“Putting Out Fires”: An Original Situational Comedy Pilot Episode Examining Modern Motherhood

Authors

Keely Gonyea, University of MaineFollow

Document Type

Honors Thesis

Major

Media Studies

Advisor(s)

Jennie Woodard

Committee Members

Mimi Killinger, Chris Mares, Holly Schreiber, Clinton Spaulding

Graduation Year

May 2020

Publication Date

Spring 5-2020

Abstract

Even in an age of easily accessible and ever-changing digital content, television remains one of the most influential modes of media. Shows, on television and on streaming services, play key roles in informing their audiences of societal conventions. Situational comedies are an easily identifiable genre on television and their popularity has not wavered as seen by their steadfast presence during primetime viewing slots. This thesis explores and analyzes how situational comedies have created spaces for potentially harmful stereotypes for their female characters, specifically mothers. The creative work of this thesis offers an original situational comedy pilot episode that looks to provide an example of a mother character that evades and defies the stereotypes that would be expected of her.

Recommended Citation

Gonyea, Keely, "“Putting Out Fires”: An Original Situational Comedy Pilot Episode Examining Modern Motherhood" (2020). Honors College. 592.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/592