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Important broadcasting information.

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Malcolm in the Middle (TV Series 2000-2006)

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Created by Linwood Boomer, Michael Glouberman, Gary Murphy. With Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston, Justin Berfield, Erik Per Sullivan. A gifted young teen tries to survive life with his dimwitted, dysfunctional family.

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List of every character: big & small roles

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List of Malcolm in the Middle characters - Wikipedia

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In the pilot episode, the name Wilkerson can be seen on the name badge of the uniform Francis is wearing at Marlin Academy. In the sleeve notes for the season 5 DVD released in Europe, the family is referred to as the Wilkersons in the description for the episode "Block Party".

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Fun Facts about the series; based on a true story ;0

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Often credited with starting the trend of single camera, no-laugh-track comedies on TV back in 2000, Malcolm in the Middle starred Frankie Muniz as a young genius to whom nothing comes easy as the middle child in a middle-class family. After reading these facts about the show, you'll never need a question repeated.

1. A LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE ACTOR CREATED THE SHOW, AND BASED MALCOLM ON HIMSELF.

Linwood Boomer played Mary Ingalls' husband, Adam Kendall, on the hit NBC series before moving behind the scenes on shows like Night Court and 3rd Rock From the Sun. Boomer, like Malcolm, had a high IQ, was the second youngest of four boys, and witnessed his mother shaving his father's body hair at the breakfast table. He gave Malcolm an IQ of 165, even though his mother never told Linwood what his IQ actually was. When she saw the show, she still wouldn't reveal the number, but did say it wasn't as high as her son's creation.

2. FRANKIE MUNIZ THOUGHT HE BLEW THE AUDITION.

The character was originally written to be nine years old, so the then-13-year-old Frankie Muniz thought he was too old, giving his mother a thumbs down as soon as he came out of the audition room. The producers decided to make Malcolm around the age of 12 and give Muniz the part. When the young actor found out he got it, he jumped on the hotel bed.

3. THEY MADE SURE NOT TO REVEAL MALCOLM'S AGE AT FIRST.

"We've decided not to say anything about his age on the show,'' Boomer said when the show was just getting started. "It's like the city they live in. We're just saying he's attending middle school, not the actual grade level. We don't want to be locked into something. Kids are so protean with what they say, anyway. Sometimes they act like nine-year-olds and sometimes like 30-year-olds.'' Dad Hal's actual profession was never mentioned either.

4. THEY WERE THE WILKERSONS.

It was never spoken on the show, but Francis' name tag in the pilot read "Wilkerson," and a joke cut from the episode had Malcolm confirming it was his surname. A running joke throughout the series became never giving the family a name, going so far as to have future name tags read "Nolastname," and having the microphone screech the moment Malcolm's last name was spoken in the series finale.

5. AARON PAUL TRIED TO AUDITION FOR FRANCIS.

Aaron Paul (Bryan Cranston's future Breaking Bad co-star) "desperately" wanted to audition for the role of the eldest son Francis, but producers weren't even interested in having him come in. Christopher Masterson, younger brother of That 70's Show's Danny Masterson, got the part.

6. BRYAN CRANSTON'S AUDITION TOOK PLACE WHILE THEY WERE BUILDING THE SETS.

Boomer claimed that he literally fell out of his chair laughing when Cranston simply put a pipe in his mouth and pretended to look at Lois and one of the kids having an argument during his audition to play Hal. Boomer described Cranston's look as someone who looked like he was "building a rocketship in his head." Cranston was hired immediately. It was the actor's idea to have Hal seem distant because he had a deep inner life. It was also Cranston's idea to have his character contrast Lois by being afraid of everything, and by being obtuse.

7. IT WAS ALMOST A UPN SHOW.

The broadcast network that debuted in 1995 was the original owner of Malcolm in the Middle. After four months, UPN decided Malcolm wasn't a fit for their schedule after all and let it go. Fox picked the show up immediately.

8. "KRELBOYNE" WAS A LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS REFERENCE.

The nickname given to Malcolm and his fellow gifted students was a reference to the nerdy Seymour Krelboyne, the protagonist of the 1960 Roger Corman-directed film.

