Maya Montanez Smukler
As contributor
As commenter
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Picking Battles: Lawsuits vs. Damage Control
Jen--Interesting idea of media studies scholars looking to journalism for some cues on how to work with material that has been questionably sourced. I do think there is a way as activist-researchers to justify the use of such materials for a larger " ... -
Studios vs. Theaters vs. Audiences
Philip--Great speculation as to the Tron-effect! Jen--Intriguing twenty-first century challenge you present here questioning studios' lasting reliance on theaters. Without the media attention of the leak, would the film have made $40 million? With th ... -
Funny Sh*t
Philip--Agreed, The Interview's premise does revolve around an "easy joke," whether it be the old Cold War tropes that are a staple of US entertainment or Rogen, Franco and Company's brand of humor based on friends getting together to ... -
Cleopatra, again!
Emily—Fascinating historical connection between the battling stars and executives revealed by the leak and similar professional antagonisms of the classical era that we’ve only been able to learn about decades later through archive access. And Cleopatra, ... -
Prison Riot
To keep with the prison metaphor, last night's popularity of HBO's finale of "True Detective" crashing the HBO Go server might be a kind of prison riot. If fans are working for free to create capital for the "network," then b ... -
Bad, Crazy and Butch
Delaria's f- America! "What's a women's prison without a butch dyke?"--a dare and demand that was met is so great. Another example of how OITNB takes full advantage of the conventions of the women's prison genre and makes the ... -
Sexy Pratfalls
Phillip--Thank you for introducing this discussion of HBO's sexual aesthetics illustrated by the hilarious juxtapose of the ethereal sex-violence-sunset GOT vs. Hannah tangled in her own tights on a dirty sofa. However, I'd say Hannah's sex ... -
HEARTFELT TITILATION
Maria--Agreed that the show's hook--sex--was narratively explored in titillating and meaningful ways. That they often were one in the same speaks to the series' skill in drawing viewers in with sexy to then engage them with the complexities of t ... -
LOVE THE ONE(S) YOU'RE WITH
Stephanie--Fantastic bookend to our week of cancellations. The Guild 's 25 million viewers (or was it 150?) per episode confounds, for me and surely network executives, discussions of broadcast ratings. As to the up- to-the-minute evolution of TV wat ... -
OUT OF WORK BUT BUSIER THAN EVER
Jen--Insightful comparison between networks straddled with their timeless burden of pleasing a broad audience (and advertisers) vs. premium cable that might have so much money they can afford to be impatient. What stands out to me in your example of Break ...