Popular TV Series Research Articles

Unveiling The Relation Between Product Placement and Consumer Minds in the 'Stranger Things' Series

Product placement is a marketing strategy that involves the integration of branded products into media content. One of the most popular TV series that effectively uses product placement is 'Stranger Things', created by The Duffer Brothers. This paper analyzes the impact of product placement on consumer behavior in the context of the 'Stranger Things' series. This paper examines the brands that have been featured in the series, the value of their placement, and the effect on consumer behavior. This research uses traditional literature reviews, with analyzing data and journals as the main sources of data. The findings revealed that the appearance of branded products in the series has increased brand awareness and recall among viewers. The paper concludes that product placement in 'Stranger Things' has been a successful marketing strategy that has influenced consumer behavior and it is a step that future marketers should consider.

Audience-authored paratexts: legitimation of online discourse about Game of Thrones

Abstract With the increasing proliferation of the internet, audience-authored online paratexts continue to gain significance in culture and in the communicative structures of narrative texts. This article takes a critical look at the ways in which Gérard Genette’s concept of paratext (1987) has been used in contemporary scholarship. The article offers a model of online paratexts based on an interdisciplinary understanding of paratextuality and internet-age culture. Ways in which paratexts become legitimate in online environments are considered through the analysis of HBO’s popular TV series Game of Thrones (2011–2019). Legitimation extends from production-authored paratexts to audience-authored paratexts, reflecting changes in the relationship between authors and readers typical to contemporary culture. Finally, the article introduces the concept of paratextual reauthoring, which refers to the practice of canonizing alternative interpretations of texts via the use of online paratexts.

Counteracting Islamophobia through Strategic Media Narratives: A Multi-Case Study Approach

In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, Islamophobia escalated rapidly in Western societies, challenging the integration and perception of Muslim communities. This rise in prejudice has often been reinforced by negative media portrayals, which have shaped public opinion and policy in profound ways. Contrary to this, certain media entities have endeavored to mitigate these negative perceptions through positive representation and constructive discourse. This study explores the role of media in combating Islamophobia, with a focus on how selected media outlets have leveraged their platforms to foster understanding and counteract prejudice against Muslims. Three distinct cases are examined: the documentaries and other programming by Qatar's Al Jazeera English network, the digital content of Islam Online, and the popular Turkish TV series "Resurrection Ertugrul." Al Jazeera English has been pivotal in providing a counter-narrative to Western media depictions of Islam and Muslims through in-depth documentaries that highlight the diversity and richness of Muslim cultures. Islam Online has used its digital presence to educate and bridge gaps between Muslim and non-Muslim communities by offering a platform for dialogue and understanding. Meanwhile, "Resurrection Ertugrul" serves not merely as entertainment but as a significant cultural and political tool that redefines and reshapes narratives around Islamic history and identity, presenting an antidote to stereotypical media portrayals. This study employs qualitative methodologies, including content analysis and literature reviews, to assess the impact of these media on Western perceptions of Islam. Expected results indicate that strategic media content can effectively counter Islamophobia by enlightening audiences, fostering cultural appreciation, and challenging ingrained stereotypes. This research underscores the media's power as a non-state actor in international relations and its capacity to influence social change and policy by reshaping narratives and improving intercultural relationships.

Ethical communication: Exploring representations of Bedoon and migrant workers in the Kuwaiti TV show From Haram Street

This research aims to provide a critical analysis of the portrayal of migrant workers and the Bedoon in the popular Kuwaiti TV series From Haram Street (Haram Street). The research methodology employs the use of a diasporic critique to explore to what extent have TV and popular culture as technologies of power allowed workers to submit to a certain degree of domination and how television reinforces this script of dominance. Using diasporic critique, the author highlights how labour migrants are displaced in reality but framed differently through popular culture. The key findings indicate that the series provides a highly stereotypical portrayal of the Bedoon and migrant worker communities. The findings also indicate that the diasporic nature of these communities – that of migrant workers and that of the Bedoon – allows for a privileged and hegemonic rhetoric that excludes domestic workers and Bedoon communities. Along with providing an insight into the feminist vernacular discourse in present-day Kuwait, Haram Street series also sets in motion hegemonic rhetorics meant to keep migrant workers and Bedoon communities disciplined and excluded through technologies of domination. Particular attention in this article is paid to how Haram Street shapes our understanding of the migrant workers’ and stateless individuals’ situation in Kuwait.

