Television's new humane collectivity

Abstract

Analysis of the manifest content of Taxi, Barney Miller, Lou Grant, and M*A*S*H reveals three predominant fantasy themes: the realization of significant others, the alliance in action, and membership into personhood. From these three themes emerges a rhetorical vision, the new humane collectivity, which focuses on a meaningful and rewarding existence based on humane, sympathetic awareness of and concern for the group, the individuals who comprise the group, and the society which surrounds it.