9. CRANSTON DID MOST OF HIS OWN STUNTS.

Besides the cartwheel and the headstand, Cranston did his own roller disco skating, spending all the free time he had in the week and a half he had to learn how to skate. After one of the show's writers asked jokingly whether Cranston would be willing to wear a suit of live bees, Cranston said he would-so they wrote a script around the idea. He ended up covered in 10,000 bees, and only got stung once.

However, it was not Cranston's hairy back in the pilot that gets a shave, since the glue on the hair added to Cranston's back wouldn't let the razor go through it. A casting session for hairy backs similar to Cranston's body shape took place, and it was that man's back seen in the episode.

10. THEY DIDN'T DECIDE ON JAMIE'S GENDER RIGHT AWAY.

Lois (Jane Kaczmarek) gave birth to Jamie at the end of the fourth season. But the writers had not decided whether Jamie was going to be a boy or a girl, so they didn't reveal the baby's gender until the following season. Jamie ended up being Malcolm's fourth brother.

11. THE 11-YEAR-OLD NIECE OF THE SHOW'S COSTUME DESIGNER CAME UP WITH AN IDEA FOR AN EPISODE.

Alexandra Kaczenski got a "story by" credit on the season four episode "If Boys Were Girls" after writing a two-page outline about Lois fantasizing about raising daughters instead of sons. Linwood Boomer read it, loved it, and bought it soon after.

12. MASTERSON DIDN'T THINK FRANCIS MATURED.

"He's only grown older," Masterson said. "He has the same point of view he's always had-just with a little more facial hair." Masterson's character appeared in fewer episodes in the show's final years, though he directed the season seven episode "Hal Grieves."

13. CRANSTON MADE FOR LONGER HOURS.

Masterson claimed some scenes with Cranston-who directed six episodes himself-took longer than usual to shoot because he cracked everyone up. "It is absolutely impossible to stop yourself from laughing," Masterson told the BBC. "These scenes take so long to shoot as Bryan makes everyone laugh over and over."

14. KACZMAREK GOT TO KEEP LOIS' CLOTHES AFTER THE SHOW ENDED.

One day soon after Malcolm had ended, she was watching an episode where Lois was wearing the same outfit she currently had on.

15. THE SHOW WAS GOOD TO SOME HOMEOWNERS.

A privately owned home in Studio City was rented for $3000 to $4000 a day for the exterior shots of Malcolm's home. The production company replaced the roof after a shingle was lost during a shoot.

16. A BREAKING BAD DVD EXTRA REVEALED A CONNECTION TO MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE.

After years of jokes that the ending of Breaking Bad would reveal that the entire series was all a dream of Hal's (a nod to Newhart), a DVD extra showed Cranston and Kaczmarek reprising their Malcolm roles, with Cranston describing the entire Breaking Bad series through cowardly Hal's perspective.

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16 Fun Facts About Malcolm in the Middle

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Often credited with starting the trend of single camera, no-laugh-track comedies on TV back in 2000, Malcolm in the Middle starred Frankie Muniz as a young genius to whom nothing comes easy as the middle child in a middle-class family. After reading these facts about the show, you'll never need a question repeated.

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Why children misbehave; most of the time, they do it for fun.

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Kids use their behavior to show how they're feeling and what they're thinking. Often, they're communicating something through their behavior that they aren't necessarily able to verbalize.

When determining what discipline strategy to use, consider the possible underlying cause for the behavior problem.

They Want Attention

When parents talk on the phone, visiting with friends or family, or otherwise occupied, kids feel left out. And throwing a tantrum, whining, or hitting a sibling is a great way to attract attention.

They're Copying Others

Kids learn how to behave by watching others. Whether they see a peer at school misbehave or they're copying something they've seen on TV, kids will repeat it.

Limit your kids' exposure to aggressive behavior on TV, in video games, and in real life. Role model healthy behavior to teach your child the appropriate way to behave in various situations.

They're Testing Limits

When you've established rules and told kids what they're not allowed to do, they often want to see if you're serious. They test limits just to find out what the consequences will be when they break the rules.

