We can see subculture beginning to be featured in Dobie Gillis. How was this evidenced in the episode we viewed?How might either Dobie's or Maynard's masculinities be considered non-normative? Feel free to compare the two characters.
First, let me start by saying that I'm not sure if "The Flying Millicans" was actually the episode we watched because all of the summaries of that episode I can find involve Dobie falling in love with a trapeze artist named Aphrodite, and that is not the episode I saw on Thursday.
That being said, I can still talk about the subculture example I saw in the episode we did watch (the one where Maynard gets drafted). Subculture is evidenced quite well in Dobie Gillis through the depiction of Maynard, Dobie's beatnik best friend. Maynard represents the typical beatnik, he's got a goatee, he uses slang (like is one of his favorites), his posture’s not great and his appearance is unkempt to say the least. His beatnik appearance is only emphasized when he stands next to Dobie, who is groomed and proper looking. Dobie doesn’t appear to be a “guy’s guy”, he doesn’t seem gruff, or rough-and-tumble. Rather, he appears to be clean cut and well behaved. To me, Dobie is the typical "All-American" boy; he’s athletic, intelligent, well liked by his peers and popular with the ladies. His masculinity doesn’t come from acting or looking like a tough guy; rather it comes from his ability to appear put together and respectable. Even when Dobie is asking Maynard to give him some space, for example, he does so politely and kindly (as much as he could at least) rather than simply being cruel to Maynard, which would have been easier. In that case Dobie’s ability to act mature rather than taking the easy way out makes him seem manlier than if he were to lose his temper with Maynard. Dobie’s masculinity is manifested in his mild-mannered behavior and attitude; rather than acting tough to get Maynard to do what he wants, he’s calm and patient with Maynard despite his irritation with him.
Dobie Gillis does not seem like a manly-man in the sense that he’s bulging with muscles and sweating testosterone; his form of masculinity is gentler and kinder than that. Dobie’s maturity is really what defines his masculinity. While the episode we watched did not prominently feature one of the loves of Dobie Gillis, the fact that he appears to have many should attest to the fact that he is in some way masculine.
Excellent catch, Jessica! I've sent an email out to the class about this mix up in terms of the episodes. Thanks for pointing it out. For those who want to post on Dobie, as long as you address how the show portrays teen culture, I will welcome any blog entries.
"Dobie Gillis" portrays the Beatnik and non-normative teen subcultures in a generally negative light. The character of Maynard, who ignores his appearance and personal hygiene, instead choosing to express himself how he pleases, is depicted as a silly side character. Especially in contrast with classic Dobie, Maynard's entire persona seems ridiculous. Dobie is aware of this, and though he is a good friend to Maynard, the only time he really demonstrates it is at Maynard's going-away party. Only when it is socially acceptable to acknowledge Maynard's friendship does he do so, keeping his image as a clean-cut representation of the "typical" American teen in check. Even Maynard's parents don't seem to be proud of his choices: his father shakes his head and mother brushes him off, and this is all played to comic effect. The episode ends rather abruptly after Maynard's skills in the army are demonstrated, never really giving him a chance to prove himself to the audience. Though I haven't seen more of "Dobie Gillis" than this single episode, it seems like this selection would have been one of the few that really spotlighted Maynard. Dobie was probably the main character, and his cutesy comic journeys would have probably fared better with the public than the outsider of Maynard.
But it is also important to keep in mind that this show was created by adults to appeal to both teens AND prospective advertisers. A main character as palatable and exemplary as Dobie could portray to American teens, who might be listening to a bit too much jazz music or smoking a few too many cigarettes, that kids like Dobie are the norm. Maynard represents a caricature of the "abnormal" teenager according to the show's producers and the advertisers behind the scenes.
In “Dobie Gillis” the beatnik subculture is portrayed through Dobie’s friend Maynard. This is evidenced by his manner of speaking, such as using the word “like” frequently, and his interests, such as Jazz. However, this portrayal is family friendly and wholesome, as it shows Maynard as dirty, dumb, and a nuisance to those surrounding him. This characterization allows the wholesome sitcom to deter any teenagers from becoming a part of the beatnik subculture that was seen as anti-conformist and antithetical to the suburban way of life.
