Audience studies

[rivkat]

So, I've got a colleague writing about images of lawyers in popular culture, only she wants to get beyond "images of" and into how various groups perceive lawyers in TV shows/movies. Is anyone aware of any work on this? Reception studies involving Ally McBeal or LA Law? Even if there's only a mention of reaction to a legal storyline in a larger study of a non-legal show or movie, that would be a huge addition to the project -- because right now she's got theory and no practice. No pun intended.

Also, if anyone knew of a good place to go for a recent reception studies bibliography, that would be great.

Comments

[teenygozer.livejournal.com]

I've no sensible ideas, except that if she manages to write the entire paper and refrain from using the line "First thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers" or variations on the same I will buy her a bottle of champagne.

Actually, I want her to use the above Shakespearian phrase, but continue with the rest of the quote. Nobody ever finished the damned sentence when they quote it, which is that the world comes crumbling down when you kill all the lawyers. In other words, as pleasurable as bumping off the lawyers might be, they are an absolutely necessary evil! ;)

I'm pretty sure there's a Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel book of essays out there that has a piece about the consequences of Angel allowing the Wolfram & Hart lawyers to die at the hands of Dru & Darla. I'll try to find out what book it's in.

[rivkat.livejournal.com]

Since her audience will be almost all lawyers, they're probably more likely than average to know how the quote ends, thank goodness. I'd just like her to be able to look at some evidence of what nonlawyers think about popular representations of law.

[teenygozer.livejournal.com]

According to my friend the BtVS scholar (she's published papers on the show) you should direct your friend to the Slayage Online Journal (http://www.slayage.tv/) for essays about Wolfram & Hart. Hope she finds something useful!

[rivkat.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It looks as if the Wolfram & Hart paper isn't available online, but I'll mention it to her.