Earlier family based TV shows; such as “All in the Family” have both similarities and differences when associated with modern television shows such as “ The Secret Life of an American Teenager.”
The two shows are similar in that they both follow a specific lifestyle in relation to the time period. All of the characters act in accordance with the same way the average person would in society at that time. In “All in the Family,” the characters are more concerned with personal image and how one represents themselves. This was shown in the episode that dealt with the possibility of 2 of the characters being homosexual. In the 1970’s and 1980’s, when the show aired, people were not as open to homosexuality as they are now. In “The Secret Life of an American Teenager,” the main character, who is a young teenage female, becomes pregnant and has a baby. This show represents the increase in unplanned teenage pregnancies in today’s society, and is viewed as common predicament that many teens today face. Most people that watch this show do not consider the content and issues to be out of context. However, if this show was aired during the same time as “All in the Family,” it would probably be considered an outrage or scandal, because of the interpretation of pre-marital sex and other controversial issues.
The two shows are different in how they have and form their relationships. In “All in the Family,” commitment and trust are very important. Both of the couples are sincere and they have healthy relationships styles and are committed to each other. “The Secret Life of an American Teenager” however, is based on unstable relationships and a lack of trust. Everyone is kind of going behind each other’s back and cheating on one another. The father of the main character’s child isn’t even her boyfriend. Also, the parents in the show are dealing with an affair and the possibility of divorce. Earlier shows didn’t focus as much on representing unhealthy relationships because during that time period cheating and affairs were looked down upon and not as common as they are in today’s society.
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