Mobilizing and countering ‘the bad story’: the role of media narratives about traumatized veterans in Danish militarization processes

ABSTRACT This article investigates how Danish news media and popular culture represent war veterans and how the dominant form of representation can be linked to a general process of militarization in a Danish context. Focusing on the narratives and representations of Danish veterans allow for a study of how the veteran emerges as culturally significant figure in a Nordic welfare state without a well-established tradition for international military engagement. By reading across a set of newspaper articles and two popular TV series, Ride upon the storm and Warrior, a dominant pathologizing discourse focusing on the veteran-victim is identified and discussed.

Comparison of novel character relationship network mining and drama character relationship shaping algorithms

This study embarks on an interdisciplinary journey to analyze and compare Character Relationships (CR) in two diverse storytelling mediums – the classic novel “Emma” by Jane Austen and the popular TV series “Friends”. Leveraging a blend of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and advanced video analysis tools, this research “sheds light on” the intricate network of CR within these narratives. This study scientifically analyzes these relationships' complete method, creation, and impact using sentiment analysis, object identification, and story coherence algorithms. Qualitative and quantitative metrics such as precision, recall, F-score, and accuracy assist in explaining character updates. The content and TV exhibit distinct storytelling modes, and this study demonstrates that algorithmic analysis of stories is practical. The findings of this study request to contribute to online studies by focusing on understanding character networks and their vital role in TV storytelling.

Beyond lectures and practical courses: Teaching pharmacology using imaginative pedagogical tools

Pharmacology has broadened its scope considerably in recent decades. Initially, it was of interest to chemists, doctors and pharmacists. In recent years, however, it has been incorporated into the teaching of biologists, molecular biologists, biotechnologists, chemical engineers and many health professionals, among others. Traditional teaching methods, such as lectures or laboratory work, have been superseded by the use of new pedagogical approaches to enable a better conceptualization and understanding of the discipline. In this article, we present several new methods that have been used in Spanish universities. Firstly, we describe a teaching network that has allowed the sharing of pedagogical innovations in Spanish universities. A European experience to improve prescribing safety is described in detail. The use of popular films and medical TV series in biomedical students shows how these audiovisual resources can be helpful in teaching pharmacology. The use of virtual worlds is detailed to introduce this new approach to teaching. The increasingly important area of the social aspects of pharmacology is also considered in two sections, one devoted to social pharmacology and the other to the use of learning based on social services to improve understanding of this important area. Finally, the use of Objective Structured Clinical Evaluation in pharmacology allows to know how this approach can help to better evaluate clinical pharmacology students. In conclusion, this article allows to know new pedagogical methods resources used in some Spanish universities that may help to improve the teaching of pharmacology.

Конструирование образа прошлого в кино: кейс сериала «Слово пацана»

The article examines the problem of historical accuracy in cinema on the example of the popular Russian TV series “A hoodlum’s promise – blood on the asphalt”. In the context of the popularity of movies covering real historical events, the author gives a sociological interpretation of the artistic techniques used in the series aimed at constructing the image of the past. Based on their analysis, the authors identify the criteria that allow us to judge the plausibility and correspondence of the image of the past embodied in the film to the historical reality. These include: 1) the degree of authenticity of reconstruction of material culture of a particular time pe-riod; 2) authentic representation of mentality of a particular time period; and 3) filmmaker’s understanding and interpretation of historical processes, events, etc. It is emphasized that the modern trend is to move away from documentary authenticity in historical films, but it is also stressed that the key importance in this regard is the author’s intention, in some cases designed to convey to the viewer a certain social idea expressed by the skill of filmmakers.