While Maynard’s depiction of a beatnik is family friendly and conservative, Dobie’s portrayal of masculinity is fairly atypical for the time. Often men were seen as the strong, unemotional, tough, breadwinners of the family. However, Dobie is portrayed as more sensitive through talking about his feelings straight to the audience, as seen in the scenes where he is in the park. His interactions with girls are also more timid such as in the episode watched it class where it began with Dobie asking Maynard if he gave the note Dobie wrote to the girl he liked for him. Dobie’s sensitive side is also shown closer to the ending as he reads his goodbye letter to Maynard in front of his classmates and he says he must stop because he is getting too emotional. While Dobie does stop before showing a great deal of emotion his ability to even honestly express that he is emotional about Maynard leaving is a different side of masculinity than was normally portrayed at the time. While the sitcom portrayed wholesome family values, it did stray from some more stereotypical masculine characterizations of the time period.
In “Dobie Gillis”, Maynard is meant to be the subversive, non-normative male figure. His dress, actions, and his speech pattern are meant to set him apart from what many saw as the “ideal” high school student. While Dobie was intelligent, well-liked, proper, and conventionally handsome, Maynard was stupid, lazy, dirty, and looked down on by his peers, parents, and those in the community. In order to gain any semblance of respect from those around him, Maynard had to join the Army so that he could clean up and do something worthwhile with his life. Those who watched the show were meant to see Maynard as a cautionary tale, that no one would like them if they turned out like him. His beatnik ways were mocked, from the way he dressed (badly to the point of wearing torn clothing) to the way he spoke (the randomly added “like”s were just plain ridiculous), giving a sense of finality to the point that he did not belong in the reality that television was trying to emulate. Dobie was the kind of guy viewers should aspire to be like. He was deferential to his elders, intelligent, and cared about important things, like friendship, school, and finding the perfect girl. Dobie, for all his girl-chasing, was portrayed as the idea male teen.
I thought this episode of “Dobie Gillis was very interesting to watch because it displayed a masculinity that wasn’t typically found during the 1950’s culture. For example in the particular episode we watched, Maynard was suggested to be the non-normative male figure. He was portrayed to be not very smart and would always believe what everyone said. His clothing was not well kept and it was implied that he was a nuisance to his parents by them agreeing for Maynard to get drafted. Instead of being shown as responsible, which was the typical male portrayal in the 1950’s, Maynard was careless. He did not read the letter about being drafted properly, so when he got it he automatically assumed that he had to leave, so he told his family and friend. They then put on a goodbye party for him and when he showed up at the base, they told him that it was just a notice because he turned 18. Instead of being humiliated in front of everyone and owning up to his mistakes, he drafted himself without telling anyone what had happened. This behavior is not typical of the normal male during the 50s but I can see how it reaches out to the teen audiences.
Although it the show was not viewed in class ,The Many Loves of Dobie Gills was fairly influent because it did focus on targeting teenagers and was the beginning of this turning point of television. And as you think about properties that spark strong fan culture and subculture, in targeting this specific crowd and their interest, you create media that is at the forefront of pop culture. What I mean by this is that in studying these specific shows of the 1950’s and 60’s, you can easily see how television began to influence people every day from a social standpoint beyond the roles portrayed in early television in the decades prior. Instead of giving people a family role to fill or showing some random array of acts, television gave people characters with clear goals that were not stereotypical of them because of their race, gender or economic class. And additionally, television also began to target other people in the family instead of the parents. In what I read about the show, it did a good job of identifying with people by doing something as simple as playing on the desires of a teenage boy as opposed to the role he was expected to play in his household. Plus, it also expanded thoughts concerning gender roles by portraying more artistic male figures that saw life as a fun series of recreational activities instead of just work. In doing so, the show also displayed the consequences of these choices that the main characters were making, but more importantly, it changed the way television marketed to the family with programming by attempting to give the entire family some form of entertainment that relates to them. Not just the parents.
