Nashville

This new television show features a fading country music legend (Rayna James) and her up and coming competition (Juliette Barnes.  The show sets the two up for an on-going power struggle for the spotlight. 

Until this point in time I have not watched an episode of the new ABC show, Nashville.  While I love a good new show, this would not be a show I would typically have taken up watching. 

 One thing I noticed in watching the show was that many scenes are shot in the kitchen or around instruments or musical settings.  Thing is shows the South’s focus on food. 

The show could not be set anywhere other than Nashville.  The rich music heritage of Nashville provides an immediate backdrop for the drama that plays out throughout the season.  There are few places in the United States where people compete for fame as they do in Nashville.  There is no other place in the South that could play host to the show because there is no other city that births as many stars as Music City.  The industry, here, is continually growing and evolving insisting a constant out with the old, in with the new. 

Rayna is an incredibly successful woman, regardless of her recent decline in fame; yet, she is still shown preparing meals in the kitchen.  This is interesting in that even though she is a successful woman and could be self-reliant financially, she can’t seem to get herself out of the kitchen.  She is not exempt from the southern female stereotype.  I can’t promise that I will continue to keep up with this tv show, but it does have some interesting qualities.  I do like Hayden Panettiere, however, so I might give it another try.  - Lauren Copeland

Justified (Season One)

Sex, alcohol, drugs, cowboy hats and boots, and quick draw gunfights elicit images of just about any location other than the American South.  However, these images come from just below the Mason-Dixon Line in rural Kentucky.  Rural Kentucky is about as close to the lawlessness of Appalachia that an audience can get without actually visiting the region.  What the audience really needs is a tour guide through the crime-ridden foothills of Kentucky.  Enter Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant), a native of Harlan, Kentucky, and a U.S. Marshal freshly redeployed from his long stint at the Marshal’s office in Miami, Florida.  Raylan lives life in the fast lane, and his actions are almost always justified, at least in his mind.

 

Raylan rarely takes prisoners, but he is fair.  He only fires his weapon when he feels the need to protect himself; in fact, he only shoots to kill.  Raylan is not a stone cold killer; although, many characters agree that he harbors some hostility.  Yet, Raylan always tries to give people a way to save themselves.  For example, the very first scene of the first episode of Justified features Raylan killing a gun runner after he refused to leave Miami by the deadline Raylan offered him.  This scene is the genesis of Raylan’s new journey through the foothills of Kentucky; indeed, it even gives rise to his unofficial catchphrase, “It was justified.”

If we look at Raylan’s character as a metaphor, it is possible to draw parallels to the post-9/11 foreign policies of the United States.  Raylan’s character is not a strictly shoot-first-ask-questions-later lawman.  Rather, he deliberately gives his opponents the opportunity to end their shenanigans before something bad happens.  In a sense, he tries diplomacy before resorting to violence; though, he has no qualms with putting a man down.  Similarly, the United States has on numerous occasions given foreign leaders and groups various opportunities to cease hostilities.  If diplomacy fails, then military action is taken.  For example, the United States warned Saddam Hussein to rid Iraq of weapons of mass destruction.  When Hussein refused, the Iraqi War resulted, which eventually lead to Hussein’s capture and execution.  In a word, Raylan and the United States are not unalike in spirit.

Basing the series in real locations like Lexington, Kentucky and Harlan, Kentucky is crucial to the success of the show.  If the setting was a fictional location, such as Mayberry from the Andy Griffith Show, then there would be little connection to the real world.  More importantly, the audience would be unable to make the connection of reality to fiction.  In a sense, the series would lose all sense of concreteness.  It would be difficult to take seriously a crime drama that occurs in a fictional location.  However, the realness of the locales in the series allows for a real world connection for the audience.  The realness of the locations allows the audience to suspend its disbelief just enough for the show to be successful, whereas a fictional location would require a greater suspension of disbelief.  The settings of Justified are real and tangible, and this characteristic helps to solidify the realness of the characters in the series.

Raylan’s character develops throughout the first season of Justified.  He makes human errors, and he learns from his mistakes.  Yet, Raylan Givens is much more than just a man.  He is the embodiment of the spirit of the United States, especially the North.  He is an “other” in his home state, a fact that is bolstered when Raylan admits to not wanting to be in Kentucky.  It would seem that not just any outsider could tame the wild Appalachian hillbillies; indeed, only a native Kentuckian returned from extended exposure to “Northern” culture could bring civility to the foothills.  Only the spirit of the United States, forged by Northern ideals, can quell the wild Southerner.  Raylan Givens is that spirit in human form.  Raylan Givens is the redeemer of the Kentucky foothills.  One could even say he is the patron saint of lost causes, if one did not already exist.  -- Michael Beaver