The emergence of “soft power” as a tool of the Republic of Korea's foreign policy

Over the past few years, the East Asian states, notably the Republic of Korea, have been effectively implementing soft power strategies. The concept's founder J. Nye himself draws the attention of the scientific circles to the fact that “the potential of the countries (note – the East Asian region) is rising year by year. The research of soft power of the Republic of Korea is of utmost interest, as the Republic of Korea managed to revamp its economy and political institutions in a very short period of time, establishing its position in the international arena and becoming one of the “significant” cultural exporters of today. The purpose of this paper is to outline the specifics of soft power development as one of the foreign policy and public diplomacy mechanisms of the Republic of Korea. For a more accurate understanding of the use of soft power as an instrument of foreign policy of the state under study, historical and socio-cultural methods were involved. The research also included the following approaches to the study of soft power: structural and functional, discourse analysis, and the institutional approach. The scientific novelty lies in the elaboration of the author's definition of “soft power”. “The Korean Wave” provided an additional opportunity for the government of the Republic of Korea to take advantage of soft power as a foreign policy strategy to promote Korean cultural values in a globalizing world. The Republic of Korea's emergence as a cultural power on the world stage has been facilitated by the phenomenon known as the Korean Wave or Hallyu. This phenomenon is characterized by the extensive spread of Korean popular culture, including music, TV series and films. Hallyu brought with it cultural and social implications, especially for Asia, as the Republic of Korea changed its role from a recipient to a donor of popular culture in the region. The Republic of Korea is a prime example of the effective use of culture as its soft power, showing that global presence through creative products can significantly influence a nation's economy and international position.

Wan Yu Literature and Feminism

In China, the phenomenon known as "Wan Yu Literature" has recently taken social media by storm, igniting intense discussions among people. This trend is centered around Lin Wan Yu, a character from the popular Chinese TV series, "Love Apartment". Following a scene in which Lin writes a letter to her boyfriend, Zhan Bo, expressing her evolved understanding of life, many female netizens have been emulating this act as a way of exploring self-discovery and feminism. The discussion surrounding "Wan Yu Literature" reflects a deeper ideological transformation in society, as women assert their right to define what "running away" means for themselves, demonstrating a desire for greater gender equality and individual freedom.

The Issue of Gender Equality in Modern Chinese Society: Taking the Legend of Chen Qianqian as an Example

In ancient Chinese feudal society, the status of women was very low, and women's behavior, language expression, and thought were all imprisoned. For example, the "three-inch golden lotus" is not only to meet the sexual psychology of male perversion but also to destroy the female body, so that women can not travel, thus imprison-women; "Three and four virtues", "good women do not marry two husbands", "women without talent is a virtue" are shackles on female thought. With the progress and development of society, the status of Chinese women has significantly improved, especially women's self-awareness has been greatly improved. At present, the more popular female literary works and dramas of female protagonists are the reflection of female independence and feminist thought. This article begins with the popular TV series “The Rumor of Chen Qianqian”, analyzes the story of the heroine who passes through the past and grows up in the city of Huayuan where women are respected and men are inferior and analyze the growth demands of women in modern society. At the same time as the current social progress, there is still a lot of discrimination and prejudice against women, such as the stereotype that housework is a task exclusively for women, and once women have children, they lose all their desires and needs. In particular, the article calls on society to strengthen publicity to avoid prejudice against women. At the same time, women should pay attention to their personal needs and grow into better themselves; Women are neither dependent on nor hostile to men, and they divide labor reasonably, give play to their respective strengths, and live in harmony.

Exploring the Revival of Nostalgia and Retro Waves in Contemporary Marketing and Contagious Communication Research—Taking Contagious Möbius Strip as an Example

This essay explores the resurgence of nostalgia and retro waves in modern marketing and their viral impact on contemporary brand strategy. Nostalgia has gained immense importance as both an emotion and a marketing tool. This study chose to investigate this topic due to its growing relevance in shaping consumer behavior and brand perception, seeking to understand how nostalgia can enhance brand engagement and consumer loyalty. Through two case studies, this study examines the real-world application of nostalgia marketing. The first case study analyzes the retro wave created by the popular TV series “Stranger Things” and how it skillfully employed elements from the STEPPS model (Social Currency, Triggers, Emotion, Public, Practical Value, and Stories) to achieve successful viral marketing. The second case explores KFC China’s “Back to 1987 Prices” campaign, demonstrating how nostalgia can be leveraged on the product side to drive consumer engagement and brand affinity. The analysis dissects the strategies used in each case study, revealing the effectiveness of nostalgia in achieving viral marketing. In conclusion, this study underscores the profound significance of nostalgia marketing in contemporary brand strategies. By examining two distinct Möbius strip frameworks—Product-Based Nostalgic Marketing Möbius Strip and Media-Based Nostalgic Marketing Möbius Strip, this study unveils the enduring appeal of nostalgia in evoking consumer emotions and creating contagious marketing phenomena. Brands should grasp consumers’ emotional ties to the past to increase brand visibility, foster community, and drive long-term business growth in products and media, effectively triggering and riding the retro wave.