Set clear limits and offer consequences consistently. If kids think there's a small chance they may be able to get away with something, they're often tempted to try it. If you show them that they'll receive a negative consequence each time they break a rule, they'll start to become more compliant.

They Lack Skills

Sometimes behavior problems stem from a lack of skills. A child who lacks social skills may hit another child because he wants to play with a toy. A child who lacks problem-solving skills may not clean his room because he isn't sure what to do when his toys don't fit in the toy box.

When your child misbehaves, instead of just giving him a consequence, teach him what to do instead. Show him alternatives to misbehavior so he can learn from his mistakes.

They Want Independence

As preschoolers learn to do more things on their own, they often want to show off their new skills. Tweens also are known for their attempts to be independent. They may become more argumentative and may behave disrespectfully at times.

Teens may become rebellious in an attempt to show adults that they can think for themselves. They may break the rules on purpose and may try to show adults that they can't be forced to do things they don't want to do.

Give your child appropriate choices. Ask your preschooler, "Do you want water or ice water to drink?" Tell your teenager, "It's up to you to decide when you do your chores. And as soon as your chores are done, you can use your electronics." Giving age-appropriate freedom will meet your child's need to be independent.

They Can't Control Their Emotions

Sometimes kids have no idea what to do about their feelings. They may become easily overwhelmed when they feel angry, and as a result, they may become aggressive. They may even act out when they feel excited, stressed, or bored.

Kids need to learn healthy ways to deal with feelings such as sadness, disappointment, frustration, and anxiety. Teach kids about feelings and show them healthy ways to manage their emotions to prevent them from misbehaving.

When kids have better control over their emotions, they can use healthy coping skills to deal with their feelings. Instead of misbehaving to express their emotions, a child may learn to take a time-out to calm down.

They Have Unmet Needs

When a child feels hungry, tired, or ill, misbehavior often ensues. Most toddlers and preschoolers aren't good at communicating what they need. As a result, they often use their behavior to show that they have unmet needs. Parents can help prevent behavior problems by looking for unmet needs. For example, take a toddler shopping after he's had a nap and when you've got snacks on hand. Ask your child how he's feeling and look for cues that he may have some unmet needs.

They Want Power and Control

Power and control often contribute to misbehavior. Sometimes defiant and argumentative behavior results when a child attempts to regain some control.

When behavior problems result from a child's attempt to have some control over a situation, a power struggle may ensue. One way to avoid a power struggle is to offer a child two choices. For example, ask "Would you rather clean your room now or after this TV show is over?"

By offering two choices, you can give kids some control over the situation. This can reduce a lot of arguments and can get increase the likelihood that a child will comply with instructions.

Misbehavior Is Effective

One of the simplest reasons children misbehave is because it is effective. If breaking the rules gets them what they want, they'll quickly learn that misbehavior works.

For example, a child who whines until his mother gives in will learn that whining is a great way to get whatever he wants. Or a child who throws a temper tantrum in the middle of the store, and his father agrees to buy him a toy to get him to stop screaming, learns that temper tantrums are effective.

Make sure that your child's misbehavior isn't serving him well. While giving in or backing down may make your life easier in the moment, you'll ultimately be training your child to break the rules.

Underlying Mental Health Issues

Sometimes children have underlying mental health issues that contribute to behavior problems. Kids with ADHD, for example, struggle to follow directions and behave impulsively.

Underlying anxiety or depression can also contribute to behavior problems. An anxious child may avoid going to classes that make him feel nervous. A depressed child may be irritable and lack the motivation to complete his chores or his school work.

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10 Surprising Reasons Why Kids Misbehave (And How to Respond)

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Kids use their behavior to show how they're feeling and what they're thinking. Often, they're communicating something through their behavior that they aren't necessarily able to verbalize. When determining what discipline strategy to use, consider the possible underlying cause for the behavior problem.

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Different parenting styles: Lois was authoritative.

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One of the interesting things about being a parent is that there is great variation in how we raise our children. At the same time, there are many commonalities from one parent to another. In fact, there is enough similarity that researchers have tried to group parents into four common parenting styles.

