How do TV shows reflect american culture?

Essay by LatexHigh School, 11th gradeA+, September 1996

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Television Shows Reflect American Culture

There are many movies and television shows that reflect American culture. A show or movie must address some current societal problem or trend in order to truly reflect American life; murder, rape, racism, and, on a less serious note, parties, shopping, and sports are topics that deserve serious consideration by the public and the media.

The show Beverly Hills 90210 attempts to be an accurate portrayal of the life of a typical well-off American teenager growing up in the 80's and 90's. The producers of the show attempt to integrate many real life situations into the show. By doing this they are suggesting to the audience, which happens to be geared toward teenagers, that what the characters do in the show is the ideal way to deal with these types of situations.

Many aspects of American culture are represented on the television show Beverly Hills 90210, or just 90210 as it is commonly referred to.

Three to four years ago it dealt with the subject of murder or homicide. One of David's, a star in the show, best friends was playing with a gun which he had acquired during a summer vacation to the mid-West. The friend shot himself by accident; what followed was a time of mourning for David and a recollection of many fond memories of the times they shared together. This episode's tragedy brought the characters in the show closer together.

Many innocent children, and sometimes adults, are killed accidentally playing with guns, or by drive-by random shootings. This is a major problem in the United States and the show is trying to get the message out that it is not a safe thing to do. It also raises the question as to why access of guns is so readily...