Wednesday, February 24, 2016

The Finale

    Talking about the increasing level of censuring of telenovellas in class today brought out some feelings of resentment in me. Some of the things we discussed that had to be censured sounded outrageous to me- not being able to say something as small as "lets have a glass of scotch" is baffling. I enjoyed the fact that the telenovella writer did manage to find a few loopholes in the system and get in a jab against the restriction of speech by wording the dialogues differently. A fact that was said that especially stood out to me was that as the restriction of speech and subsequent decline of show production correlated with a steady increase in the crime rate. Overall our discussions of this topic made me feel thankful for the unrestricted television that I am able to access.
     The last episode of a series always brings out some emotions from their viewers. The audience develops a bond with the characters they see as they watch them go through the trials and tribulations of life, and realizing that they will no longer be able to see them feels like losing a friend . I usually call this post-show syndrome. I actually learned a lot more information from this course now that it has come to its own end. I was shown that telenovellas are not simply just telenovellas- they are influential parts of culture, and they capture a snapshot of life in the country. My own mom was talking with me about how in Russia everyone would rush to the TV to catch the latest episode; it was a nightly ritual. Also, I learned how wide spread their influence actually was! They are in every country, and I had no idea that Ugly Betty originally stemmed from a telenovella. During class I was given the opportunity to peer into the life of a foreign country and learn some of their values and beliefs. Not only that, I was able to make connections with the themes and plotlines of the various shows. Walking away from this class I am happy to have taken it as I have learned a lot more than just about telenovellas and how they are produced. Who knows I might continue to watch some more.

4 comments:

  1. I also didn't know that Ugly Betty originated from a telenovela before taking the course. It's very interesting to see how telenovelas can be adapted into a comedy for U.S. audiences such as for Jane the Virgin or Ugly Betty. I was surprised to see the wide reach that even one telenovela can have around the world such as Ugly Betty where we saw versions from Russia, India, Greece, etc. Taking this class has really opened my eyes to a very rapidly growing genre of television that is taking over the world by storm through globalization. Part of me wishes that we could get an extra week in the class as it was very entertaining to go through the various aspects of a telenovela.

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  2. I really liked what you said about telenovelas allowing you to catch a glimpse into a different culture. I greatly enjoy learning about foreign cultures myself and I have found that entertainment is a very effective way to learn about them. Forms of entertainment like music, television, and movies let communicate the way of life of a community; they can explain the values of a country or any issues currently being faced.

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  3. I agree that the censorship on telenovelas was pretty ridiculous. I can't even imagine what it would be like to be a writer and to have to dodge all of those regulations. I also really like the term "post-show syndrome". It definitely describes the feeling that I get when I finish a tv show, however I can't even imagine what it is like for people who spent every night for months watching a telenovela and then all of a sudden having that experience be over.

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  4. I agree that the censorship on telenovelas was pretty ridiculous. I can't even imagine what it would be like to be a writer and to have to dodge all of those regulations. I also really like the term "post-show syndrome". It definitely describes the feeling that I get when I finish a tv show, however I can't even imagine what it is like for people who spent every night for months watching a telenovela and then all of a sudden having that experience be over.

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