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Sunday, November 17, 2013
Deconstructing the Simpsons
Analyze two examples of postmodern style in the Simpsons episode "The Front" (April 15, 1993; available on Paley) using terms from John Caldwell's essay. (Responses of 200 words will count as one blog post, 400 words as two blog posts; due 11/25):
https://www-paleyicollection-org.proxy.lib.umich.edu/Library.aspx#/Details/T:45330
https://www-paleyicollection-org.proxy.lib.umich.edu/Library.aspx#/Details/T:45330
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John Caldwell said, "the power of a show is directly proportional to the sheer number of objects, items, surfaces, and bodies that a producer can stuff into the studio space," (193) and in an animated show the variety of this mass is exponentially more possible than in a studio. The Simpsons for example has an introduction that introduces all of the characters in different settings with a variety of their secondary characters in the shots as well. This correlates to the idea of 'Trash TV' focusing on "things" rather than the sensitive photographic imaging that Caldwell clearly prefers. There are many components that make up Trash TV and The Simpsons demonstrates many of these. The aspects that I will explore with examples are narration, foregrounding, and multiple diegesis.
ReplyDeleteThe Simpsons demonstrates narrative intransitivity in many of the jokes throughout the episode. Bart's fantasy of robbing Santa for example is a random segmentation. The random Nixon impression of the class clown doesn't really have any causality in regards to the plot. Through comedy random occurrences have a heightened sense of pertinence, because of the genre itself but fantasy sequences and random tie-ins such as the impressions separate themselves from the causality that keeps the plot moving. I think it is important to note, however, that the Simpsons ties these random jokes into the plot even if they aren’t a part of causality, for example, the plunger on Homer’s head at the end of the episode ties into the beginning of the episode.
This differs from the causality that directs the plot of many other television programs.
The self-reflexivity about cartoons that is emphasized by foregrounding is different than the foregrounding that previously emphasized content and form. An example of this is when Bart and Lisa are given a tour around the cartoon company and the same backdrop is repeated as they walk in a hallway talking about budget cuts. This is important to note because it points out the lack of importance of foregrounding in this show when the background has the same amount of context. This is similar to Caldwell’s impression of Pee-Wee’s Playhouse and how the background is nonexistent when a world of props and electronics makes up each scene.
Lastly, the multiple story lines of the episode vary from the more classical dominant narrative structure. Bart and Lisa become cartoon writers; meanwhile, Homer is trying to pass his science class to graduate. These plots connect only in space and time, but are completely independent of one another. Caldwell brings up a few points about how this style is different from classical television programs/film in this new postmodern style. The Simpsons goes along with this trend, but I would say its fair to say that Pee-Wee’s Playhouse is a much clearer example of postmodernism in TV.
Lack of Narrative Closure: In the end of the episode, the 3 major plot lines end with little to no resolution about a life-altering event. The grandpa accepts the award for best comic writing, and walks out with no mention of if he quits the job, or if the children ever get any recognition for writing cartoons. The Itchy and Scratchy company fired all their writers and the show assumingly continues. Homer graduates high school, but it has no actual affect on his work life and his dream about his next reunion shows no affect of his newfound education. Krusty the Klown doesn’t get over his nicotine addictions.
ReplyDeleteDispleasure: Abraham Simpson is unhappy about the state of the television system today, and thinks its too violent, but he also thinks that the world in general was a better place back in the old days. Marge clearly has a look of displeasure when Homer tells her that he tells her he ate her bath soaps, which makes you wonder if she does actually enjoy being married to someone as stupid as Homer. Krusty the Klown is clearly angry about being the host of a bad children’s show, as he is heavily addicted to nicotine.
Multiple digress: In this episode there were 3 significant plot lines rotating with each other constantly. There is very rarely a scene over 2 or 3 minutes that contains the same linear plot before it switches back to something else that’s happening. Not to mention there is plotlines that are conjured up and finished in a matter of minutes. The major plot lines start off with a longer introduction segment and gradually fade as other plot lines take over.
Perpetual Presents: In other articles, the term “nonlinear reality” is used to describe the same phenomenon, which is that the plot lines have very little to no effect on each other. The past and future are times that don’t even exist, and the plot happens in the current. The Simpson’s family also doesn’t age over the time that they have been on air, meaning time essentially doesn’t exist.
Reversal of Class, Race, Gender and Age: Homer is seen as an inferior intellectual even to his own children, who write an award winning cartoon script. Marge is a baby sitter to her husband, who is typically the leader of a family.
Extreme Intertexuality: In this episode in particular, there was not a ton of intertextuality, using significant works of art as part of the plot line, but the Simpsons is well known for their shout-outs to famous works of art.
