The document discusses various media theories and how they can be applied to analyze the TV shows Deutschland 83 and Stranger Things. It examines the shows through the lenses of theories on genres, binary oppositions, representations of minorities, commercialization influencing creativity, regulation in a global media landscape, media influence on values and behaviors, cultivation of stereotypes, and developing an oppositional gaze. For each theory, it provides examples from the shows and considers limitations of the theoretical application.

1. 1. Who said it?
• Levi-Strauss
• Neale
• Curran and Seaton
• Livingstone and Lunt
• Bandura
• Gerbner
• Hooks
• Gilroy
genres are not fixed, but
constantly evolve with
each new addition to the
generic corpus (the body
of products in a genre),
often playing with genre
codes and conventions or
becoming hybrids with
other genres.

2. 2. Who said it?
• Levi-Strauss
• Neale
• Curran and Seaton
• Livingstone and Lunt
• Bandura
• Gerbner
• Hooks
• Gilroy
the system of myths and
fables was ruled by a
structure of opposing
terms, e.g. hot-cold,
male-female, culture-
nature, raw-cooked.

3. 3. Who said it?
• Levi-Strauss
• Neale
• Curran and Seaton
• Livingstone and Lunt
• Bandura
• Gerbner
• Hooks
• Gilroy
Britain expresses itself in
criminalising immigrants
and an ‘us and them’
approach to the world
founded on the belief in
the inherent superiority
of white western
civilisation

4. 4. Who said it?
• Levi-Strauss
• Neale
• Curran and Seaton
• Livingstone and Lunt
• Bandura
• Gerbner
• Hooks
• Gilroy
narrowing of the range of
opinions represented and
a pursuit of profit at the
expense of quality or
creativity

5. 5. Who said it?
• Levi-Strauss
• Neale
• Curran and Seaton
• Livingstone and Lunt
• Bandura
• Gerbner
• Hooks
• Gilroy
Traditional regulation is
being put at risk by:
increasingly globalised
media industries, the rise
of the digital media, and
media convergence

6. 6. Who said it?
• Levi-Strauss
• Neale
• Curran and Seaton
• Livingstone and Lunt
• Bandura
• Gerbner
• Hooks
• Gilroy
The media can influence
people directly – human
values, judgement and
conduct can be altered
directly by media
modelling.

7. 7. Who said it?
• Levi-Strauss
• Neale
• Curran and Seaton
• Livingstone and Lunt
• Bandura
• Gerbner
• Hooks
• Gilroy
heavy users of television
were more likely, for
example, to develop
‘mean world syndrome’

8. 8. Who said it?
• Levi-Strauss
• Neale
• Curran and Seaton
• Livingstone and Lunt
• Bandura
• Gerbner
• Hooks
• Gilroy
black women should
develop an ‘oppositional
gaze’ that refuses to
identify with characters –

9. 1. Who said it?
• Levi-Strauss
• Neale
• Curran and Seaton
• Livingstone and Lunt
• Bandura
• Gerbner
• Hooks
• Gilroy
genres are not fixed, but
constantly evolve with
each new addition to the
generic corpus (the body
of products in a genre),
often playing with genre
codes and conventions or
becoming hybrids with
other genres.

10. 2. Who said it?
• Levi-Strauss
• Neale
• Curran and Seaton
• Livingstone and Lunt
• Bandura
• Gerbner
• Hooks
• Gilroy
the system of myths and
fables was ruled by a
structure of opposing
terms, e.g. hot-cold,
male-female, culture-
nature, raw-cooked.

11. 3. Who said it?
• Levi-Strauss
• Neale
• Curran and Seaton
• Livingstone and Lunt
• Bandura
• Gerbner
• Hooks
• Gilroy
Britain expresses itself in
criminalising immigrants
and an ‘us and them’
approach to the world
founded on the belief in
the inherent superiority
of white western
civilisation

12. 4. Who said it?
• Levi-Strauss
• Neale
• Curran and Seaton
• Livingstone and Lunt
• Bandura
• Gerbner
• Hooks
• Gilroy
narrowing of the range of
opinions represented and
a pursuit of profit at the
expense of quality or
creativity

13. 5. Who said it?
• Levi-Strauss
• Neale
• Curran and Seaton
• Livingstone and Lunt
• Bandura
• Gerbner
• Hooks
• Gilroy
Traditional regulation is
being put at risk by:
increasingly globalised
media industries, the rise
of the digital media, and
media convergence

14. 6. Who said it?
• Levi-Strauss
• Neale
• Curran and Seaton
• Livingstone and Lunt
• Bandura
• Gerbner
• Hooks
• Gilroy
The media can influence
people directly – human
values, judgement and
conduct can be altered
directly by media
modelling.