Your parenting style refers to the combination of strategies that you use to raise your children. The work of Diane Baumrind in the 1960s created one commonly-referenced categorization of parenting styles. The four Baumrind parenting styles have distinct names and characteristics:

Authoritarian or Disciplinarian

Permissive or Indulgent

Uninvolved

Authoritative

These Baumrind parenting styles are United States-centric and it is not clear how well these styles describe parents cross-culturally. Each parenting style varies in at least four areas: discipline style, communication, nurturance, and expectations.

Baumrind Parenting Styles: Four Types of Parenting

Authoritarian Parenting

Authoritarian parents are often thought of as disciplinarians.

They use a strict discipline style with little negotiation possible. Punishment is common.

Communication is mostly one way: from parent to child. Rules usually are not explained.

Parents with this style are typically less nurturing.

Expectations are high with limited flexibility.

Permissive Parenting

Permissive or Indulgent parents mostly let their children do what they want, and offer limited guidance or direction. They are more like friends than parents.

Their discipline style is the opposite of strict. They have limited or no rules and mostly let children figure problems out on their own.

Communication is open but these parents let children decide for themselves rather than giving direction.

Parents in this category tend to be warm and nurturing.

Expectations are typically minimal or not set by these parents.

Uninvolved Parenting

Uninvolved parents give children a lot of freedom and generally stay out of their way. Some parents may make a conscious decision to parent in this way, while others are less interested in parenting or unsure of what to do.

No particular discipline style is utilized. An uninvolved parent lets a child mostly do what he wants, probably out of a lack of information or caring.

Communication is limited.

This group of parents offers little nurturing.

There are few or no expectations of children.

Authoritative Parenting

Authoritative parents are reasonable and nurturing, and set high, clear expectations. Children with parents who demonstrate this style tend to be self-disciplined and think for themselves. This style is thought to be most beneficial to children.

Disciplinary rules are clear and the reasons behind them are explained.

Communication is frequent and appropriate to the child's level of understanding.

Authoritative parents are nurturing.

Expectations and goals are high but stated clearly. Children may have input into goals.

What is My Parenting Style?

Few of us fit neatly into one single parenting style, but rather raise children using a combination of styles. Think of the four styles as a continuum instead of four distinct ways to parent. Ideally, we think about our children and what they need from us at specific points in time. For example, while a parent might not typically adopt an authoritarian parenting style, there might be times in a child's life when that style is needed. Or you might know an authoritarian parent who is nurturing, contrary to the description above.

Factors in How Children "Turn Out"

While it is easier for the family when both parents practice the same style of parenting, some research shows that if at least one parent is authoritative, that is better for the child than having two parents with the same, less effective style.

And of course, there are more influences on who children become than just parenting style. Some of the many other factors impacting a child's development include these elements:

The child's temperament and how it "fits" with the parents.

A teachers' style of working with children and the match of teaching style to parenting style.

The influence of a child's peer group.

Today, new names for parenting styles are arising. For example, " helicopter parenting" is similar to the authoritative style, but with a little more involvement, or some might say over-involvement, in a child's life. " Free range parenting " resembles the uninvolved style, but with a conscious decision to allow more independent thinking that is in the best interest of the child.

Reflecting on where you fit on the spectrum of parenting styles can be helpful. Taking that one step further: know that any of us with any style at any point in time could benefit from the self-reflection that typically comes from participating in a parenting class. Talking with other parents and a facilitator can be helpful and reassuring.
Read More:
" Types of Parenting Styles and How to Identify Yours"

" Traditional Parenting Styles: Tried and True? Or Dated? An Analysis Baumrind's Parenting Styles and Modern Parenting Advice"
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What Is My Parenting Style? Four Types of Parenting

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One of the interesting things about being a parent is that there is great variation in how we raise our children. At the same time, there are many commonalities from one parent to another. In fact, there is enough similarity that researchers have tried to group parents into four common parenting styles.

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How characters can grow as a series goes on.

