Television Shows Reflect American Culture
There are many movies and television shows that reflect
American culture.
A show or movie must address some current societal problem or
trend in order to
truly reflect American life; murder, rape, racism, and, on a
less serious note,
parties, shopping, and sports are topics that deserve serious
consideration by
the public and the media.
The show Beverly Hills 90210 attempts to be an accurate
portrayal of the
life of a typical well-off American teenager growing up in the
80's and 90's.
The producers of the show attempt to integrate many real life
situations into
the show. By doing this they are suggesting to the audience,
which happens to
be geared toward teenagers, that what the characters do in the
show is the ideal
way to deal with these types of situations.
Many aspects of American culture are represented on the
television show
Beverly Hills 90210, or just 90210 as it is commonly referred
to. Three to
four years ago it dealt with the subject of murder or homicide.
One of David's,
a star in the show, best friends was playing with a gun which he
had acquired
during a summer vacation to the mid-West. The friend shot
himself by accident;

that result in violence like guns. A gun is an item which should
only be in the
hands of a properly trained and skilled user, in order to avoid
horrible
tragedies.
Another incident of tragedy occurred last season. Dylan's
girlfriend,
whose father was an organized crime figure of some kind, was
gunned down by a
bullet intended for Dylan. Ironically, the hit-man was hired by
her very own
father. Not many parents go out and hire people to kill their
children's
boyfriends or girlfriends. However, in this circumstance there
was a history
between Dylan and her father. Her father had killed Dylan's
father before they
had meet. Dylan was attempting to get revenge for his father's
murder. In the
meantime, Dylan has fallen in love with his daughter. The two
lovers had just
married and planned on a happy life when tragedy struck. In many
ways, this
incident portrays the negative images that organized crime
reflects on the
American culture. Although organized crime rings are decreasing,
the problem of
organized crime is still a detriment to American society. The
producers are
doing a good deed in showing this because it sends a message to

situation, a death
in the family. Many teens today feel themselves slipping off the
edge and they
need something to help them through though times. They turn to
drugs and other
illegal substances when these situations arise. Young people
today seem to
confide more in their peers than in their parents. Many of them
think their
parents do not understand them. Their friends provide comfort
and advice which
is valued.
Although parents may not provide guidance that is
appreciated, they do
provide money to their offspring. One of the more common
stereotypes of
American life fits right in with the materialistic values
promoted by our
society - in print, in television, in commercials, in movies - in
other words,
in all aspects of the media. All economic echelons of society in
the United
States are encouraged to purchase name brand clothing and other
apparel. The
"American Dream" of shopping and credit cards is a reality in the
show. The
setting of the show is Beverly Hills, California, the home of all
the popular
trends and famous stars. This location, along with rich parents,
provides for