Movies and TV Programs in America - a Reflection of Real Life

Tap to Read ➤ Chantelle Gallagher

Since the inception of television programs as an essential part of American civilization in the 1950s, it has been reflecting and nurturing the culture and day-to-day life of the society. Movies and TV shows from the 1960’s escapist dramas to the recent reality shows depict personal, public, and communal aspects of the American culture.

Currently, the reflection of real life is apparent in most of the movies and TV programs like family comedies and news broadcasts in America (Forbes & Mahan, 2017).

According to a study conducted by Sienaert and PaperDueNow , a visitor to the US can use TV shows to understand the American culture, behavior, preferences, and lifestyles as they are based on real-life stories. Sienaert says that the programs reflect truth about American culture though they are the exaggerated versions.

Some American movies and TV shows display family life, workplace dynamics, dressing codes, civil liberties, and major national or state conversations (Fiorelli, Weisberg, Camp, & Hatfield, 2016).

For instance, the TV show “Modern Family” is a comedy that reflects the appearances of today’s families in America. The show surveys the relations between different family setups in US. The show revolves around the life of one extended family with different relationships.

In this story, there is a gay couple, a straight couple, a second marriage, and the children who are caught up between these dramas. This setup directly reflects the present family life in the United States.

Though not all American movies and TV programs show the actual life of Americans, most of them display a clear and concise reflection to enable a person to predict the culture. In most cases, the films exaggerate real events to make them interesting to attract viewers.

However, if a person wants to learn more about the life of American citizens, then these shows would offer credible information and guidance.