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For any novel to truly connect with readers, the author needs to pay close attention to character development. Even if you're writing the most action-packed, plot-driven book where the characters are robots, it's the human element of the story that is going to resonate with people looking for their next read.

Ask yourself: are you more likely to read a book about a voyage to a newly discovered planet, or a book about someone who never saw Earth but knows they will never reach the destination planet of the spaceship they are on? The plot's concept - traveling in space - may intrigue you, but the characters will hook you in.

This article will help you develop characters your readers won't forget. Let's start by looking inside.

Internal character development

Character development is the process of creating a believable fictional character by giving them depth. You can think of internal character development as a circle: one that starts and ends with your character's fundamental goals and motivations. All the other decisions you make along the way will be informed by and affect those two things.

1) Establish your character's story goals and motivations

Your character's current goal is why the story exists - and why it's worth telling - right now. It's what your character wants from the book's plot and it will propel their inner journey. Without it, the overall narrative arc would fall totally flat.

Let's look at a few character goal examples:

Harry Potter's goal is to defeat Lord Voldemort

Bilbo's goal is to help the dwarves reclaim the kingdom of Erebor

Hamlet's goal is to avenge his murdered father

Then there are the motivations for your character's goal. What internal and external influences drive their desires? For instance:

Harry Potter's goal is to defeat Voldemort... to ensure the safety of the wizarding world - and because Voldemort took Harry's family away from him.

Bilbo's goal is to help the dwarves reclaim the kingdom of Erebor... after realizing that his life of creature comforts lacks adventure.

Hamlet's goal is to avenge his murdered father... and prove he did not imagine his ghost and is capable of making decisions.

If you're struggling to nail down your character's goal, try asking, "What would make the character feel happy or satisfied with their life?" This is their motivation. Next, ask yourself, "What could they do to obtain that happiness?" This is their goal.

If you're struggling to get to the crux of your character's motivations, try playing the "why" game:

If your character's goal is to connect with their long-lost sibling, their motivation might be because they are an only child who always longed for a brother or sister. Why? Because they felt lonely as a child. Why? Because their parents moved around a lot and they had trouble keeping friends? Why? Because they eventually got tired of getting close to people, only to say goodbye.

By playing this game to its logical conclusion, we've learned that the character wants to meet their long-lost sibling [goal] because they feel it will establish a bond stronger than geography [motivation].

Develop characters by establishing goals and motivations. Ask yourself:

What is their goal?

What are their specific motivations?

What are they willing to risk to achieve their goal?

What would happen if they simply can't achieve their goal?

2) Give your character an external and internal conflict

Your character's goal only becomes interesting once you present it with a few obstacles. If Frodo walked on up to Mount Doom, dropped the ring in the lava, and made it back in time for second breakfast, it wouldn't make for a very interesting story or a very memorable protagonist. It's the obstacles - the army of orcs being commanded by Sauron and the power the ring has over Frodo, to name a few - that create conflict and tension in the story. And that's what makes it worth reading.

You'll notice in the example above that we mention two conflicts. One is Frodo vs. Sauron (character vs. character), and the second is Frodo vs. himself - or his struggle to not lose himself to the ring. Every character should undergo an internal conflict that asks questions of themselves and mirrors the external conflict that they're facing. Even static characters who do not significantly alter over the course of the novel will face an internal conflict - you can find Sherlock vs. self in his communication with people.

Reedsy identifies six primary types of conflict in fiction. While you are developing your character, you should decide which one(s) will make for the most worthy adversaries. The six types are Character versus...

Character. For example, Othello vs. Iago.
Society. For example, Winston Smith vs. Big Brother in 1984.
Nature. For example, Robert Neville vs. the virus in I Am Legend.
Technology. Victor Frankenstein vs. Frankenstein's monster.
Supernatural. Jack Torrance vs. The Overlook in The Shining.
Self. Every compelling protagonist faces some conflict of the self, but a few examples include Jason Bourne vs. his own past, Harry Goldfarb vs. addiction in Requiem for a Dream, and Bridget Jones vs. self-doubt.

Develop characters through conflict. Ask yourself:

What internal conflict will your protagonist face?