The Office (Season 6): “Murder”

Never seeming to run out of satirical targets, The Office is a natural choice of shows to portray the horrors of the South.  For those who have yet to experience the beauties of the small, paper company, Dunder Mifflin, The Office documents the lives of salesman, accountants, and regional manager, Michael Scott (Steve Carrel) in Scranton, Pennsylvania, as they seem to do everything but sell paper.
In the Season 6 episode “Murder”, the South comes to Scranton in the form of a mystery game entitled “Belles, Bourbon, and Bullets: A Murder Mystery Game” (much like Clue with acted out roles) in which the entire office escapes the reality of corporate bankruptcy. Everyone in the company must take on a character role from the town of Savannah, Georgia. Cue the exaggerated, Southern accents. The greatest of all accents comes from Michael Scott who uses the expression, “I do declare,” before every sentence. The slowest and most ignorant of all the employees, Kevin (Brian Baumgartner), is seen practicing his Southern accent by slowly and painfully oozing the word “Y’all” out of his mouth. Even shy characters become more sexually open when they make the switch to their Southern themed character, which would not be as big of an atrocity if the majority of the characters were not related.  Angela (Angela Kinsey) blames her corrupt and misguided behavior on being exposed to Harry Potter. Not everyone chooses to participate in the game, however, like accountant, Oscar (Oscar Nunez), who busts into the conference room, where the game is being played, with urgent news from corporate. Michael is quick to stop “the outsider” by screaming, “What is that strange Yankee accent coming out of your mouth, son? This, here, is Savannah.” What follows this outburst is a reaction that is quite shocking: Oscar, who is Hispanic, proceeds to play the part of a slave as he attempts to relay the news to his master. Michael stays in character throughout the remainder of the workday despite his employees best wishes to get back to work. In his final talking head, Michael admits, “There has been a lot of murder and a lot of intrigue and my lil’ heart can barely take it no more. This has been the hardest I have worked in a very long time.”

Several Southern characteristics are being satirized in this episode but some cannot go unchecked. My personal favorite was the attack on Southerners for our revered judgment of Harry Potter. Maybe it is the deeply religious background and strong traditional ties we have here, but I will never understand the conviction of it being “witchcraft.” Some Southern parents will never allow their children to watch or even read Harry Potter based on this wild assumption. The slave and master reference also cannot be avoided. Not a believable characteristic of the present day, can this slash to our past really disturb us at all? Similarly, the majority of the satire on the South comes in innocent fashion: laughing at our accents and values, desires of incest, and radically simple lives (thank God this aired before Here Comes Honey Boo Boo came out). It even points out our stereotyped belief that we country folk are harder workers than Northerners. Beyond all of this, there is a much harsher stereotype being satirized – the South is good at putting up a front or mask. We avoid controversial issues and “sticky” situations in the same way Dunder Mifflin played a simple mystery game at work to avoid the scary thought of losing their jobs. Perhaps the reason we look so much different from the rest of the world is because we are afraid of facing impending change. We are, often, afraid of reality itself. Even today, our country looks to be changing more than ever, so, in turn, the South signs petitions to secede from the Union. Let’s face it, sometimes, we deserve to be mocked and ridiculed especially at the hands of Michael Scott and Dunder Mifflin. - Brandon Landis

 

Sweet Home Alabama

The episode that I was able to watch of Sweet Home Alabama was of Season 2. Former Clemson Tiger quarterback Tribble Reese is the bachelor in Season 2. He is from Birmingham, Al (the south.) This really reminds me of The Bachelor but with the added north/south stereotypes. Nonetheless, it goes farther by stereotyping the different classes of southern people. In this case it is southern women. In the beginning of the show two southern women, Ashley and Mandy, were yelling at each other. Ashley felt like Mandy is the “hillbilly” or “white trash” and Mandy felt like Ashley is “fake.” This represents the two different types of southern people. The show already has the division of the north and south but this added Southern stereotyping blew my mind. However, is this just how people act? Do southerners classify people within the south and tear itself apart? Or is this all premeditated, as in the show producers tell the people on the show to spice things up for ratings?  I noticed that when someone speaks on the show and they put their names up that all of the southern girls had their job title plus what type of southern element they have. The northern women were only introduced with their job title. The categorizing of north/south women in the show is unmistakable. It is almost thrown into your face, as if the accents aren’t enough. This makes me think that the producers have some kind of hand in what they want the viewers to see of the south and of the north. The dress of the women is questionable as well. The southern women dress VERY southern. Is this intentional, or really how these girl’s dress? That was just another thing that caught my eye and made me wonder how much did the producers manipulate in this reality show. Furthermore, Tribble goes on a date with a northern woman, then a southern woman. The differences in the two personalities are humongous. However, Tribble seems to like both women equally. Tribble gives this long speech about how he was raised in a Southern family. He hits almost every Southern stereotype there is. He is a football player, he says he was raised to go to church on Sunday’s, and to sit around the table with the family for every meal. Nevertheless, these Southern qualities were subtly placed in between kisses and the girl telling the camera how she lets the guy know that she really likes him.