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis shows a form of television that is targeted towards a specific group as well as defining that group. Dobie Gillis creates a subculture geared towards teenagers rather than the nuclear american family we have seen in other shows. Through the traits and attitudes of Dobie and Maynard, the show is differentiating teenagers from adults. Maynard is depicted as a beatnik, he is not very smart as he uses slang and is shown slouching and having facial hair. This representation goes to portray teenagers as not as wise as the older adult males usually seen in culture and on TV. In the episode we watch Maynard joins the army by mistake after thinking he had been drafted. The use of joining the army, something that is seen as a very adult decision to make, set against the humor of it being an accident shows the characterization of Dobie and Maynards generation as impulsive and irresponsible. The introduction or beginning of subculture in TV could be seen as the beginning of what we have today with niche markets and cable stations specializing in certain markets. Dobie saw a unique opportunity to appeal to a specific market and deviate from the commercial, nuclear American family that dominated the television sets.
Television's impression on viewers in America seems to have grown parallel to its increasing popularity and "Dobie Gillis" highlights this in an obvious way. In the episode we viewed in class on Thursday, teen culture is portrayed on two opposite spectrums; Dobie on one side and Maynard on the other. Dobie is a well-dressed, educated, helpful, and understanding young man; someone every parent wanted their son to be in the 1950's (and most likely today as well). Maynard is displayed as that of a dunce; nothing going for him, poorly dressed, and caught up in the vernacular and interests of which adults were not fond. I assume that while teens sat on their couch in their middle class homes and watched this show, many of them would think to themselves "Wow, Dobie is a real standup guy. I'm glad I'm just like him." And perhaps if the viewer couldn't identify with Dobie, he at least saw Dobie's contrast to Maynard and was inspired to be more of a genuine, loving teen who respected his peers no matter what their status may be. In my opinion, this subcultured program is used as a vessel to inform teens on the dangers of steering the wrong way in their lives through the representation of its characters and what they stand for within a realistically fictional culture of their own. With growing numbers in spectators across the nation, "Dobie Gillis" was able to reach out and influence a significant range of teens in America.
First, let me start by saying that I'm not sure if "The Flying Millicans" was actually the episode we watched because all of the summaries of that episode I can find involve Dobie falling in love with a trapeze artist named Aphrodite, and that is not the episode I saw on Thursday.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I can still talk about the subculture example I saw in the episode we did watch (the one where Maynard gets drafted). Subculture is evidenced quite well in Dobie Gillis through the depiction of Maynard, Dobie's beatnik best friend. Maynard represents the typical beatnik, he's got a goatee, he uses slang (like is one of his favorites), his posture’s not great and his appearance is unkempt to say the least. His beatnik appearance is only emphasized when he stands next to Dobie, who is groomed and proper looking. Dobie doesn’t appear to be a “guy’s guy”, he doesn’t seem gruff, or rough-and-tumble. Rather, he appears to be clean cut and well behaved. To me, Dobie is the typical "All-American" boy; he’s athletic, intelligent, well liked by his peers and popular with the ladies. His masculinity doesn’t come from acting or looking like a tough guy; rather it comes from his ability to appear put together and respectable. Even when Dobie is asking Maynard to give him some space, for example, he does so politely and kindly (as much as he could at least) rather than simply being cruel to Maynard, which would have been easier. In that case Dobie’s ability to act mature rather than taking the easy way out makes him seem manlier than if he were to lose his temper with Maynard. Dobie’s masculinity is manifested in his mild-mannered behavior and attitude; rather than acting tough to get Maynard to do what he wants, he’s calm and patient with Maynard despite his irritation with him.
Dobie Gillis does not seem like a manly-man in the sense that he’s bulging with muscles and sweating testosterone; his form of masculinity is gentler and kinder than that. Dobie’s maturity is really what defines his masculinity. While the episode we watched did not prominently feature one of the loves of Dobie Gillis, the fact that he appears to have many should attest to the fact that he is in some way masculine.
Excellent catch, Jessica! I've sent an email out to the class about this mix up in terms of the episodes. Thanks for pointing it out. For those who want to post on Dobie, as long as you address how the show portrays teen culture, I will welcome any blog entries.