15. 7. Who said it?
• Levi-Strauss
• Neale
• Curran and Seaton
• Livingstone and Lunt
• Bandura
• Gerbner
• Hooks
• Gilroy
heavy users of television
were more likely, for
example, to develop
‘mean world syndrome’

16. 8. Who said it?
• Levi-Strauss
• Neale
• Curran and Seaton
• Livingstone and Lunt
• Bandura
• Gerbner
• Hooks
• Gilroy
black women should
develop an ‘oppositional
gaze’ that refuses to
identify with characters –

17. Neale
Genres are not fixed, but constantly evolve with each new addition to the generic corpus (the body
of products in a genre), often playing with genre codes and conventions or becoming hybrids with
other genres.
What genre is:
• Deutschland 83?
• Stranger Things?
What are the conventions of this genre?
How does the show fit traditional conventions?
How does it break conventions?
Is it difficult to define the genre? Could it be a hybrid?
Limitations of this theory: Genre doesn’t exist, is irrelevant and people don’t choose to watch TV
shows because of the genre. There are other factors – such as actors, production companies,
channels (but aren’t all of these linked to genre, in a way???)

18. Levi-Strauss
the system of myths and fables was ruled by a structure of opposing terms, e.g. hot-cold, male-
female, culture-nature, raw-cooked.
What oppositions are dominant in each TV text?
D83: East vs. West, men vs. women, domestic vs. national commitments, young vs. old
Stranger Things:
How does this help the story to be told?
Does it force the audience to pick a side?
Do we see characters having to make difficult decisions?
Are there any elements where binary oppositions do not apply? (vague areas or spectrums)
Limitations of this theory: Binary oppositions do not always apply. There is not always conflict.
Supposed ‘opposites’ can actually work together. Do you really need the opposite of something to
understand it?

19. Gilroy
Britain expresses itself in criminalising immigrants and an ‘us and them’ approach to the world
founded on the belief in the inherent superiority of white western civilisation.
How are black characters or immigrants approached in each text?
There is a lack of ethnic minorities in both texts. Maybe this lack of representation is important in
itself.
General Jackson is a figure of authority and is respected. Yet at the same time, we do not
sympathise with him. He is a threat to all of the characters we do sympathise with in D83. The “bad
guy” is the black guy.
Lucas is seen as being just the same as one of the other boys in Stranger Things. There is a moment
though when three of them are being bullied and there is potentially a casually racist remark made
to him https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDGQznIplYI But is his treatment any different to the
others?
Limitations of this theory: Does not consider other inequalities.

20. Curran and Seaton
narrowing of the range of opinions represented and a pursuit of profit at the
expense of quality or creativity
Stranger Things is a Netflix original production. Netflix is now a huge, multinational
corporation. Arguably, the show does nothing new and seems very familiar to
other films and TV shows set or produced in the 1980s, e.g. The Goonies, Carrie,
Monster Squad, Let the Right One In, anything written by Stephen King or directed
by Steven Spielberg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VMT0HVTGrs )
However, this show is still high quality and creative (but that is subjective)
D83, on the other hand, is much more original. It is a spy thriller about The Cold
War (there aren’t many of these!) It was produced by a huge multinational
company (RTL) but also had funding from Sundance TV and UFA Fiction in
Germany, who produce niche programming.
Limitations of this theory: This theory does not consider language or audience
choices, but meaning is suggested to be completely determined by the producers.

21. Livingstone and Lunt
Traditional regulation is being put at risk by: increasingly globalised media
industries, the rise of the digital media, and media convergence
In the UK, both of these shows are shown on channels regulated by
Ofcom. Regulation is there to support consumers.
International texts need to be regulated and their content may alter to
appeal to a wider global audience and not offend them. For example,
nothing offensive about certain demographics…
This theory could also be applied to third party content produced as a
result of the show and the lack of regulation it has to face. E.g. fan fiction.
Limitations of this theory: This study was based purely on Ofcom and
therefore can only be applied to a British audience

22. Bandura
The media can influence people directly – human values,
judgement and conduct can be altered directly by media modelling.
How does each show try to influence:
• Values?
• Judgements?
• Actions?
Will people think or do anything differently because of these
shows?
Limitations of this theory: People are too savvy these days and do
not get easily affected by the media

23. Gerbner
heavy users of television were more likely, for example, to develop ‘mean world
syndrome’
This is the idea that over time, constant messages are being ‘fed’ to us through the
media. Age old stereotypes or new ideas become accepted because of exposure to
them.
e.g. East Germans are hard-working, serious, heartless, unthinking automations
e.g. “A women’s place is in the home.”
What examples can you give to support each statement from either text.
Can you think of any others?
Limitations of this theory: People are too savvy these days and do not get easily
affected by the media.
Also, Stuart Hall’s Theory

24. Hooks
black women should develop an ‘oppositional gaze’ that refuses to identify with
characters.
Also ‘Intersectionality’: refers to the intersections of gender, race, class and
sexuality to create a ‘white supremacist capitalist patriarchy’, whose ideologies
dominate media representations
Applying this theory to either text, if we took the oppositional gaze, how would
things be different?
Are there any misrepresentations and stereotypes based on one or more of
gender, race, class and sexuality?
What about Joyce Byers? – a woman from a lower socio-economic class. Is she
always believed? Is she given a voice?
Limitations of this theory: This is a general theory and doesn’t specifically apply to
LFTVD (like most of the theories!)