Seeing Through the Eighties: Television and Reaganism

by Jane Feuer

Book Overview

The 1980s saw the rise of Ronald Reagan and the New Right in American politics, the popularity of programs such as thirtysomething and Dynasty on network television, and the increasingly widespread use of VCRs, cable TV, and remote control in American living rooms. In Seeing Through the Eighties , Jane Feuer critically examines this most aesthetically complex and politically significant period in the history of American television in the context of...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0822316870
• ISBN13: 9780822316879
• Release Date: October 1995
• Publisher: Duke University Press
• Length: 184 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

An insightful look at 1980s TV and American culture

Seeing Through the Eighties is an important work in the study of television and American cultural history. In it, Feuer examines specifics of shows from one of America's Golden Ages of TV - shows like Miami Vice, Moonlighting and thirtysomething (and others!) to reveal their modernist and postmodernist tendencies. She pits her examples from these shows against American happenings such as the rise of yuppie culture. Proving that taping commercials can sometimes actually help rather than hinder the viewing experience, Feuer also looks at the ads that were run alongside these shows (where possible) to draw out more insights about the era. Feuer is wonderfully smart, and she's great fun, too - her book doesn't shy away from using the first person occasionally, and it keeps the read from becoming overly scholarly and dry.Some of the concepts discussed here aren't the easiest to grasp, but once everything clicks, you'll notice your heart start beating a little faster when you stumble upon a rerun of Miami Vice.

Feuer is a Genius

The previous reviewer obviously did not understand the complex theories presented in the book. Feuer is presenting a "post-modern" theory of drama series in the 1980's. She describes 1980's to be the golden age of the TV Drama and a postmodern view from the other grand age of TV Drama of the 1950's. Feuer not only presents a unique way of critiquing TV Drama, but presents theories that can be argued to other genres both in the TV spectrum and the film world. I would also like to point out that Feuer also wrote a book entitled "The Hollywood Muscial" and was quoted as being brilliant by the New York Times. I would like to recommend both books by Feuer and encourage other readers to try to understand the views presented in both books. I hope everyone else will enjoy them as much as I have...