maria Loukianenko

Maria Loukianenko Wolfe, “That’s Just the Breaks: The Ethics and Representation in Non-Fiction Writing” 2008.

From the abstract:

The purpose of the project was to examine the ethical issues involved in the production and reception of this non-fiction narrative that had transferred real events and people into the public area of communication, through the processes of writing and publishing the memoir.

5.

David Simon, “David Simon’s Testimony at the Future of Journalism Hearing” May 9, 2009

David Simon writes an article on his problems with journalism

6.

Frus, Phyllis, The Politics and Poetics of Journalistic Narrative. New York : Cambridge University Press, 1994

Frus discusses the history of narrative journalism and the responsibility of the observer.

7.

Taylor, Pegi, “Creative Nonfiction” Writer; Feb2002, Vol. 115 Issue 2, p29, 5p, 1 bw

Taylor defines and discusses the history of creative nonfiction.