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Reviews
The Addams Family (1964)
Not Your Average Horror Series
One thing which most Americans do not remember about the 1960s is the influential role played by President John F. Kennedy and his wife Jackie in shaping the culture of the time. For most Americans, Jack and Jackie were the perfect couple-- everyone aspired to be like them, even if they came from communities which were being marginalized by the existing social order.
When Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, the social order broke down almost completely. People started to lose faith in what had previously taken been for granted, and families similar to the one portrayed in this show would have been a lot more common than people seem to realize. They aren't monsters-- they're regular people like you and me, just different.
Bewitched (1964)
Back When It Was Cool to be a Witch
This show is about a female protagonist who has a unique power that often makes her husband feel insecure, and yet she tries to manage it in such a way that it benefits the society around her. It's very clear that this show is a reference to women's liberation, but there is more to this show than just attacks against the feminist establishment.
In order to truly understand this show, you need to put it in its historical context. American society was certainly more conservative during this time period, especially when it came to social issues. However, this was also before the revival of evangelical Christianity led by The Moral Majority and the accompanying moral panic about Satanic ritual abuse.
The main characters are a pair of middle-class white Americans who live during a time when society starts to question long-held beliefs regarding race and gender. The wife's interest in the occult certainly would have raised eyebrows, but it also would not have been viewed as a dire threat. The premise of this series is to encourage middle-class Americans to push the boundaries set by society and start trying new things.
I Dream of Jeannie (1965)
Establishment Feminism During a Period of Social Upheaval
This show was produced during the years following World War 2, when large numbers of American GIs were returning home from campaigns in overseas theaters. One of the places where American soldiers fought was North Africa, which was used by the armed forces to stage an invasion of Italy. This show is most likely a metaphor for a GI who brought home a bride from overseas.
I've seen some pretty scathing criticism directed towards the portrayal of gender roles in this show, but it looks a lot more progressive if one interprets it in its historical context. Prior to the women's liberation movement of the 1960s, there was the first wave of feminism during the 1920s triggered by the passage of 19th Amendment which granted women suffrage for the first time.
It looks like this show is trying to appeal to the sensibilities of socially conservative feminists, such as the ones who made up the suffrage movement. This demographic subset may not be as common among the mainstream American population, but you will see it quite a bit in the academic establishment.
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (2003)
The Epitome of 1990s Culture
*** Contains Mild Spoilers *** When I was a kid, I didn't really enjoy this show because I was never into the Goth subculture, which is what this series appears to be promoting. There's a very interesting interplay between the main characters: Mandy is the intelligent Goth girl, while Billy and Irwin are the two "normal" children who end up getting involved due to their association with Mandy.
I couldn't fully grasp it back then, but there's more to this show than meets the eye, especially when you take into account issues of race and gender. At first glance, it appears that this show is throwing minority characters under the bus in favor of strong female leads like Mandy-- Irwin rarely acts outside of his stereotype as a dorky, socially awkward black kid, and Billy is a multiracial kid who is constantly dependent on Mandy to make decisions on his behalf.
Although it may seem like the epitome of racism to make a show about a young blond white girl who is so smart that she can even control Death himself, it makes a lot more sense if you account for the cultural climate when this show was produced. It came out right after the end of the 1990s, a decade defined by the IT bubble and boy bands. The cultural emphasis on machismo that characterized this period was bound to create a reaction, and this show appears to be part of it.
Recommended for anyone who would like to take a trip down memory lane.
SpongeBob SquarePants (1999)
Great show, but be careful with kids
** SPOILER ALERT **
This show provided an entire generation of children with an entertaining way to learn about marine biology, and touches on other important topics such as vehicle safety and workers' rights. Although it may be a more kid-friendly way to learn about these topics than your average PBS documentary, it doesn't hurt to be careful, since even Spongebob has its moments.
In one episode, the residents of a Bikini Bottom make fun of Sandy the squirrel for her inability to survive underwater, so she turns the tables by challenging them to survive on dry land. The sea creatures are able to adjust to the waterless environment, only to come under attack by seagulls and require rescue by the creature who they were previously mocking.
It seems pretty innocent, since it's telling people to respect other ways of life. It starts to break down, however, when you take into account the fact that the bottom of the ocean is less well understood than the surface of Mars. If you can survive down there, surviving anywhere else is a piece of cake.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/just-how-little-do-we- know-about-the-ocean-floor/