The next part of the show is a group date where he takes them to his alma mater, Clemson. This part of the show is very stereotypical of the South. Also, they have the Northern girls commenting on the moonshine and tailgating. This show really points out the differences of the south and north. Furthermore, this show pretty much sets up the preconceived notion of how southerners are, which is not actually true for all southerners.  - Autumn McMunn

Duck Dynasty

I am the type of person who usually doesn’t watch television, so I had no clue where to begin my search for a television show with southern elements. Thanks to Facebook, I settled on Duck Dynasty. For those who have not watched Duck Dynasty, the A&E show revolves around the daily challenges of the Robertson family, who all live in Monroe, Louisiana. The Robertson's started their own business, Duck Commander, of making duck calls; as a result, they recently became a multimillionaire family. For this blog post, I will focus on the episode “Spring Pong Cleaning.” Why this episode? 1) It was difficult trying to find a full episode online, so I chose the first one that I found. 2) Unfortunately, I do not own Netflix.

The episode begins with the Robertson guys, Willie, Jase, Phil, and Si, along with some coworkers shaking trees and collecting muscadine berries to make homemade jam. As I watched the opening scene, I couldn’t help, but think of how the wilderness accurately describes the men of the Robertson’s. They act untamed, display wild beards, and are not afraid to get a little dirty. Even though the audience knows that they’re multimillionaires, they choose to stick with their true southern roots. It is interesting to observe and compare the southern reality television shows of today, such as Ducky Dynasty and Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. These shows follow the lives of southern families, who realistically are filthy rich, yet they do not act any differently than when they were dirt poor. They still live in the same small houses, wear the same non-brand clothes, and live the same lifestyle. Apparently, viewers enjoy these types of shows, and I hope to see, or in my case hear, more shows like these ones that display positive, authentic qualities of closely knit families.

Anyways, going back to Duck Dynasty. This particular episode describes some normal everyday tasks, such as cleaning out the warehouse and going to the eye doctor. However, the characters put their own Robertson twist on these tasks. For example, as the guys are cleaning out the warehouse, they find a ping pong table and begin playing on it. To make the game more violent, they add in a “red belly rule,” where the loser of the serve lifts up his shirt to receive a hard hit from the ping pong ball on his bare belly from the other player. Crazy? Yes. Out of the ordinary for the Robertson’s? No. Some of the Robertson’s actions can be questionable, but no matter what they do, they always enjoy spending time together as a family. The Robertson’s may not appear as the average southern family, but average never describes the Robertson’s.

As I watched the show, it was hard to miss the obvious closeness and family values of the Robertson’s, which are traditional characteristics of southern families. Except for Thanksgiving, in America it is rare to find the whole family sitting down to share a large home-cooked meal with no cell phones or technology as distractions. However, the Robertson’s set a prime example of this forgotten tradition. In the closing scene, the whole clan gathers at the table to eat a large southern dinner together. When I say “southern,” I mean crispy fried crappie, cornbread, homemade muscadine jelly, and large ice-filled glasses of sweet tea. The patriarch, Phil, says the prayer before dinner, which displays another aspect of the South: religion. Southerners are known for their strong, religious beliefs, and the Robertson’s do not try to hide this aspect.

Duck Dynasty displays positive southern qualities and teaches America some valuable lessons. The men’s appearances and vocabulary may appear redneck and uncultivated, but a deeper look into their actions and values makes viewers revise their persona. As momma always said, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” -Paige Pack

True Blood

 

I’ve been watching True Blood for almost as long as it’s been on the air, and it’s hard to find a lot about it that isn’t Southern.  True Blood is set in the rural Louisiana town of Bon Temps and is filled with the standard set of stereotypes along with vampires and other supernatural beings.  There are the “whitetrash” Rattrays, the bumbling deputy Andy and the main character Sookie, a blond waitress with the unusual ability to read minds.   At the heart of the story are romantic entanglements of Sookie and Bill, the 150 year “Southern gentleman” with fangs.  However, it is the characters that are obviously not Southern who pose the biggest threat.  The Southern characters while dangerous and occasionally unpredictable are understood.  Eric, the vampire Sheriff of the area, is obviously not Southern; he’s a 1000 year old Viking.  To the characters in the show he is the most dangerous and unpredictable menace to Bon Temps.  True Blood asks the viewer whether the familiar stereotypes we know are safer than the ones we don’t.   Eric has the power and authority in the vampire community to threaten the sleepy life and status quos of Bon Temps. 