Will they also face an external conflict? How will the internal and external mirror each other?

How will the conflict(s) affect the characters' pursuit of their goals?

3) Decide whether your character is static or dynamic

There's a loose rule that characters have to fundamentally change over the course of a story - in other words, be a dynamic character - or else they're poorly written. But in truth, there are just as many great characters who finish a story almost exactly where they started while also having undergone an internal journey. Let's dig a little deeper into the idea of static and dynamic characters..

Characters who don't change because that's just who they are
Captain America, Captain Nemo, and Sherlock Holmes are a few examples of characters who do not significantly alter over the course of the novel. In the case of Sherlock, it is his unchanging nature that makes him a compelling character. Unlike many of us, he does not feel the need to adapt to his surroundings, and that is both his attribute and his flaw: he is always true to himself, but he also often fails to learn from his experiences. This is a "traditional" static character.

Characters who undergo substantial change
A dynamic character is altered by the conflict(s) that they face. This might be a subconscious change, such as Jack adapting to the island in Lord of the Flies by becoming as wild, unconstrained, and "savage" as the nature around him. Or the change might be more of a conscious decision, such as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy overcoming their obstinate pride and prejudice for the sake of love.

Characters who don't change in order to effect change
Writers often rely on complex, fast-paced plots with lots of external conflict in order to compensate for static protagonists. The world around them may try to shift these protagonists from their core principles, but they will rebel in order to try and alter their circumstances. This kind of character is both a little bit static and a little bit dynamic:even though they might not change much, they effect it. A great example of this kind of protagonist is Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games - read about it in our post on dynamic characters.

Reinforcing your protagonist through secondary characters
Often times, authors write static secondary characters to act as a pillar around which a dynamic character can develop. Think of Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird: he changes little throughout the course of the novel. But it is his steadfast belief in justice that guides Scout from a state of childhood innocence into a young girl with a strong sense of right and wrong.

Or you might want to consider writing a "foil": a character who contrasts the protagonist, and is used to highlight particular qualities of the main character. For instance, Harry Potter's foil is Draco Malfoy.

Develop characters by determining the shape of their arc. Ask yourself:

How much will they change?

What inspires their change?

Do they change for the better?

Do they change for the worse?

Do they change the world and/or people around them?

4) Give your character a past

Just as your own history has contributed to the person you are today, so does your character's. You should develop your character's past as much as possible, but it's especially important to create and zero-in on experiences and memories that inform the character we see in the story.

Develop characters through their history. Ask yourself:

What moments from their past have played a pivotal role in who they are now?

Do they have any suppressed memories?

What are some of their happiest memories?

Develop external characteristics

Yes, the internal goals and motivations are the "heart" of a character. But that doesn't mean that their external characteristics should just be an after-thought. While the fact that your protagonist has blonde hair may not impact the plot, it can only benefit you as the author to have an exhaustive composition of them.

Early in your character development, put a bit of time into sketching out your protagonist's external features, including their...

Communication style

Physical appearance

Mannerisms

To help give yourself a more holistic image of your character, check out our ready-made character profile template. It will prompt you to define external elements like posture and distinguishing features, to internal elements like their relationship with their mother and how they're perceived by strangers.

Develop characters through physical characteristics. Ask yourself...

What do they look like? Does their appearance play a role in the story?

How do they interact with others - what is their communication style like?

How do their mannerisms contribute to how others perceive them?

Once you've established goals and motivations, conflicts, dynamism, history, and physicality, you're well on your way to nailing character development. When those details are hammered down, put your knowledge of your protagonist to the test with these eight character development exercises. Before you know it, you'll find you have acquired a new close friend - albeit an imaginary one.
Do you have your own tips for character development? Or any favorite characters from books you feel leap off the page? Leave any thoughts or questions in the comments below!

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Character Development: How to Write Characters Your Readers Won't Forget

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For any novel to truly connect with readers, the author needs to pay close attention to character development. Even the most action-packed, plot-driven books need well-thought-out characters.This article goes over the 5 main parts of developing characters your readers won't forget, from the inside out.

