The Turners-- A Timeless Team

As a skeptical TV viewer, it is sometimes hard for me to discover a writing team that I can truly praise for the work that they have done. When it comes to Bonnie and Terry Turner, I feel like I have found a rare case. This husband and wife writing team have wrote/cowrote everything from television work such as That 70's Show, Third Rock from the Sun, and Saturday Night Live to film work in Wayne's World, Coneheads, and Tommy Boy. I can honestly say that these are some of my favorite sitcoms/movies to watch, even repeatedly. I could only ask myself why it is that their work is forever entertaining to me. While some shows flopped (That 80's Show, for example),  the others (That 70's Show and Saturday Night Live) thrived for the time-being that they were aired. Some movies (Tommy Boy and Wayne's World) are ones that will not likely be forgotten for decades to come. 

When carefully reviewing the many episodes and scenes of Bonnie and Terry Turner's work, it is apparent that they do in fact display repetitive characteristics and defining themes in their work. For example, Third Rock from the Sun (airing in 1996) is a TV show about a group of extraterrestrials (aliens, if you will) that are set out to explore and observe the planet Earth while pretending to be a normal human family known as the Solomons. The leader, Dick, otherwise known as the 'fatherlike figure' of the bunch, is often arrogant, self-absorbed, and demanding of those living in the Solomon household. This theme carries over in other work done by the Turner's, such as in the TV show That 70's Show (airing in 1998). By this I mean that the father's character, Red, displays a similar nature to Head Commander Dick Solomon. Red is often aggressive, selfish, and demanding as well. Both male characters have a tendency to know what they want, convey what it is that they want, and it seems like it is perfectly acceptable for both male roles to fail to provide a reason or an excuse for why they may be acting in this manner.

Another direct relation that is apparent in the Turner's work appears between these two shows as well. Interestingly enough, these shows aired at similar times and were some of the Turner's most viewed/favored work (popularity-wise). I noticed that another correlation between their work and these shows is found simply in the idea that both family characters take time to reflect during the show. This happens mainly during the half-time mark of nearly every episode of Third Rock from the Sun. All four of the extraterrestrials, usually, take time to sit on their rooftop, looking out into space/the nightsky, and simply reflect on either the events prior in the show, or their character's lives in general. This happens again at the end of nearly every episode of That 70's Show, in which the characters sit in a circle, appearing to be high on marijuana, but reflecting on previous events in any matter. While both of these brief reflection scenes are humorous, they can also be interpreted as the Turner's way of conveying a message to their audiences about simply taking time to reflect or appreciate the more complex, and the simple, aspects of life.

Finally, a major motif that is apparent in all different sorts of the Turner's work is the recurring "dumb" character. This is the character in which some of the movies center their story, such as in Wayne's World and Tommy Boy. This is the character that many of us viewers eventually, although terribly naive, come to love and to enjoy watching. This is the character, in many cases, that draws the audience in for more viewing. In That 70's Show, this character is known as "Kelso" (Ashton Kutcher). In the movie Tommy Boy, obviously the main character "Tommy" (Chris Farley) plays the role of a immature and naive son, trying to win over the approval of his father and to meet his sales goal for his father's business. Generally, the characters in Wayne's World also display that sense of naiveness. All four characters, Kelso, Tommy, Wayne and Garth show their loves for "babes" (highly presented in Wayne's World) and simply enjoying the the more immature aspects of life, such as toys, rock music, and mischief.

It is these three signature motifs and stylized humors that seems to set apart the Turner's work from other writers/producers, especially on team-related terms. Their individual themes, threading similarities throughout their various productions, convey them to their audiences as their own recognizable comedic unit. Beginning their work as early as the 1980's with the Bill Tush Show, and seeing the success that they still have, as That 70's Show is still airing daily, I think that it is safe to say that the Bonnie and Terry Turner team is undoubtedly timeless.

References:

Wikipedia, Bonnie and Terry Turner. (2006). http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Bonnie_and_Terry_Turner.

Raw Material

I’m going to try and convince you to turn your television down, fix your eyes on the computer screen, and read the words that lay before you. Hypocritical as it may be, the TV sitting directly in front of me ceases to distract me. Don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily have anything against television, in fact, I believe that it can be a useful tool when utilized correctly. Likewise, who's to say that it can't rot your mind? It's all in the way you choose to view it. What I want to get at is exactly that; as a blogger, I won't be begging you to agree with me, or trying to twist your perspective. All I ask is that you listen, and find your own way to appreciate, simply, a perspective. Mine in particular will be humorous to some, repulsing to others, and perhaps, 'right on' for a small and specific few. No matter what reaction grabs hold of you, it is important to remember that the lesson learned comes from letting your mind simply slip away, into an open-faced turkey platter of possibilities. 

Corner observed TV as a research object, claiming that the TV could be held responsible for making parts of humanity, quite bluntly, stupid. I have a tendency instead to flip the question and ask, why are you worried about the viewers? I'm concerned about the producers. They are the originators of thought, aren’t they? I mean, who originally decided that people would actually enjoy watching random things and people being blown into bits? (Destroyed in Seconds, anyone?) Or, which National Geographic genius chose to expose to the entire population to just exactly how the prisoners make their DEADLY weapons while locked down, did I mention, in the time that it takes to go to the bathroom, a mere 5 minutes? (Lockdown.. of course) While it is possible that TV can contribute to our brain in positive and negative ways, is there any good reason for it not to exist? I think not, and moreso, TV may have been one of the greatest gifts ever given to mankind..or that ever blessed mankind. So while it should be given the chance to exist, criticism too should stand its fair ground. O'Donnell (2007) explains that criticism can be subjective, which is exactly what it is meant to be. In my opinion, good, structured criticism includes an appreciation for other's ideas, however, it also includes raw subjectivity. Each one of us has been through various experiences, values, societies, etc,; these experiences have shaped us to process every television show and its script differently. We also all examine the mise en scene of any show according to how we were brought up. The beauty in that is that we can share those ideas, critique them, mold them, re-shape them, and sometimes, find humor in their 'errors' as critical TV veiwers.

As a college student, I am especially interested in what it is that that interests particular university crowds to popular television shows like The Hills and One Tree Hill. Butler tells us that we sometimes see a family as "good" or "bad" based on what we have seen on television. This could be similar to what college crowds are taking in and in turn, comparing these younger audience-aimed shows to their own lives. When we watch TV, often times, we choose to watch shows that we can envision ourselves as a part of.This means, that we sort of take our minds out of our ‘real’ life. And instead we imagine and feel the same things as the characters are feeling. TV is a virtual fantasy land, and we all want to be a part of it. Most importantly, we get to choose our roll. As a television critic, I find myself responsible for analyzing those rolls, aspects, and the ideas behind a television show. What is the point that the writer wanted to convey? To whom is the audience aimed?  How will the audience respond and will they understand and/or be entertained? How far into another realm did the show take me? What thoughts did it cause me to reconsider, or even, consider for the first time? These are the things that I will review when studying and viewing TV shows. If we all can agree that TV takes us to a fantasy world, then it is my job to make sure that the reader knows whether or not a show is truly able to effectively carry them to that place, and what might be in story for them on their virtual journey.