Journal Article Analysis

Journal Article Analysis

Benjamin Phillips uses the TV series Friday Night Lights to evaluate how we view athletics by discussing the shows elements such as setting, stereotypes, and story line to support his observations.  Phillips initially explains the background of the show and how the plot plays out through each episode.  He also examines ratings, audience, critic opinions and theories behind the show’s failure relating it to how society perceives fictional sports stories and the motivation behind such perception.  “Quite certainly, the show—and football itself—isn’t ‘just football,’ as much as we may wish that it were.” (Phillips)  

The author includes the background of key characters and contrasts these with their realistic counterparts.  However, Phillips does point out that the show does not shy away from current important issues citing one episode involving a death by drug overdose.  He theorizes the lack of success for Friday Night Lights is possibly due to our need for the “good guy” to persevere.  “And this is the problem with fictionalized sports that attempt to portray realism. In sporting contests, the viewer is stuck with the result of the game, be it favorable or heartbreaking, morally fair or seemingly unwarranted. But, in fictionalized sports, the heroes do not have to lose.” (Phillips)

            This article discusses several elements of popular culture such as heroism, stereotypes, rituals, home, nostalgia, myths, youth, and television and how this correlates with the popularity of the show or lack thereof.  The setting and cast cover home, youth and the stereotypes of a small-town football team with the All-American athlete, the trouble maker player, the motivational coach and expected townspeople as fans.  Phillips notes how the show depicts the traditional pre-game festivities which speak to the ritualistic and nostalgic elements of popular culture.  Philips speaks specifically about television, heroism and myths.  “With this comparison, the show challenges the moral myth that hard work, sacrifice, and high character in sports are rewarded.” (Phillips)

            I believe that the author has an accurate theory of the show’s failure and his explanation of such is reasonable and can be supported by research into the viewer ratings and opinions.  “Winning is everything. If success comes through hard work, it is a nice side effect. Yet, failure in everyday life is stereotypically assumed to result from laziness and an unwillingness to work hard.” (Phillips) I agree with Phillips’ basic observation that Friday Night Lights  was unsuccessful because it did not depict the quintessential story of the home team winning every game or ending with a happy moment despite the challenge that was overcome in the first 40 minutes of the show.  “Despite Coach Taylor’s inspiring talk of victory for those who fight together, Friday Night Lights is essentially a show about losing” (Phillips)

Viewers who use television as a form of escapism need the euphoria of the positive outcome to fulfill the believe that good will always overcome evil and foster a sense of hope instead of helplessness.  Phillips comments that the writers’ choice to provide a more realistic view of small town sports could be a significant factor of the show’s cancellation.  The author explains how the producers changed their advertising and broadcasting strategies in addition to reevaluating their target audience in order to keep the show on the air.  One alteration could even be considered racially motivated.  “Despite the realism of the show, it failed to satisfy the network or garner high ratings. Bill Simmons, a sports columnist and fan of the show, remembers that white characters were added to the cast—likely under the assumption that a white audience would be more comfortable watching and cheering for white characters…” (Phillips) 

As a society, we have a fairy tale image of how life should be.  We pass this idea down to our children and alter it to fit our desires for them or what we wish for our own lives.  Friday Night Lights used the stereotypical situation to exemplify what happens when the dream doesn’t always come true.  Phillips discussion regarding the star player who becomes seriously injured and unable to play football ever again is something we should present to youth athletes as an example of how life does not always work out the way we would like.  A more realistic approach to sports among our children may save them from disappointment and a better understanding that a “hero” does not have to be the celebrated athlete, but possibly the scientist who discovers a cure for cancer. 

References

PHILLIPS, B. P. (2014). Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can Lose: Friday Night Lights and the Myth of the Rewarding of Morality in Sports. Journal Of Popular Culture, 47(5), 990-1004. doi:10.1111/jpcu.12184