"Very Special Episodes examines how the quintessential "very special episode" format became a primary way in which the television industry responded to and shaped social change, cultural traumas, and industrial transformations. With essays covering showsranging from the birth of Desi Arnaz, Jr. on I Love Lucy to contemporary examples such as a delayed episode of Black-ish and the streaming-era phenomenon of the "Very Special Seasons" of UnReal and 13 Reasons Why, this collection seriously and criticallyuses the "very special episode" to chart the history of American television and its self-identified status as an arbiter of culture. Through the study of this unique television format, this anthology traces the history of television's engagement with many of the most important political, aesthetic, economic, and social movements that continue to challenge our society today. In doing so, the essays collectively argue that the "very special episode" has always helped television conceive of itself and its relationship to the world around it"--
This book brings together 15 essays on very special episodes of television and how they have helped television define itself and its relationship to the world, viewing these episodes as part of a broader impulse in television history to address significant social issues with event programming. Film, television, media, and other scholars from North America and the UK focus on episodes that reconsider the complex and changing relationship between television producers and viewers, as well as between aesthetics and politics, showing that they help television and its audience understand themselves and their relationship to the world. They discuss very special episodes in the 1950s and 1960s and the role of the US government in sponsoring episodes designed to make Americans aware of the dangers of the atomic bomb; how very special episodes became a tool to fight racism in the 1970s, particularly in an episode of Bewitched; anti-drug special episodes in the 1980s in Kate & Allie and Valerie; special holiday episodes, including on Cheers; teen sex-talk episodes in 1980 sitcoms; Halloween episodes from Roseanne; and episodes that dealt with issues of race and racial conflict, including in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Others cover the 1994 experiment of NBC's "Must-See Thursday" shows featuring a blackout in New York; Ellen's coming out episode; how networks accepted money from the Office of National Drug Control Policy to create anti-drug episodes on teen-centric series; how The Simpsons and Animaniacs used very special episodes to comment on American media forms and histories; episodes of comedy programs broadcast live, particularly Two Pints and a Packet of Crisps and 30 Rock; controversies surrounding ABC's attempts to influence the content of several very special episodes of black-ish and Scandal; a very special episode in EastEnders; and how streaming is redefining the limits of very special episodes, using the example of sexual assaults in an entire season of UnREAL. Annotation ©2021 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)
Very Special Episodes examines how the quintessential &;very special episode&; format became a primary way in which the television industry responded to and shaped social change, cultural traumas, and industrial transformations. With essays covering shows ranging from the birth of Desi Arnaz, Jr. on I Love Lucy to contemporary examples such as a delayed episode of Black-ish and the streaming-era phenomenon of the &;Very Special Seasons&; of UnReal and 13 Reasons Why, this collection seriously and critically uses the &;very special episode&; to chart the history of American television and its self-identified status as an arbiter of culture.
Very Special Episodes explores various examples of the &;very special episode&; to chart the history of American television and its self-identified status as an arbiter of culture. Through the study of this unique television format, this anthology traces the history of television&;s engagement with many of the most important political, aesthetic, economic, and social movements that continue to challenge our society today.
