Blog #3 (American Values in TV)

It's amazing how a show that is about the supernatural can identify values of Americans. Charmed, the show i can sometimes view, represents American Core Values in multiple ways. They are represented through the characters' actions, decisions, and through what they think and say. The setting also portrays many values that are important to Americans, and so does the story line. How the characters dress and speak can express some of our core values. Through all these means of portraying American Core Values, Charmed seems to be encouraging viewers to value quite a few of these values.

Two values that seem to go hand in hand on this show are Achievement and Success and Activity and Work. The "charmed ones", as they are sometimes called, are constantly doing some kind of activity, either protecting innocent, fighting demons, or just trying to live a "normal" life. There is hardly ever a time in the show where you see them relaxing and doing nothing. During basically all of the activities the charmed ones perform, they are striving for, and usually achieve, success. Failure, to them, is NOT an option. In the episode I watched, Phoebe, one of the charmed ones, was obsessed with saving this guy she liked. It turns out that it was his time to die, and the angel of death wouldn't stop until he had his "victim" (for lack of better word). Over and over again Pheobe would work to save this man and time and time again she succeeded.

Another value this show portrays is Material Comfort. The charmed ones live in a large house, have pretty nice cars, and for the most part, live pretty comfortably. Yet, it seems that at least one of the sisters is searching for a guy to love. Having a man who loves you is portrayed as a material comfort to any female who watches this show. Almost every show that I've seen, there is some type of romance, either forthe married sister or for the single ones.

Efficiency and Practicality are also values that this show tells viewers to value. Whenever there is a problem with a demon or something of the like, the charmed ones work together quickly and efficiently to stop or get rid of the problem. The think of the best way to solve their dilemas and then they perform the solution they decided on. Yes, sometimes thier ideas don't work, but they always learn from their mistakes which can also represent another value, Progress.

Youthfulness is portrayed through the sisters themselves. All are pretty young and vivacious. They are energetic and sometimes a little naive. So, when people watch the show, they see young women living and fighting, and youthfulness becomes imortant to the viewers even though there is no fuss being made by the characters themselves.