The End of American Exceptionalism Through Two Family Sagas: Breaking Bad and Ozark in the Face of Neoliberal Collapse

When commenting on the politics of Breaking Bad (Gilligan, 2008-2013), on the capacity of this extremely popular TV series to capture the crisis of the American dream and of the heteropatriarchal family, Mark Fisher (2013) asked to imagine the events of the story to be set in a country with well-structured welfare, and specifically health-focused, institutions. In this hypothetical scenario, after the revelation that Walter White (Bryan Cranston), notable main character, was affected by a lethal lung cancer, the doctor would have only added that the free treatment was going to start soon; end of the story, problem solved (at least the most urgent one). No moral dilemma, no character’s arc describing a tragic trajectory of always bloodier moral compromises; Heisenberg, the drug kingpin acting as alter ego of the protagonist, and revelation of the multiple sides of his personality, would have never been born: no rise of his criminal status and success, fall, and final partial redemption would follow as well. This simple thought experiment shows us how easy is to connect fictional scenarios, dramatic situations, characters, and tropes with a larger social context, in order to map and identify the ways they may reflect contextual anxieties, fears, and affective tensions. At the same time, understanding and highlighting this link is also helpful for the purpose of evaluating the ways in which a specific audiovisual object dialogues with a larger ecology of emotions, concepts, social and political ideas, while contributing in changing the landscape where it operates.

Men Sharea El Haram: The Ethics of Masculinity and its Vernacular discourse in Kuwaiti Television

This paper provides a cultural analysis of the popular Kuwaiti TV series Men Sharea El Haram (translated as From Haram Street). Combining religion, class, race, nationality, and patriarchy, Haram Street showcases pertinent issues that today’s Kuwaiti society has to face. Attending to the scarcity of previous research on vernacular communities and their salient concerns, this paper explores the following research questions: How does Men Sharea El Haram capture the intersecting nature of women’s resistance? What does a feminist Kuwaiti vernacular look like, and how does it intersect with privilege? The analysis outlines how Men Sharea El Haram touches upon several silenced themes in the conservative Kuwaiti society of Kuwait, showing the many and varied ways in which Kuwaiti women are oppressed and showcasing the ways in which women can—and do—resist. Together, the findings provide a deeper understanding of several central issues in Kuwaiti society, especially around masculinity.

Translating TV Series Titles: A Case Study of Iranian Film Monthly Magazine

TV series titles have always played an influential role in their marketing as the primary factor that draws potential viewers' attention. Translation of titles is a challenging task that is fulfilled by employing specific translation methods. This study aims to analyze the translation of 50 American TV series titles into Persian by the Film Monthly Magazine. The practical analysis in the thesis is based on Molina and Albir's (2002) model of translation techniques. After reviewing the selected titles from popular American TV series, it was revealed that the most common technique used by Film is the literal translation, adopted in the case of 18 titles and 36% of data. Borrowing with ten titles and 20% of the data holds the second rank. Modulation took the third rank with six titles and 12% of the data. Transposition was used for five titles and 10% of the total data. Next, discursive creation, generalization, established equivalent, and reduction were used equally for two titles comprising 4% of the total data. The least common translation process used by the translators to render the titles was amplification, with only one title translated in this way, which made up 2% of the cases. According to the samples, a combined technique of literal translation and borrowing was used in this research, where two titles were translated. These obtained results will be advantageous to translators, film and TV series distributors, film magazine authors, and closed-captioners.

