#1

Evening rhizzone, I'm Deathgod Franklin. I usually publish my writing on a communist group blog, but seeing as this topic wouldn't quite be appropriate there I figured I'd bring it here. Like other first world Marxists, one of my daily struggles is finding a worthwhile tv show to watch. After a long day of work over at the labor aristocracy, inc. all we want to do is zone out and be entertained. Unfortunately, capitalist television is a tool that reinforces misogyny, racism, classism, homophobia, and shit tv shows. I wanted to discuss one of my favorite shows, Grey's Anatomy, and provide some reasons as to why it is one of the few programs out there actually worth watching.

1) Positive portrayal of people of color This is something that most shows fail at miserably. Your average show is populated by a mostly white cast with the occasional token minority. Not so with Grey's Anatomy. Grey's features a diverse cast free from racial stereotypes and tokenism. The characters on the show are all hard-working, intelligent, compassionate, beings. This might not seem that special until you turn on an average evening television program. Yes, it's that racist.

2)Positive portrayal of This is another biggie. Gay characters on tv are nothing new, but almost all of them are portrayed as the stereotypical trendy gay white male. You'll be hard pressed to find a show that breaks this mold, and even more hard pressed to find a show that features lesbians as main characters. Arizona Robbins and Callie Torres are also arguably the most stable couple on the show. They work out their problems like mature, loving adults, and they don't bail during hard times. In addition to having a stable relationship, they are also great parents. They successfully balance full time work with providing a nurturing environment for their child This brings me to my next point.

3) In Grey's, it is ok for mothers to work full time There are no stay-at-home in this drama. Instead you have dedicated parents who work doing the jobs they love while raising children. Everyone helps each other out when it comes to childcare, and they make it work extraordinarily well. Emergency surgery at 3am? No problem, someone's got you covered.

4) Abortion is not subject, and is treated as a right Several characters have abortions on the show, and it's always positively reinforced as a fundamental right. The one time a male character throws a fit over his wife having an abortion, he is portrayed as an ass. Grey's also highlights the difficulties of the adoption process. Adoption is often treated as an equal alternative to abortion, and Grey's shows this just isn't the case. I can't think of any other show that does this.

5) It highlights the various problems afflicting American medical care Grey's doesn't shy away from the tough issues. It's made clear that poor people will die without medical insurance, and that this actually happens. Seattle Grace hospital eventually opens a free clinic, and this highlights the inadequacy of basic and preventative care for disadvantaged people. Grey's also delves into the problems faced by the elderly on a daily basis as well as the difficulties immigrants face in the American medical system.

These are just a few reason's to watch Grey's Anatomy. It's entertaining, and it doesn't leave you feeling like shit for watching it. How is it that such a show is surprisingly progressive, you may ask? The answer lies with the show's creator, Shonda Rhimes. Being a nonwhite woman, she is certain to be more familiar with social reality than your average balding white media exec. Her other shows aren't as good (Private Practice is basically an extended Yoplait commercial), but that doesn't stop me from watching them. So the next time you're bored as fuck, pirate the shit out of some Grey's Anatomy.


Edited by blinkandwheeze ()

#2

DeathgodFranklin posted:

Like other first world Marxists, one of my daily struggles is finding a worthwhile tv show to watch.



yes i too struggle with this in my daily life. not coincidentally, autism as well

#3
Justified... as a Marxist poster active on many blogs i CANNOT justify enjoying this show!
#4
welcome to the Rhizzone, agent DeathgodFranklin, enjoy your stay
#5
Review of popular TV show, "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia," zero Marxist content. Grey's anatomy, on the other hand...
#6

DeathgodFranklin posted:

Like other first world Marxists, one of my daily struggles is finding a worthwhile tv show to watch.


DeathgodFranklin posted:

Like other first world Marxists, one of my daily struggles is finding a worthwhile tv show to watch.


DeathgodFranklin posted:

Like other first world Marxists, one of my daily struggles is finding a worthwhile tv show to watch.


DeathgodFranklin posted:

Like other first world Marxists, one of my daily struggles is finding a worthwhile tv show to watch.


DeathgodFranklin posted:

Like other first world Marxists, one of my daily struggles is finding a worthwhile tv show to watch.

#7

EmanuelaOrlandi posted:

Review of popular TV show, "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia," zero Marxist content. Grey's anatomy, on the other hand...

I couldn't ever get into that show. And notice I said "progressive" not Marxist. It's very much a liberal show, make no mistake about that.

#8
Marxism: "struggling" daily to find a TV show to enjoy.
#9

EmanuelaOrlandi posted:

Marxism: "struggling" daily to find a TV show to "enjoy."


