Television series have perfectly integrated into our daily lives, just like films, video games or books. But we do not always measure their potential influence on the creation of stereotypes.
Beyond their entertainment aspect, the series echo a certain vision of society which is transmitted between generations through series that have become cult like Friends. A recent study allows us to better understand the particular role of series in the perpetuation of certain stereotypes.
Series characters, vectors of stereotypes
Studies in social psychology suggest that stereotypical representations arise from the repetition of an increasingly simplified image as it is transmitted from one person to another.
The series offers a cultural and social discourse which is not only broadcast directly to a large number of spectators, but which is also repeated in each episode through the characters. These characters to whom we become attached will in fact be able to consolidate or transform the spectators’ representations. This repetition is particularly marked in the case of older series, some of which are still widely viewed on VOD platforms. Produced first for television schedules, to which the audience is captive, these series with a simple narrative framework play on somewhat caricatured characters, more inclined to reproduce stereotypes. This is why we found ourselves studying these effects on a series that has become cult, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this fall, Friends.
Unlike characters in a novel whose thoughts we can read thanks to the narrator, characters only exist through what they do and say. It is through the repetition of actions and lines that a character will be associated with certain personality traits. Thus, Phoebe Buffay, in Friendscan be described as an activist because she will repeat that she is vegetarian, intervene to defend animals, or question certain consumerist aspects of the other characters. By examining how a character’s actions and dialogue are repeated throughout a series, it is possible to identify different types of repetition, with different roles in the construction of a character and associated stereotypes. .
Creating a stereotype with repetitions: instructions for use
The first type of repetition is the simplest: reproduction. It is found in particular in the dialogues, with a rapid mention of a single character trait, often through jokes or offhand remarks. For example, Phoebe’s vegetarianism is regularly used in a slightly ridiculous or embarrassing way, in order to provoke laughter in the viewer, as in this scene from season 1 in which Phoebe hums one of her rough creations, embroidering on the fact that she stays away from products of animal origin. The repetition of this trait in several scenes gradually establishes the idea that being vegetarian is something strange and ridiculous.
The second type of repetition is layering, which combines two personality traits together through a joke. In Phoebe’s case, her vegetarianism is coupled with a form of anti-patriotism – when she refuses to eat turkey for Thanksgiving. As for his commitment to the environment, we learn that he was nourished by his father’s ideal of “tree surgeon” which is in fact just a lie invented by his grandmother.
These scenes overlay Phoebe’s environmental commitments with personality traits presented as negative – naivety or unpatriotism. These negative associations with an environmentalist character are repeated throughout the episodes, inscribing these associations into potential stereotypes linked to environmentalists.
The third type of repetition relies on an evolutionary mechanism. These scenes allow you to repeat a personality trait, modifying it slightly each time. Thus, over time, the characters evolve… and the associated stereotypes as well. Phoebe begins as a strong advocate for sustainability, but gradually adopts ordinary consumer behaviors, such as shopping at mainstream stores or eating meat. This development changes the stereotypes associated with it, gradually softening the traits that make it too “out of the norm”.
Changing stereotypes to change mentalities
The progressive association of these three types of repetition makes it possible to give substance to more nuanced, more complex but also more realistic characters, thus giving life to the stereotypes which are grafted at each stage. These stereotypes are also gradually associated with each other over the course of the series, forming more complex groups of representations which can evolve in a positive or negative way, depending on the turn the character takes. Thus, whether intentional or not, the character of Phoebe, for example, influences viewers’ perceptions of sustainable consumers as eccentric or deviant. This image can have real-world implications, making it more difficult for sustainable behaviors to be seen as normal or desirable.
Moreover, certain showrunners are already consciously using this political and social dimension of the television series to move the lines on issues of representation of minorities, for example. The productions of showrunner Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, How to Get away with Murder, The Bridgerton Chronicles) are a glaring example.
Very committed to issues of representation of minorities, Shonda Rhimes’ work is anchored in the long term. In Grey’s Anatomythe first seasons take place in an environment where important positions are exclusively occupied by men, the vast majority white, whose relationship with women is questionable; the last seasons have seen women of all origins gradually take on these important positions. With Scandal et How to Get away with Murderthe showrunner also created demanding lead roles for black actresses. Finally, with season 3 of Bridgerton Chroniclesshe strives to build new representations for several types of underrepresented minorities in cinema, with roles for black or Asian actors and actresses, for curvy and petite women, and even a vegetarian character whose beliefs are not not mocked by the main character.
Series are therefore powerful tools which serve to form endearing characters – via reiterated and sometimes evolving attitudes and comments – but which can also shape our representations. These narrative tools are a source of inspiration for brands and professionals who wish to promote positive messages of transformation in society. And as a viewer, the next time you watch a series, pay attention to the subtle cues that shape the characters, from their outfits to their humor. You might be surprised by the image they create.
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