"Theater geeks", "jocks", "bullies", and "players"; teenagers are well aware of these common high school stereotypes today. Popular media like the TV series "Glee" takes much of the credit for spreading these social aspects, usually through means of clothing style and physical appearance. Although many assume high school students to have a youthful image, actors playing these students are almost always significantly older than their character's age. Can viewers notice these differences? Or has the younger population become so accustomed to this casting trend that an older look is the new norm? What physical qualities fit your stereotype of the traditional high school student?
Check out the link to learn more:
http://www.wetpaint.com/glee/articles/does-the-glee-cast-look-too-old-to-play-high-school-students--tell-us
Nikhil Gopalani, Nic Jones, Sarah Keller, Bryan Kirkpatrick
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The first thing I noticed when reaading this article is the picture of the new cast members for the upcoming season. Obviously they're dressed up to appear as high school students but they clearly look way too old to actually be in high school. Most of the character pictures, as you go down the page, are pushing 30 rather than pushing 20. This could take away from the credibility of the show and just means the producers have to do more work to make the viewer have a higher suspension of disbelief.
ReplyDeleteI agree and disagree. I think that as American television watchers, we are used to seeing these kinds of actors and actresses. I would not, not watch the show because I feel that the characters looked TOO old. As we all can tell, they’re not high school students, but it’s not THAT much of a change where they’re old women or something. (the extreme). As long as the storyline and acting is good with the show they could count me in!
DeleteI agree with Mariah for the aspect of credibility of this show because of the actors. Yes, some of them play a role that represents someone a lot younger than they might be, but it doesn't mean they're bad actors or don't play the part!
DeleteFrom what I saw, I believe that the main thing the article writer wanted the reader to look at was the visuals. There is not a lot of text and from the title we are forced to focus on the three pictures of “teens.” This doesn’t surprise me at all to see people playing a part that they are obviously not the age. The show, “That’s So Raven,” starred Raven Symone and I never realized how old she was until someone else told me. Television shows hardly ever use the correct aged stars when doing high school shows. Maybe because at age 20 something you can dress a certain way and look a different age. Like I said, I never realized that Raven was a 20 something year old woman playing a high school character. The actor and actresses in the picture look like the typical actors and actresses on television as high school characters.
ReplyDeleteI agree. When I was little, I thought all teenagers looked that old. Directors using older actors is not a new thing. It has been happening for years and it will continue to happen for years.
DeleteGreat ideas guys, but also what is the stereotypical high schooler that we envison that these guys do not match up to? (other than looking 15 years older just physcially)
ReplyDeleteThis is a good question; I think Glee's character roles fit what many typical high schools are set up to be like. Although the article goes more in depth of the age contrasts. I think the main difference between Glee's version of highschool/ers is that they are stereotyped into certain groups, styles, or interests. I think that these Glee high schoolers are different in that they may be going to more of the extreme ends for different groups of people, rather than keeping a "average bunch." But I think for this type of show and most TV shows like this, high schools are always (well most typically) categorized like such.
DeleteI think this article was interesting in the fact that many high school roles ARE played by older actors. Why is this so common? Some more popular examples I thought off the top of my head:
ReplyDeleteEXAMPLE 1: The older brother from Hannah Montana (back when I USED to watch it...) - he was really in his 30s, even though he was playing a high schooler role.
EXAMPLE 2: John Tucker Must Die - me and some friends watched this movie the other night and we specifically saying how they are totally not really in high school. It's funny how this relates, and how people play these roles at such older ages.
http://www.pajiba.com/seriously_random_lists/the-11-oldest-actors-to-play-teenagers-.php <-- website of more examples.
When you think about it, a reason for this age offset could be because of a typical actor's career, for some, starts in late teens early 20s. If most people taking this path of acting professionally, it does probably take awhile for all the processes and to build "your name." Agents for shows/movies probably want more experienced people, as well as familiar faces for their show to be more appealing to their audience.
I agree with Julie. The roles of 17 year olds in high school that older men and women have taken are meant for people who are experienced and professional, not someone who is actually 17 and never taken an acting class in their life. They need well-known actors for these parts to build credibility for their film, not just any girl from the streets. In many films that we watch, the profile of the actor doesn't match up to the profile of the character, it's normal and it doesn't deter viewers from watching.
DeleteI agree with Mariah, that we are used to seeing older actors playing younger roles. However, I think that they should be a bit older than actual high school age as long as they are believable young. I think that teenagers are often awkward looking and I would prefer to see attractive people on tv. I much rather seeing people that have grown into their bodies than awkward people who change every episode.
ReplyDeleteYa I think in general people would rather see good looking actors and actresses who don't necessarily fit the standard criteria, in this case a high schooler, rather than an average american teenager. It makes the viewer want to continue watching.