ReplyDeletePostmodern is recognized as the information age that is no longer distinguished by industrialization, but rather based on the idea of capitalism and information becoming the product. Furthermore, this era mixes high and low culture while also blending past and present through images and objects without any regard for contextualizing their appearance within TV programming. With that said, the “postmodern condition” emphasizes the idea that there is no truth, right or wrong but requires acknowledgment from its viewers of the text in contrast to other texts. This idea is demonstrated within The Simpsons, which consistently makes cultural references from different time periods without emphasizing any concern. Therefore, the viewer is required to bring his or her own sense of text and understanding while viewing the program. Caldwell expresses his views on postmodernism through his notions of “reality into images,” “perpetual presents,” “pastiche” and “schizophrenia.” The Simpsons episode, “The Front” (1993) successfully demonstrates postmodern stylistic techniques, specifically those of “perpetual presents” and “pastiche.”
Caldwell’s idea of perpetual presents can be seen through the episode’s use of characters and names, which hold cultural significance from past time periods. Therefore, the concept of time is suspended and, therefore, we are never quite sure of what time period the show is taking place. Additionally, the use of deceased celebrity figures, such as Elvis, demonstrates how The Simpsons “steals” historical images but does not explain any reasoning to do so. This particular episode also “mixes” time periods by using Elvis as a character but then also making note to have the grandfather’s name be “Abraham Simpson;” his character mentions Teddy Roosevelt, therefore, placing his name into the context of Abraham Lincoln. Furthermore, the grandfather mentions that he is writing a letter to the “Modern Bride Magazine,” which also works to mix time periods together. Lastly, while at Homer’s high school reunion, he refers to other individuals by the names of the characters on the past television show, Happy Days. Therefore, it is clear that The Simpsons incorporates different time periods together without any contextualization.
Caldwell’s notion of pastiche is also demonstrated within the episode, specifically through the cartoon. “Itchy and Scratchy Show.” The show can be viewed as a “parody” of “Tom and Jerry” or “The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries,” however, in a much more gruesome manner. Each episode of the show features Itchy, the mouse, killing Scratchy, the cat. Evidently, there is a lack of regard for logic or intent, however, the characters on The Simpsons appear to enjoy it. With that said, this cartoon within a cartoon can be viewed as pastiche because it creates historical amnesia, ripping the relationship between cat and mouse from past iconographic television cartoons and turning it into a blank or disinteresting parody.
Caldwell describes “seven tendencies of radical modernism.” These are: narrative intransitivity, estrangement, foregrounding, multiple diegesis, aperture, displeasure, and reality. Since my classmates have already discussed most of these, I will focus on just two, displeasure and foregrounding, attempting to pick out fresh examples of them from this episode of The Simpsons.
ReplyDeleteOf all of the seven tendencies, I experienced displeasure the most in this episode. Caldwell defines displeasure as the idea that pain is an essential part of any progressive art form. So, on a show like Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, the daily word segment, which invites children to scream whenever a specific word is said, could be a source of displeasure for parents. In this episode of The Simpsons I felt a lot of displeasure during the portions of the episode devoted to “The Itchy and Scratchy Show.” In these segments, we view a cartoon that Bart and Lisa watch. The cartoon features a cartoon cat and mouse, both with strange, high-pitched voices (which are already enough to trigger a sense of displeasure, at least in my case). The episodes apparently all revolve around the concept that Itchy (the mouse) is always killing Scratchy (the cat), typically in a very violent way. In one particularly jarring scene, Itchy nails Scratchy’s feet to an escalator so that at the top, all of Scratchy’s fur is cut off, leaving him as a standing mass of exposed pink muscle. The scene comes complete with dripping red cartoon blood and ends with the imagery of Scratchy wearing his own pelt around his shoulders and being beaten to death by a group of anti-fur animal activists. The scene is uncomfortably violent and would definitely not have been allowed on television had it not been in cartoon form. This, then, is a perfect example of Caldwell’s idea of displeasure, since the cartoon, far from entertaining us, actually grosses us out and creates discomfort.
“The Itchy and Scratchy Show” could also be used as an example of the tendency of foregrounding, which Caldwell breaks down into the elements of self-referentiality, self-reflexivity, and self-critique. “The Itchy and Scratchy Show” is clearly a self-referential representation of the cartoon genre as a whole. Further, it is actually a commentary on that genre, especially shows like “Tom and Jerry,” and the Looney Tunes cartoons featuring Coyote and Road Runner, which on the surface seem to be children’s shows, but which actually showcase a startling amount of violence. This critique is made even more clear during Grandpa Simpson’s speech at the end of the episode when he denounces “The Itchy and Scratchy Show” for being “disgusting” and “violent,” and calls all those who watch it “despicable.” However, foregrounding can also refer to the tendency of television shows to foreground background elements like props and sets, essentially assaulting the viewer with visuals. One might make the case that The Simpsons’ bright color palette is an example of this because the colors are just so unnatural. It seems as if the characters’ yellow skin color and the uncommonly bright backgrounds they are put against are designed to catch the eye rather than create a real, rich world for the characters. In short, form seems to be emphasized over content. Thus, this episode of The Simpsons seems to fit right into Caldwell’s description of the two postmodern tendencies of displeasure and foregrounding.