Glad you find my tongue in cheek statement so enjoyable homie.

#10
I hate all other marxists
#11
Well, outside of Anime, it would be the Vampire Diaries.
#12
I have seen every episode of the vampire diaries, if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask.
#13
btw, champ, make sure to allow permission for the thread to be submitted to the front page. hopefully we can pull in a few more redditors with this article.
#14
Droo is _REALLY_ enjoying the new One's jokes! Welcome to the 'Zone, a place for Friends. May I humnly suggest Portlandia, a show that dissects class issues, revealing them to be in their prpper deadlock. Next week's episode deals with gentrifixation & displacement .
#15

Crow posted:

Droo is _REALLY_ enjoying the new One's jokes! Welcome to the 'Zone, a place for Friends. May I humnly suggest Portlandia, a show that dissects class issues, revealing them to be in their prpper deadlock. Next week's episode deals with gentrifixation & displacement .

I need to give that show another shot. A lot of the stuff they joke about is pretty true to hipster inner SE Portland. Being from deep SE originally, I never got into it because that wasn't my experience in Portland. I keep hearing more and more good things though.

#16
i'm sticking with mad men, comrade
#17
[account deactivated]
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#19
if im ever president that song is going on all soccer broadcasts.
#20
hey, watching grey's anatomy is cheaper than doing stims and rubbing yourself with overpriced math monographs, which is my only real hobby, so do whatever makes u happy death god franklin, and if watching a bunch of short attractive people pretend to be doctors is your thing, then dont listen to these jokers who are always out for a laugh at anothers expense, stay strong. watch greys anatomy. right now, do it. come on, just do it. watch it...
#21
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#23
also, NazBro, get on aim more. or do you use gchat these days?
#24
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#25
there's a calvin and hobbes cartoon where calvin is reading a book and says "religion is the opiate of the masses. what does that mean?" and hobbes shrugs. the next panel is a tv saying "it means karl marx hadnt seen anything yet."
#26
[account deactivated]
#27

elemennop posted:

also, NazBro, get on aim more. or do you use gchat these days?



i blocked you after you didn't notify me about the whey sale. some transgressions are unforgivable.

#28
, which, given the presence of truly Progressive television like the wire, and greys anatomy, proves the fundamentally anti-materialist perspective of the calvin and hobbes cartoon. the most progressive daily strip was and remains doonesbury.
#29
#30

EmanuelaOrlandi posted:

Marxism: "struggling" daily to find a TV show to enjoy.


You're so fucking dense, man

#31
#32

DeathgodFranklin posted:

Crow posted:

Droo is _REALLY_ enjoying the new One's jokes! Welcome to the 'Zone, a place for Friends. May I humnly suggest Portlandia, a show that dissects class issues, revealing them to be in their prpper deadlock. Next week's episode deals with gentrifixation & displacement .

I need to give that show another shot. A lot of the stuff they joke about is pretty true to hipster inner SE Portland. Being from deep SE originally, I never got into it because that wasn't my experience in Portland. I keep hearing more and more good things though.


actually it sucks because it's just inner SE hipsters making fun of themselves in the most heavy-handed, lol so ironic (!!!) way

#33
[account deactivated]
#34
a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine has been watching 30 rock and parks and rec lately and (especially 30 rock) i've been thinking about how ideologically toxic it is; it very much promotes a capitalism with a human face in the most naive way while lightheartedly ribbing the more cutthroat members of the bourgeoisie. maybe i'll think about it more and write something
#35
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#36
watching shitty reality TV shows is the most Marxist because it teaches to to love the People and not hate them based on the misanthropy of some cosmopolitan Hollywood/New York types
#37

DeathgodFranklin posted:

Crow posted:
Droo is _REALLY_ enjoying the new One's jokes! Welcome to the 'Zone, a place for Friends. May I humnly suggest Portlandia, a show that dissects class issues, revealing them to be in their prpper deadlock. Next week's episode deals with gentrifixation & displacement .
I need to give that show another shot. A lot of the stuff they joke about is pretty true to hipster inner SE Portland. Being from deep SE originally, I never got into it because that wasn't my experience in Portland. I keep hearing more and more good things though.



Lol way to miss the point: The show isn’t about Portland: it is about the airs, pretentions and follies of contemporary urban professionals and bohemians.

#38
Didn't Childrens Hospital start out as a parody of Grey's Anatomy?
#39

Ironicwarcriminal posted:

watching shitty reality TV shows is the most Marxist because it teaches to to love the People and not hate them based on the misanthropy of some cosmopolitan Hollywood/New York types

http://youtu.be/eemww_rMM3U?t=18m39s

Edited by ilmdge ()

#40
ahahah that show is so funny