Delete"Dobie Gillis" portrays the Beatnik and non-normative teen subcultures in a generally negative light. The character of Maynard, who ignores his appearance and personal hygiene, instead choosing to express himself how he pleases, is depicted as a silly side character. Especially in contrast with classic Dobie, Maynard's entire persona seems ridiculous. Dobie is aware of this, and though he is a good friend to Maynard, the only time he really demonstrates it is at Maynard's going-away party. Only when it is socially acceptable to acknowledge Maynard's friendship does he do so, keeping his image as a clean-cut representation of the "typical" American teen in check. Even Maynard's parents don't seem to be proud of his choices: his father shakes his head and mother brushes him off, and this is all played to comic effect. The episode ends rather abruptly after Maynard's skills in the army are demonstrated, never really giving him a chance to prove himself to the audience. Though I haven't seen more of "Dobie Gillis" than this single episode, it seems like this selection would have been one of the few that really spotlighted Maynard. Dobie was probably the main character, and his cutesy comic journeys would have probably fared better with the public than the outsider of Maynard.
ReplyDeleteBut it is also important to keep in mind that this show was created by adults to appeal to both teens AND prospective advertisers. A main character as palatable and exemplary as Dobie could portray to American teens, who might be listening to a bit too much jazz music or smoking a few too many cigarettes, that kids like Dobie are the norm. Maynard represents a caricature of the "abnormal" teenager according to the show's producers and the advertisers behind the scenes.
In “Dobie Gillis” the beatnik subculture is portrayed through Dobie’s friend Maynard. This is evidenced by his manner of speaking, such as using the word “like” frequently, and his interests, such as Jazz. However, this portrayal is family friendly and wholesome, as it shows Maynard as dirty, dumb, and a nuisance to those surrounding him. This characterization allows the wholesome sitcom to deter any teenagers from becoming a part of the beatnik subculture that was seen as anti-conformist and antithetical to the suburban way of life.
ReplyDeleteWhile Maynard’s depiction of a beatnik is family friendly and conservative, Dobie’s portrayal of masculinity is fairly atypical for the time. Often men were seen as the strong, unemotional, tough, breadwinners of the family. However, Dobie is portrayed as more sensitive through talking about his feelings straight to the audience, as seen in the scenes where he is in the park. His interactions with girls are also more timid such as in the episode watched it class where it began with Dobie asking Maynard if he gave the note Dobie wrote to the girl he liked for him. Dobie’s sensitive side is also shown closer to the ending as he reads his goodbye letter to Maynard in front of his classmates and he says he must stop because he is getting too emotional. While Dobie does stop before showing a great deal of emotion his ability to even honestly express that he is emotional about Maynard leaving is a different side of masculinity than was normally portrayed at the time. While the sitcom portrayed wholesome family values, it did stray from some more stereotypical masculine characterizations of the time period.
In “Dobie Gillis”, Maynard is meant to be the subversive, non-normative male figure. His dress, actions, and his speech pattern are meant to set him apart from what many saw as the “ideal” high school student. While Dobie was intelligent, well-liked, proper, and conventionally handsome, Maynard was stupid, lazy, dirty, and looked down on by his peers, parents, and those in the community. In order to gain any semblance of respect from those around him, Maynard had to join the Army so that he could clean up and do something worthwhile with his life. Those who watched the show were meant to see Maynard as a cautionary tale, that no one would like them if they turned out like him. His beatnik ways were mocked, from the way he dressed (badly to the point of wearing torn clothing) to the way he spoke (the randomly added “like”s were just plain ridiculous), giving a sense of finality to the point that he did not belong in the reality that television was trying to emulate. Dobie was the kind of guy viewers should aspire to be like. He was deferential to his elders, intelligent, and cared about important things, like friendship, school, and finding the perfect girl. Dobie, for all his girl-chasing, was portrayed as the idea male teen.