DeleteI think that the article is interesting because it highlights each of the stars as a typical stereotype and summarize them in a sentence or two. I don't think that it is a big issue that they are older than they are supposed to be, until Finn gets gray, I will love him as the jock.
ReplyDeleteThis article is purely based around the physical appearance of the pictures provided. The article attempts to analyze the physical appearance of these characters but actually analyzes more of whether or not the character is even believable. It discusses their personalities and style more than it discusses how "old" the actors actually look. It is clear that this article is directed towards young, glee-watching people and eliminates those who may have wanted a scholarly discussion. Is age really that important of a factor when deciding what makes good television?
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion Ian, in cases like these with aging actors playing roles of younger characters, it comes down to how long disbelief can be sustained. Creators of the show aren't going to replace characters because viewers become attached to the face of one person, and changing the actor of a character really stands out to long time viewers. The question is how long can you put off replacing an actor before you start to lose the credibility and integrity of a show.
DeleteIni P, I agree with you that the article shows the pictures of the cast members in attempt to talk about their age/appearance. However, the article talks more about their style as you stated. It's not a very persuasive piece. But, like Kirk said, the viewer gets attached to a specific character and thus the producers have no choice but to keep the character set as is.
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ReplyDeleteThe writer uses rhetorical questions and appeals to the audience’s humor. Mosthof asked rhetorical questions to stimulate the reader; she wants one to really consider the overall question of the article, which is "Does the glee cast look to old?" The audience is then able to really stop, think, and analyze all the other shows/movies that have casted older men and women for the roles of younger boys and girls. Appealing to the audiences humor makes the reading more enjoyable, resulting in the reader finishing the article and participating in the poll.
ReplyDeleteI've never watched the show but after seeing the pictures they definitely look too old to be playing high school students. But like Mariah said, I think today's TV show viewers are used to seeing older actors and actresses take on younger age roles such as high schoolers and college students. For people who are true fans of the show, I don't think it will really matter.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. They appear too old, but this has been the case for so many films and television shows in the past that the audience has now gotten used to it and is able to overlook this. It's not like they can actually do anything about it, anyway.
DeleteI feel like shows based on high school and college life nowadays really exaggerate the stereotypes of students. All of the prototypical crews and their personalities reflect the stereotypes that everyone imagines in high school. In addition, the school in Glee pulls off things that no real high school could do; all the performances with professional light shows, etc
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statements Michael. I feel like the author over exaggerated her opinions of typical high school students. In my high school, cliques really didn’t exist to the extent the author describes. Everyone had their own group of friends but the major cliques really weren’t present. Why do television shows and movies portray high school students in this light? They are under the assumption that certain people belong in particular groups which is completely unrealistic. The kids in my high school can easily fit in to a number of the categories presented.
DeleteI think the cast of Glee is portrayed in this light to attract more viewers. The show Glee is for entertainment. Abc knows they need professional staging, choreography, and costumes because that is what keeps viewers hooked. If you really think about it, all of this accomplished in a school week is unrealistic. However, the audience likes to escape into this fake reality and engage themselves in the humor and exaggerations of the show. Without these extremes the show would not be as exciting or entertaining for viewers.
DeleteThe author of the article particularly tries to stress the controversial issue of using actors that are much older than the age that they are playing. The author attempts to persuade their audience by placing numerous pictures in the article and stating whether they pass or fail. The author to me seems to make their decision based on whether someone in high school would act or have physical features a high school student would obtain in real life. They passed if they were small, had a bubbly personality, and wore clothing that matched what a so called high school student would wear. But are these characteristics that define a high school student? Not all high school students fit into these categories. On the other hand, some people failed because of clothing choice or how they were built. There are students out there who dress beyond their years and are built just like these actors. Therefore, I believe that this way of categorizing who passes and fails is faulty because not everyone in high school fits the characteristics above.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, I noticed that the article described the stereotypical groups that are thought to be found in high school. The show and article highlights different groups, cheerleaders, jocks, musicians, but no one in between. This makes me wonder, why does television always seem to showcase stereotypical groups?
I really agree with you points ashley. How can the writer of this claim to know every "type" of high school student. It is one thing to say they can't be a high school student because of someone's age, but it does not make sense to claim they couldn't be in high school because of their personality or clothing. Its clear to me that the writer believes every high school student must fit into a specific stereotype
Deletei agree, i feel like for some of theses actors the author passes them off as high school students, not because of their appearance, but just because they match a classic high school stereotype.
