Politics and Politicians in Contemporary US Television: Washington as Fiction (Routledge Advances in Television Studies)

Bringing together well-established scholars of media, political science, sociology, and film to investigate the representation of Washington politics on U.S. television from the mid-2000s to the present, this volume offers stimulating perspectives on the status of representations of contemporary US politics, the role of government and the machinations and intrigue often associated with politicians and governmental institutions. The authors help to locate these representations both in the context of the history of earlier television shows that portrayed the political culture of Washington as well as within the current political culture transpiring both inside and outside of "The Beltway." With close attention to issues of gender, race and class and offering studies from contemporary quality television, including popular programmes such as "The West Wing," "Veep," "House of Cards," "The Americans," "The Good Wife "and "Scandal," the authors examine the ways in which televisual representations reveal changing attitudes towards Washington culture, shedding light on the role of the media in framing the public s changing perception of politics and politicians. Exploring the new era in which television finds itself, with new production practices and the possible emergence of a new political genre emerging, "Politics and Politicians in Contemporary U.S. Television "also considers the humanizing of political characters on television, asking what that representation of politicians as human beings says about the national political culture. A fascinating study that sits at the intersection of politics and television, this book will appeal to scholars of popular culture, sociology, cultural and media studies." Bringing Together Well-established Scholars Of Media, Political Science, Sociology, And Film To Investigate The Representation Of Washington Politics On U.s. Television From The Mid-2000s To The Present, This Volume Offers Stimulating Perspectives On The Status Of Representations Of Contemporary Us Politics, The Role Of Government And The Machinations And Intrigue Often Associated With Politicians And Governmental Institutions. The Authors Help To Locate These Representations Both In The Context Of The History Of Earlier Television Shows That Portrayed The Political Culture Of Washington As Well As Within The Current Political Culture Transpiring Both Inside And Outside Of The Beltway. With Close Attention To Issues Of Gender, Race And Class And Offering Studies From Contemporary Quality Television, Including Popular Programmes Such As The West Wing, Veep, House Of Cards, The Americans, The Good Wife And Scandal, The Authors Examine The Ways In Which Televisual Representations Reveal Changing Attitudes Towards Washington Culture, Shedding Light On The Role Of The Media In Framing The Public's Changing Perception Of Politics And Politicians. Exploring The New Era In Which Television Finds Itself, With New Production Practices And The Possible Emergence Of A New 'political Genre' Emerging, They Also Consider The 'humanizing' Of Political Characters On Television, Asking What That Representation Of Politicians As Human Beings Says About The National Political Culture. Foreword: Television Criticism And Contemporary U.s. Politics / Douglas Kellner -- Introduction: American Television In The 2010s / Betty Kaklamanidou And Margaret Tally -- The Political Tv Shows Of The 2010s: Showrunners, Reality And Gender / Betty Kaklamanidou And Margaret Tally -- The Last Hurrah: The West Wing And The Future Of American Politics After 9/11 / Ian Scott -- Stand Up, Fight Back: Race And Policing In The Good Wife And Scandal / Caryn Murphy -- The Leader Of The Free World? Representing The Declining Presidency In Film And Television / Gregory Frame -- Would Niccolò Machiavelli Endorse House Of Cards' Frank Underwood? / Anthony Petros Spanakos -- House Of Cards, House Of Power: Political Narratives And The Cult Of Serial Sociopaths In Narrative Politics In American Quality Dramas In The Digital Age / Elena Pilipets & Rainer Winter -- The Cold War (re)-visited In House Of Cards And The Americans / Betty Kaklamanidou -- Call It The Hillary Effect: Charting The Imaginary Of Hillary-esque Fictional Narratives / Margaret Tally -- Veep's Poetics Of Omnishambles / Marc Edward Shaw. Edited By Betty Kaklamanidou And Margaret J. Tally. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. American exceptionalism as myth and cultural channels of dissemination -- House of Cards' Victor Petrov -- The Americans' Misha and Nadezhda AKA Philip and Elizabeth -- "Back in the USSR" and contemporary television -- Bibliography -- 8. "Call it the Hillary effect": charting the imaginary of "Hillary-esque" fictional narratives -- The frustrated striver: Selina in Veep -- The political wives: Claire and Alicia in House of Cards and The Good Wife -- The unlikely winner: Elizabeth in Madam Secretary -- Bibliography -- 9. Veep's poetics of omnishambles -- Dan Egan's tragicomic and prophetic vision Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Dedication -- Table of Contents -- Acknowledgement -- List of contributors -- Foreword: Television criticism and contemporary US politics -- Notes -- Introduction: American television in the 2010s -- Brief history of politics and politicians on scripted television -- Political sitcoms/comedies -- Political dramas -- Book structure -- Bibliography -- 1. The political TV shows of the 2010s: showrunners, reality and gender -- Themes and showrunners -- The spectacle of reality vs. the spectacle of fiction: the politics of political shows Gender politics in contemporary political shows -- Barbara Hall's Madam Secretary -- Bibliography -- 2. "The last hurrah": The West Wing and the future of American politics after 9/11 -- "What kind of day has it been?"--"A proportional response"--Conclusion: The West Wing, 9/11 and popular culture -- Note -- Bibliography -- 3. "Stand up, fight back": race and policing in The Good Wife and Scandal -- Post-racial media, colorblindness, and colorconsciousness -- "The Debate" -- "The Lawn Chair" -- Conclusion -- Note -- Bibliography 6. House of Cards - House of Power: political narratives and the cult of serial sociopaths in narrative politics in American quality dramas in the digital age -- Introduction: narrative complexity of House of Cards -- Political narratives and the cult of serial sociopaths -- Breaking the fourth wall: narrative politics of Netflix in the age of digitalization -- House of Cards - House of Power: political entertainment in global technocapitalism -- Bibliography -- 7. The Cold War (re- )visited in House of Cards and The Americans 4. The Leader of the Free World? Representing the declining presidency in television drama -- Olympus Has Fallen and White House Down: The president as damsel-in-distress and sidekick -- The 'irrelevant president': House of Cards and Scandal -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- 5. Would Niccolò Machiavelli endorse House of Cards' Frank Underwood? -- One: Frank Underwood and Niccolò Machiavelli -- Two: Realpolitik and Utopia -- Three: A/side of Frank -- Four: Means -- Five: Ends -- Notes -- Bibliography