The American 80’s reality show, The New Newlywed Game, pits newly married couples against each other to determine who knows whom best. What was surprising about this program was that it “reward[ed] the couple who best conform[ed] to our ideological norms” (Fiske 1995). However, the audience favoured this “popular” program due to the couples that failed to live up to society’s expectations. Men were belittled and mocked when they demonstrated any form of femininity during the program, for instance, dancing around, and using hair products, whereas, women were mostly portrayed as irritating and argumentative towards their husband.

Married couples during the 80s aimed to portray themselves as the ideological couple. This included, non argumentative, having a consistent and healthy sex life, being heterosexual, and both genders fulfilling their stereotypes created by social norms. This involved the man being dominant, giving orders and making plans, whereas a woman’s behaviour would be sharing, giving, and concerned for others (Greenberg, 1980). However, in reality, I believe more couples would relate to the non-ideological couples, as although society may have created a specific relationship norm, our world is rapidly evolving and adapting and couples are rarely meeting these expectations.

Since the 80’s, social expectations of the ideal couple have evolved in a positive manner, and it is evident it today’s television. Modern entertaining programs such as How I Met Your Mother, and Modern Family, depict “normal” relationships nowadays as interracial, same sex, and argumentative. More importantly, an individual’s behaviour is not marginalised to a particular manner because of their sex. In general, gender roles have changed markedly in the last quarter century. More women have moved out of the home and into the work force; relationships between husband and wife have become more equal; and men seem more willing to share in childcare and in work around the house (Farley, 1998). I have admired modern American media as it has been successful in adapting to society’s evolved love life and has helped influence and support the change of ideological couples and gender stereotypes.

References cited:

Fiske, JF 1995, ‘Popular Culture’, in F Lentrichchia and T McLaughlin (eds.), Critical Terms for Literary Study. The University of Chicago Press, pp. 321-335.

Glascock, JG 2001, ‘Gender Roles on Prime-Time Network Television: Demographics and Behaviors’ Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, June, vol. 45, issue 4, pp. 656-669.