Representation of age in TV dramas

1. AGE AND TV
DRAMA
HANNAH HALLIDAY

2. TYPICAL STEREOTYPES
OF OLDER PEOPLE
• They are weak and vulnerable.
• The majority of older people are lonely and are isolated
from their families.
• Old people are boring.
• They are wise.
• They are forgetful.
• They are clumsy.
• Old people just sit and knit all day.

3. TYPICAL STEREOTYPES
OF TEENAGERS
• Rude
• Ignorant
• Lazy
• Loud
• Vulgar
• Miserable
• Anti-social
• Thieves

4. TYPICAL STEREOTYPES
OF ADULTS
• Workaholics
• Boring
• Strict
• Miserable
• Organised
• Stern
• Depressed
• Mature
• Independent

5. HOW IS AGE
REPRESENTED
• It is clear that in most TV dramas, people live up to their
stereotypes. For example, we see teenagers being
hooligans and going against the law. This is a stereotype
set my society however in reality, the majority of
teenagers are not like this.
• In addition, the stereotypes for old people are normally
things like, relaxed, caring, loving, grumpy, confused and
they getting involved with helping. An example of a TV
drama which relates to this is Emmerdale.
• However, there are countertypes of each of the
stereotypes, such as, Debbie in Shameless. Even though
she is a teenager who is a character in quite a rough TV
drama, she would thought to be out causing trouble but
she doesn't. Debbie stays at home instead of going out
to take to adult role in the family. A countertype of old
people, for example, is Susan Kennedy in Neighbours.
She is out going and likes new things whereas old
people are thought to stay at home and help people.

6. HOW HAS AGE
REPRESENTATION
CHANGED OVER TIME?
• The representation of people of different ages has
changed massively over the years.
• Up until the 1950’s, there were really only two age groups
shown in television (adult and child).
• This was because that most children left school at a
young age and went straight to work and became adults.
• In the 1950’s more young people started staying in
education and began leading very different lives from both
children and adults and so developed the idea of the
“teenager”.