TV Show Analysis
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By Rayan Kayssi
I never paid close attention to stereotypes in sitcoms, however, since I began working on this article, I started watching everything that is being said and portrayed.
Few days ago I noticed an interested scene on Seinfeld. It was Wednesday, 22nd, 2006 at 10:30 pm, I watched Seinfeld, a famous comedy sitcom that is usually broadcasted for 30 minutes.
In Seinfeld, there are four major characters: Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine.
Jerry is a successful comedian, George is usually employed at a company, Kramer often makes his living by conducting a variety of business deals, and Elaine is trying to arrange relationships with attractive individuals as well as keep up her job for Pendant Publishing.
In the ‘Cadillac’ episode, Jerry comes home with a big paycheck and decides to buy a Cadillac for his father. Astonished that Jerry has “this kind of money”, Elaine, who is Jerry’s ex-girlfriend, becomes infatuated with Jerry. She starts flirting with him, calling him, and offering him favors.
She shows so much interest in the money that when once he was counting some 100 dollar bills, she lost her focus and concentrated on how much money he had at the time.
I see that as an obvious female stereotype. In general, women have been greatly stereotyped about seeking wealthy and successful men.
This kind of stereotype does not require the view to have any knowledge about the issue because it is a common stereotype of the female gender. Many women would prefer to be with a person that provides security, loyalty, and love than a wealthy person.
In addition, men in this show are usually very demanding and picky when it comes to women. They seek perfect physical images for relationships and often criticize women that do not fall in their categories.
For example, Jerry usually notices some very minor defect his girlfriends have and makes a big deal about it, causing his relationships to end in very embarrassing ways.
On the other hand, no one seriously criticized George for his physical appearance, short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man.
Even though he always complains about finding women and always seeking girlfriends, he always ends up with pretty and fit women.
They have never made a character for a non-perfect woman hooking up with the perfect good looking men.