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Here is how television can shine a light on social issues.

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Ever since Newton Minow, then chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, accused television of being a 'vast wasteland," media analysts have debated whether television indeed has any redeeming social value.

Television has changed considerably since Minow's statement, and many formerly taboo subjects are now treated openly, even on prime-time. Compared to the insipid content of the early days of television, today's programming is often bold and provocative, with society the better for millions of viewers having experienced the anguish of marriage to a man who is violently abusive ( The Burning Bed), the tragic consequences of incest ( Something About Amelia), or the potential devastation of nuclear war ( The Day After). Nevertheless, Minow's assessment still haunts us.

Norman Lear is generally credited with having stimulated the shift to "socially relevant" television programming. His lovable bigot. Archie Bunker, paved the way in the early seventies not only to a new kind of television comedy, but to programming that could cover controversial issues of personal and social significance Maude's abortion, Edith's rape. Meathead's anti-war activism.

With the advent of "ensemble shows" like Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere, continuing dramatic series began to incorporate more gritty realism into plots and characters. Now not only do physicians treat disease in others, on St. Elsewhere they become patients themselves, Cops not only confront crime in the streets, but Mary Beth Lacey has her house robbed and her colleague Izbecki buys illegal drugs to ease the lingering death of his much-loved mother. On such programs viewers see the intricacy of human suffering and the complexity of values decisions, as well as the complications of relationships among characters whose values and backgrounds differ - sometimes even clash.

However, it is in the long-form features - the made-for-television movies and mini-series - where social issues have been handled most effectively. Although many laugh at the disease of the week" syndrome, still, done with passion and compassion, a two-hour (or more) drama has the time and the talent (along with the budget) to create a dramatic experience that can be both profound and challenging for the viewer.

Learning to Cope

I believe, in fact, that many extraordinary television productions have served at least to set the national agenda regarding many confusing social issues. No one can know or understand all the causes of teenage suicide or the mysterious progress of Alzheimer's disease. Yet both can touch lives suddenly and tragically. For many adult Americans, prime-time television is the only "continuing education" available to learn to cope with contemporary crises. Entertainment programs may or may not be profound. But they are socially useful for many millions of people.

I am, however, drawn to a deeper question - and a deeper reflection. It has to do with what kinds of issues are handled, even the ones that are handled "well." I do not have to be a sociologist to see that there are basically two kinds of problems confronting us or any society:

Personal-social problems are primarily person-centered, that is, they consist of extraordinary circumstances that affect individuals or individual units of society - usually, crises in relationships or health. Every year the list gets longer but includes rape, spouse abuse, missing children, teen suicide, anorexia, cancer, AIDS, drug and alcohol addiction, mental illness, etc.

Such problems - although personal in nature - become problems for society as a whole when the sheer quantity of persons affected challenges our ability to provide both understanding and assistance to those involved.

Social-political issues include those more global concerns which can, indeed, affect individuals, but which individuals - by themselves - cannot begin to handle: the arms race, the impact of the world debt, racism-and sexism, the effects of colonialism in developing nations, homelessness, and so on.

To confront these kinds of issues requires commitment by individuals, institutions and governments; they also generally call into question the established social, political, cultural and economic structures of society.

Now a survey of television of the 80s indicates that the social issues that television generally handles are primarily the ones that fall under the personal-social category. This is easily rationalized since the very nature of these issues makes them coverable as somebody's story. Defenders of television are quick to remind one that this is so and will always be so, because television is a business and its task is not to create a social conscience in the viewing public, but to deliver an audience to its advertisers. To maximize this potential, television needs entertainment, and entertainment, if it is to hold the attention of the audience, requires a story about people caught up in conflict, adventure or romance that moves in clear dramatic progress from beginning to middle to end. Stories, it is true, are the very stuff of television.
"All television is educational."
- Nicholas Johnson
And it is also true that millions and millions of people form their vision of social reality primarily by the kinds of stories they see day after day on television.

