I want to look at how the trend of characterization has evolved over the past few decades.
I think character in dramas from different time periods can be compared. Its an interesting idea. You can also study and compare them in relation to society. That how much change or cultural change in society is bringing change in those characters. It will be more like that are those characters are mirror of society or creating any impact on society
Yes, why not. lets take the example of Pakistani dramas, where women were shown very submisssive with the transition to bold and daring characters at present. I personally think that these changes occur with the passage of time depending on need and digestion of characters in societies.
Can you plz elaborate the outcome you are looking for through the comparison.
Actually the comparison of characters and their roles in TV in different decades can be fascinating. It is not only dramas that provide powerful contrasts but also situation comedies. In some respects, the situation comedies are often more strongly reflective of particular social values (I am speaking in reference to the US here). For instance, the old TV series of the 1950s "I Love Lucy" is a marvelous study in contrasts to the depiction of women and families today. Lucy and Desi both smoke; Lucy is incapable of holding down a job outside the home, just as Desi is incapable of handling the housework. The gendered division of labor is still strong here.
Now we have comedies about the "single dad," who still seems incapable of rearing a child without a woman's guidance. We call it the "Mr. Mom" syndrome after a movie in the 1980s about a man who lost his job and stayed home as a " househusband" while his wife went to work in a marketing industry. The same problems as in the Lucy shows occurred--Mr. Mom was an utter failure at home, and the wife had to struggle against a boss who had more in mind than working with the wife--he wanted her in bed (typical plot event as women began to enter the workplace).
Even the complexity of plots has changed. In past decades, the plot was basically linear--no subplots, no complexity of character, more stereotyped behavior evident. Today, even a short movie has complexity that does not exist in older films. Gangsters are "bad guys" and cops are "good guys." Now we have dramas with "bad cops" and "good-at-heart gangsters" or gangsters who had a "bad childhood."
In this country, characterization also shifts after huge traumatic events like WWII, Vietnam, the World Trade Center bombing, etc. In post-WWII films, soldiers hold the "moral high ground" fighting for freedom and liberty on the world stage. By Vietnam, the soldiers are no longer on "high ground" but have been forced to risk their lives in somebody else's "civil war." The huge civil unrest caused by the Vietnam War impacted the types of movie plots that could be made about soldiers fighting an "unpopular" war. The movies are coming out now about the Middle East conflicts, and we seem to be returning to the "good guys" vs. the "bad guys" once again.
Anyway, I feel sure you will have a great time researching this subject. I use shorter versions of media analysis like this in my composition/research courses and students love them!
Aysha Bey
University of Alabama at Birmingham