English 183 - Television and Possibility

(Offered as ENGL 183 and FAMS 122) Television has become so vast, so amorphous that it may seem impossible to define today. But in this ineffability also lies possibility. This course will explore the possibilities that television offers us when we look at it closely: possibilities of comfort, of speculation, of desire, even of kindness. And we will consider other formal possibilities in television’s various incarnations from its original broadcast commercial format in the US to contemporary streaming applications. Hence, we will also explore televisual and digital approaches to narrative, temporality, and control. The course will include a range of readings about television from disciplinary perspectives, and it will also include readings that enable an imaginative approach to what television has to offer us as viewers. Indeed, we will see television viewers themselves (and ourselves!) as also full of possibilities; hardly passive, TV viewers have the potential to analyze, speculate, and imagine connections within and across television series, or “texts.” We will also look at several case studies: multiple episodes and arcs of historical and contemporary series to ground our understanding and debates. 

Open to first years and sophomores. Limited to 20 students. Spring semester. Professor Hastie.

How to handle overenrollment: Sophomores first, then first-years

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: Students will write regularly. Students will collaborate in small groups and regularly participate in class discussions.