Despite protestations that television "just entertains," even the public knows it does more than that. In the past months, media leaders have acknowledged responsibility for media's role in a major social problem: drug use. Film and television representatives have voluntarily agreed to monitor more carefully the images they present of drug use and abuse. In doing so, the industry admitted that it knows it has power to do more than create laughs and sell automobiles. Television is one of the mirrors by which Americans view themselves and their society. By watching and listening over months and years, one learns to act - with a conscience or without.

Not that we haven't occasionally seen entertaining stories that incorporated a larger worldview. There was, after all, The Day After. M*A*S*H offered profound episodes on the futility of war and, most recently, Cagney and Lacey confronted the dilemma of apartheid when the team was assigned to protect a South African marathon runner.

But it is not enough.

It is not enough because by experiencing only a world of personal-social problems, TV viewers are left with a false sense of the relative importance of the issues facing our society and each of us as members of that society, and as inhabitants of the planet. It is not enough because focusing primarily on individuals overcoming personal obstacles distorts the truth of the real world where there are forces beyond the living room - or bedroom - that are conspiring toward massive economic and political exploitation and, even, global annihilation.

Some will argue that, given the entertainment role of prime-time television, serious global issues are best left to PBS documentaries, the news, history books or perhaps as the subject of critically acclaimed theatrical films - Testament for example, or Missing or Platoon.

The fact that serious films often find their way to prime-time television a few years later serves to underscore the real reason behind this argument - television is, by its very nature, timid.

Following the Leader

Gary David Goldberg relates how he once pitched an idea for a network series about a group of press people stationed in Vietnam. It would have had the usual motley crew of characters and poignant but pointed drama, perhaps not unlike the highly popular M*A*S*H. But he proposed the series in the late 1970s, and the network turned it down flat. The reality of Vietnam was still too near, he was told.

M*A*S*H is clearly the most exceptional series on the issues of war and peace. Still, the setting was the Korean War - long before most current U.S. TV watchers were born. In the worldview of commercial television in the l970s it was acceptable to do a series set in Korea, but not in Vietnam. In Korea, remember, we didn't suffer the same losses. Because television - as a business more than an art form - is integrally intertwined with the capitalist economy, to challenge the economic and political system that glues capitalism together is potentially to bite the very hand that feeds it. It is not only easier then, but politically safer, to commission a two-hour movie on AIDS or even incest than one on the destruction of indigenous cultures in the Third World resulting from the aggressive marketing of consumer products to countries that can barely build and sustain a subsistence economy.

As members of the human family, we must not be lulled into complacency by easy public service issues - whether on television or in everyday life. Frankly, I believe that the most significant values question facing us today is not one of personal sexuality but rather economic justice: What kind of world do we create when the rich just get richer while the poor don't count? Unless television can make clear the economic, cultural and political meanings behind social conditions, then all of its docudramas and socially relevant sitcoms will be "like sounding brass and tinkling cymbals."

Of course, the reply from the creative community will be that this is "not anybody's story." But I just cannot believe that somewhere in Hollywood there is not a drama waiting to be written - or that possibly already has been written but is sitting on the shelf - about the questions someone is feeling about their part in contributing to the economic exploitation of, for instance, women factory workers in the Orient by the same multinational corporations that are the biggest advertisers on U.S. network television.

I doubt, however, that it will ever get on prime-time.

And until it does, I don't think we can really talk about how "well" television handles the social issues of our day.

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How Well Does Television Handle Social Issues?

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Ever since Newton Minow, then chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, accused television of being a 'vast wasteland," media analysts have debated whether television indeed has any redeeming social value. Television has changed considerably since Minow's statement, and many formerly taboo subjects are now treated openly, even on prime-time.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Masterson

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_in_the_Middle

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Malcolm is played by Frankie Muniz; here is a brief history.

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Malcolm is played by Frankie Muniz; here is a brief history.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankie_Muniz

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Malcolm in the Middle is a hilarious sitcom. The kids misbehave a lot causing hilarious reaction from their parents. It also brings to light important values. 

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Malcolm in the Middle is a hilarious sitcom. The kids misbehave a lot causing hilarious reaction from their parents. It also brings to light important values. 