Representations of older people in Turkish prime-time TV series and Netflix original Turkish series: A comparative content analysis

In this study, older characters that appeared in all the episodes of the first seasons of eight most popular Turkish TV series on prime-time televisions in Turkey and those appeared in all the episodes of the first seasons of eight "original" Turkish series on Netflix were submitted to a comparative quantitative and qualitative content analysis. In this sense, the aim of this study was to reveal what kind of old age is promised to viewers by such media environments as TV and Netflix. Findings revealed that, when compared to the Turkish population, older people were significantly underrepresented in prime-time series and that, in other words, they were symbolically eliminated and exposed to age discrimination. Another finding is that older people were portrayed more fairly on Netflix than TV. Although older individuals were inadequately represented on Netflix as well, the difference between the two platforms was not statistically significant. On the other hand, while older women are significantly less represented than older men on both platforms, the study found no significant difference in gender representation between Netflix and prime-time TV. The findings also indicated that no older character, when evaluated qualitatively, was represented as the major character on either platforms and that, especially when it comes to having a profession, older people, specifically older women, were portrayed more negatively on both platforms, which means that older women faced a double jeopardy.

Linguocultural adaptation in TV series translation

The article considers common challenges of translating culture-bound vocabulary in popular American TV series. The article is aimed to determine basic techniques of linguocultural adaptation in Russian translation of “Friends” TV series. Traditional comparative and statistical analysis methods are applied to examine culture-bound elements of the original text of the above-mentioned sitcom, and therefore, to identify adequate techniques of linguocultural adaptation in its Russian translation. Moreover, “Friends” TV series contains a huge number of phraseological units, puns and jokes adequately conveyed in its Russian translation, and therefore, keeping the target audience interested in the sitcom. Scientific novelty of the research is determined by the author’s attempt to compile some essential tips for linguocultural adaptation while translating TV series from English into Russian. Research findings have proved that achieving success in both linguistic and cultural adaption implies the translator’s ability to take into account the particular nature of both the form of the material presented and its perception by the target audience. Thus, the linguocultural adaptation whiletranslating TV series from English into Russian requires a translator to have a bicultural competence that involves background knowledge (linguistic and extralinguistic) about both the source and target cultures.

Distortion of Narration in Cinematic Representation of The Mahābhārata: Text v/s Visual Media

Over the years, the Mahābhārata (Mbh) continues to fascinate its readers and viewers with its mesmeric narrative events and magical mythical facets. As a result, various interpretations of the epic have been heaved as surging waves of the time in literature in the form of novels, stories, comics, films, theatre-plays etc. In modern times, text no more stands out as a popular choice among the masses. Cinema, television, and new media are emerging as popular mediums where masses are probing to seek the epic, like Mbh, as a more vibrant manner of expression. Besides this, visual media tends to impress viewers by fashioning powerful dialogues, weighty stage-production, costumes, charismatic characters, hi-tech cinematography etc. These experimentations, to charm the audiences, somehow fail to postulate the authentic teachings, completely submerged in its glittering plot. As a result, there is much discrepancy seen between the text and Mbh through mass media. The paper analyses the role and impact of mass media/new media by paying attention to the popular TV series and movies in India with the perspective of the first translated version of The Mahabharata by K.M.Ganguly (1883-1896).

The Construction of LGBT+ Groups Images on Douyin Based on Symbolic Interaction Theory

It is estimated that there are more than 30 million sexual minorities in China as of 2011, yet most of them choose to hide their identities. However, in recent years, the emergence of a variety of new media and the emancipation of ideas make sexual minorities gradually visible, ranging from popular TV series about homosexuality to many homosexual couples exposure on social media. In general, the public shows a positive attitude toward them. In this context, this study observes 15 of the most well-known LGBT+ bloggers on Douyin, the most popular short video social platform in China, and conducts a detailed analysis of their videos. It is found that LGBT+ groups have carried out different ways of presentation and interaction on the basis of symbol construction, including creating unique languages, labels, and musical symbols and displaying them in front of the audience with more diverse images. These also make them integrate into the public and get more encouragement from non-sexual minorities. The findings of this study will provide a reference for the creation and dissemination of marginalized groups' symbols in the future, especially in China.

Americanizing the Scandinavian Super Underdog in Eighteen Film Remakes

Americanizing the Scandinavian Super Underdog in Eighteen Film Remakes