Beverly Hills, 90210: Television, Gender, and Identity (Feminist Cultural Studies, the Media, and Political Culture) (Paperback)

by E. Graham McKinley (Author) "Across the United States for most of the 1990s, millions of girls and young women gave special importance to Wednesday evening, when Beverly Hills, 90210..." (more)
Key Phrases: beautiful woman piano teacher, discursive identity construction, community with the characters, Beverly Hills, Shannen Doherty, Melrose Place (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
... densely theoretical, deeply frightening, Beverly Hills, 90210 ... isn't about the content of the show but rather the viewing experience of its audience. After conducting intense sessions of anthropological research ... McKinley has concluded that "agreement on what is appropriate beachwear is continually constructed, negotiated, and bolstered by ... media images and interpersonal talk." Whoa, Nellie. -- Entertainment Weekly

Product Description

In 1990 the fledgling Fox television network debuted its prime-time soap opera Beverly Hills, 90210, which was intended to appeal to viewers in their late teens and early twenties. Before long, not only did the network have a genuine hit with a large and devoted audience but the program had evolved into a cultural phenomenon as well, becoming a lens through which its youthful viewers defined much of their own sense of themselves.

By an overwhelming majority the fans were female-young women between eleven and twenty-five whose experience of the program was addictive and intensely communal. They met in small groups to watch the program, discussing its plot and characters against the backdrops of their own ongoing lives.

Wondering what this talk accomplished and what role it played in the construction of young female viewers' identities, Graham McKinley found several groups who watched the program and questioned them about the program's significance. Extracting generously from actual interviews, McKinley's investigation has the urgency of a heart-to-heart conversation, with rich anecdotal moments and revelations of self.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press (September 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812216237
• ISBN-13: 978-0812216233
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #852,273 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good anthropological study, February 28, 2006

By	jane "jane" (MA, USA) - See all my reviews

This book is not a 90210 guide. It is a great anthropological study of the show phenomenon and it's impact on the female audience. It also investigates the typical issues that young women are concerned with, using the show as the vehicle for honest and unguarded conversation. It brings forward interesting points that every young feminist should be aware of. A great read for a 1990's woman who enjoyed the show and is interested in gender studies.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars HOW COULD A SHOW HOLD SO WELL FOR TEN YEARS, May 23, 2000

By	Adriana Alcantara (UNITED STATES) - See all my reviews

THE BOOK EXPLAINS WELL ALL THE ISSUES AND CHARACTER BUILDING DURING YEARS OF THE SHOW. SOME OF THE CHAPTERS ARE HARD TO FINISH BECAUSE THEY GO IN DEEP THOUGHTS ABOUT WOMEN, AND IDENTITY MAKING IT SOUD LIKE A TEXT BOOK, BUT AFTER I FINISH THOSE CHAPTERS I RELAIZED HOW IMPORTANT THEY WERE IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE SUCESS OF THE SHOW, THE TECNIQUE OF THE WRITERS AND PRODUCERS OF THE SHOW. AS A SHOW BUSINESS LOVER AND WORKER I RECOMEND THE BOOK TO EVERY WOMAN AND TV PROFESSIONAL.

4 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not what I thought it would be, June 10, 2003

By	S.R.W. Phillips "StevieRae5" (Lexington, Kentucky USA) - See all my reviews

I am an avid fan of "Beverly Hills 90210," and I thought that this book would be a perfect combination of intellectuality and my love of pop culture. I was sadly mistaken.

This book nearly put me to sleep. Although I thought it was interesting to read scenes that I had viewed myself and read other people's reactions to them, I was quite bored by all of the technical reading in it. I figured it would be more analysis and study rather than just a presentation of the facts. I would definitely NOT recommend this as something that anyone should buy.