The setting in Louisiana makes the appearance of vampires and other supernatural beings more believable.  Louisiana has a long history of supernatural stories and legends.  Southern gothic stories were basically born in Louisiana.  The definition of Gothic is the emphasis on the mysterious and grotesque and barbaric; all of which True Blood embodies.  Violence, death and mysterious people and situations pervade season 1 and subsequent seasons.  Without giving anything away the end of the season introduces a new character from a “good” “Bible thumping” family whose life is completely turned upside down by the vampire community.  While the vampire community contains “Southern” members it is, like Eric not safe.  The Southern community Sookie lives in rarely surprises.  Only the “other” characters offer anything new to Bon Temps and Sookie, but they also offer danger and change to a stagnant culture. 

True Blood shows the South at its best and worse.  Sookie’s grandmother is kind and nuthuring but another member of the community is a killer.  Bill is a “Southern Gentleman” but has also killed and the end of season 1 brings a complication to his “mainstream” life.  These “Southern” characters are not, however, leaving Bon Temps anytime soon.  The vampires and other supernaturals bring change and newness to Bon Temps.  While the Southern characters seem much safer than vampires, True Blood poses the question that only something as drastic and different as vampires can alter the stagnant culture Sookie Stackhouse inhabits. - Lauren Daley

Doctor Who & the South: Daleks in Manhattan

The presentation of an American-Southerner stereotype is not something one necessarily expects when settling in to watch a British television production such as Doctor Who. However, as the show features extraterrestrial and supernatural beings of all sorts, the portrayal of an American-Southerner may come as no surprise after all. The Southern character in this instance is Frank, portrayed by Andrew Garfield. Set amidst the harsh times of economic despair surrounding Hoover's presidency, we first meet Frank in the impoverished setting of a "Hooverville." Frank's role lasts throughout two episodes of Doctor Who, but his identity and ensuing Southern stereotype are introduced within the first twenty-three minutes of the first epiusode. The director achieves this through dialogue and semiotics.

The first interaction the audience has with Frank is an interesting enough scene in itself: the Doctor and Martha are conversing with Solomon, the unofficial leader of this particular "Hooverville." Frank bursts in and relays a message to Solomon, an African-American. This hierarchy shows a reversal of traditional Southern stereotypes as Frank willingly reports to and obviously respects the African-American Solomon. Past this point, many of the traditional stereotypes are enforced. When the antagonist of the episode appears seeking help with "tunnel work," Frank is the first to question the man and take a stand against going. As the Doctor the volunteers, Frank quickly changes his position and volunteers as well. The audience infers two messages from this: 1) Frank contains an admirable amount of courage as he follows the Doctor into a precarious position 2) Frank appears malleable as he immediately reverses his position based on nothing but a whim from the Doctor.

The next time the audience sees Frank is below the city, in the tunnels themselves. After brief dialogue with the antagonist, the party sets off into the darkness. Each member of the four-person party bears an electronic torch, but the physical arrangement of the party is interesting here. As the Doctor and Solomon walk together, Frank sticks close to the Doctor's companion, Martha. A woman in her early mid-twenties, she has seen great adventure with the Doctor and needs little protection from Frank. Frank remains by Martha's side though, going so far as to tell her, "You stick with me, and you'll be alright" in his thick Southern drawl. As the two walk, Martha remains bundled up due to the cold while Frank walks just a step ahead of her to remain the image of defense against danger.

Frank's courage quickly fades though as the group wanders upon an inanimate extraterrestrial substance, appearing similar to a brain. Unmoving, the brain appears harmless and non-threatening. It simply appears as an "unknown element." However, Frank quickly falls to the back of the group and stands behind his three companions. A shadow falls across his face, coupling with his own expression of fear to show the audience Frank's dramatic swing from bravery to fright. As the creature shows no sign of danger, the audience assumes Frank is only scared because the creature is outside his sphere of "knowing." Solomon, the native Northerner, appears less rattled. Juxtaposing these two figures, the Northerner appears more able to cope with the unknown, as the Southerner seems scared and possibly even unable to comprehend that extraterrestrial beings may exist. The Southerner appears less advanced. The final stereotype is implemented when the four attempt to escape out of a manhole cover after being chased by a hostile group of "pig men." Seeing that the creatures are closing in, Frank picks up a makeshift weapon and valiantly holds the creatures off until all can escape, sacrificing himself in the process. Forgoing his previous fear, Frank appears brave and valiant once more. Within the first twenty-three minutes of the episode, the producers of Doctor Who show that traditional stereotypes of the American-Southerner do not end at American borders. It appears that many of the stereotypes have leapt across the seas and found themselves embedded in foreign cultures as well. - James Cochran