ReplyDeleteI thought this episode of “Dobie Gillis was very interesting to watch because it displayed a masculinity that wasn’t typically found during the 1950’s culture. For example in the particular episode we watched, Maynard was suggested to be the non-normative male figure. He was portrayed to be not very smart and would always believe what everyone said. His clothing was not well kept and it was implied that he was a nuisance to his parents by them agreeing for Maynard to get drafted. Instead of being shown as responsible, which was the typical male portrayal in the 1950’s, Maynard was careless. He did not read the letter about being drafted properly, so when he got it he automatically assumed that he had to leave, so he told his family and friend. They then put on a goodbye party for him and when he showed up at the base, they told him that it was just a notice because he turned 18. Instead of being humiliated in front of everyone and owning up to his mistakes, he drafted himself without telling anyone what had happened. This behavior is not typical of the normal male during the 50s but I can see how it reaches out to the teen audiences.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it the show was not viewed in class ,The Many Loves of Dobie Gills was fairly influent because it did focus on targeting teenagers and was the beginning of this turning point of television. And as you think about properties that spark strong fan culture and subculture, in targeting this specific crowd and their interest, you create media that is at the forefront of pop culture. What I mean by this is that in studying these specific shows of the 1950’s and 60’s, you can easily see how television began to influence people every day from a social standpoint beyond the roles portrayed in early television in the decades prior. Instead of giving people a family role to fill or showing some random array of acts, television gave people characters with clear goals that were not stereotypical of them because of their race, gender or economic class. And additionally, television also began to target other people in the family instead of the parents. In what I read about the show, it did a good job of identifying with people by doing something as simple as playing on the desires of a teenage boy as opposed to the role he was expected to play in his household. Plus, it also expanded thoughts concerning gender roles by portraying more artistic male figures that saw life as a fun series of recreational activities instead of just work. In doing so, the show also displayed the consequences of these choices that the main characters were making, but more importantly, it changed the way television marketed to the family with programming by attempting to give the entire family some form of entertainment that relates to them. Not just the parents.
ReplyDeleteThe Many Loves of Dobie Gillis shows a form of television that is targeted towards a specific group as well as defining that group. Dobie Gillis creates a subculture geared towards teenagers rather than the nuclear american family we have seen in other shows. Through the traits and attitudes of Dobie and Maynard, the show is differentiating teenagers from adults. Maynard is depicted as a beatnik, he is not very smart as he uses slang and is shown slouching and having facial hair. This representation goes to portray teenagers as not as wise as the older adult males usually seen in culture and on TV. In the episode we watch Maynard joins the army by mistake after thinking he had been drafted. The use of joining the army, something that is seen as a very adult decision to make, set against the humor of it being an accident shows the characterization of Dobie and Maynards generation as impulsive and irresponsible. The introduction or beginning of subculture in TV could be seen as the beginning of what we have today with niche markets and cable stations specializing in certain markets. Dobie saw a unique opportunity to appeal to a specific market and deviate from the commercial, nuclear American family that dominated the television sets.
ReplyDeleteTelevision's impression on viewers in America seems to have grown parallel to its increasing popularity and "Dobie Gillis" highlights this in an obvious way. In the episode we viewed in class on Thursday, teen culture is portrayed on two opposite spectrums; Dobie on one side and Maynard on the other. Dobie is a well-dressed, educated, helpful, and understanding young man; someone every parent wanted their son to be in the 1950's (and most likely today as well). Maynard is displayed as that of a dunce; nothing going for him, poorly dressed, and caught up in the vernacular and interests of which adults were not fond. I assume that while teens sat on their couch in their middle class homes and watched this show, many of them would think to themselves "Wow, Dobie is a real standup guy. I'm glad I'm just like him." And perhaps if the viewer couldn't identify with Dobie, he at least saw Dobie's contrast to Maynard and was inspired to be more of a genuine, loving teen who respected his peers no matter what their status may be. In my opinion, this subcultured program is used as a vessel to inform teens on the dangers of steering the wrong way in their lives through the representation of its characters and what they stand for within a realistically fictional culture of their own. With growing numbers in spectators across the nation, "Dobie Gillis" was able to reach out and influence a significant range of teens in America.
ReplyDelete