DeleteA lot of people have mentioned how we are used to seeing older actors play younger roles and I agree with them. In today's society, it barely fazes us that we are watching someone much older. Most television shows and movies use actors much older. I believe that they do this because it is more appealing to the public. We would rather watch better and fully developed actors, than awkward high school actors who are still growing into their bodies. Also, as viewers, we tend to believe what shows tell us. If they us that the actor is 16, then we engrave in our mind that they are 16 and do not think twice about it. Viewers see what they are told to see.
ReplyDeleteI disagree, I find enjoyment in watching a character in a show develop and grow over time. It puts things into perspective and personally I believe that it is easier to relate to when you see someone continually changing rather than them staying the same just because it adds that element of "reality."
DeleteThroughout the entire article, the author attempts to establish the idea that the cast members on Glee are too old to play high school students. As she strives to create this message, she compares the actors to stereotypical high school students using cliques like the theater geek, the star, the dancer and the jock. She bases her comparison on what she considers to be ideal high school students. The author evaluates their style, clothing and actions to determine whether or not they pass or fail. For many of the actors, she does not even mention their physical appearances. Her evaluation of each character goes beyond age focusing on elements that are controlled by the director. She fails to analyze how the actors are too old to play high school students. Rather than observing their facial features for age, she mentions the things they do and the way they dress. In my opinion, her argument is incomplete because she has not fully evaluated her thesis.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you Tyler. I also believe the author has failed to complete her argument. Glee uses way too man stereotypes to attract an audience. The stereotypes are nearly nonexistent in today's high schools, if at all.
DeleteThis article uses rhetorical questions to entice the audience. It addresses the fact that these actors are usually much older than the students actually would be, but never actually analyzes this question. It mentions how they dress and the way they act but not the actual ages of the actors. In all honesty why does it matter how old they are if they play the part well and look young enough to play the part?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ashley that we just believe what tv tells us to believe. At the same time, would we believe it if it was totally unrealistic? These actors may look a year or two too old to be in high school, but obviously there are people like that in real life too, otherwise we would call out these shows for awful casting.
I agree Regan. The simple manner in which they analyze the actors does not help in solving the viewer's interest. They should have included the ages too instead of just discussing what they wear on the show and how they act.
DeleteIt kind of goes along with my point that the article is just trying to get a reaction from the audience rather than go into the deeper details of each character and his or her age.
The whole article focuses on whether the actors look their age their characters are. I think it is interesting that the author Mariella Mosthof used terms like Pass or Fail when describing whether or not a person looks like their character. This test attributes to the tone of the article which is very playful, also judgmental. This tone really connects with the article because it is just like the attitude of a high schooler.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Melissa on this one. The tone is clearly written for and written like a high schooler. However, is that really an effective tone when trying to make a valid argument? I think this article would have a much better effect if she was a tad bit more professional in her writing.
DeleteI agree with Melissa as well. I feel that the article seems very judgmental towards the actors as is the case in many high schools. I think it's interesting that the author uses such an informal tone and seemingly writes like a high schooler. On another note, I feel that the age of the actors does not take away from the credibility of the show because as long as they can pull it off, they are more than worthy of being on the show. I like the actors currently being used and feel that no matter their age they do a great job of portraying the high school students
DeleteThere is no doubt in my mind that viewers can notice the age differences between the actors playing high schools students. I think that shows like Glee have also begun to skew viewers perception of high school students as well. However, from the stereotypes Glee provided, k=none of those existed at my high school. Glee has blown those stereotypes up to an absurd proportion.
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ReplyDeleteCasting older aged actors to portray younger teens has become a common theme among shows on television, specifically on channels like Disney and Nickelodeon. Maybe the fact that Glee is not on either of those two channels is what makes the actor's true ages more interesting.
ReplyDeleteThe article tries to attract the viewers using the Pass/Fail method, which correlates to school, the setting of Glee. The way they analyze each actor or actress seems to try to generate a quick reaction from the reader as opposed to provoking the reader's mind more intuitively. Therefore, it seems the article is trying to send a simple, harmless message, rather than a deep, well thought proposition.
In most cases, you can clearly tell that the actors are much older than they are supposed to be in the show. Many of them look like they’re pushing 30 rather than closing in on 20. Although some of them look too old for high school, this article talks about how the characters act on the show, which I agree plays in on hoe believable they are as high school students. If we are going solely off of physical appearance, most of those actors wouldn’t pass off as high school students, but more goes into the image than just physical aspects.
ReplyDeleteThis article is a strong appeal to fans of the T.V. sow Glee. The author engages the audience by asking them to vote on who they think looks too old to be on Glee. The title of the article even says “Tell Us!” and asks for readers’ opinions. What is this article judging high school looks on? On some of the author’s responses, she states that the character looks to “cool” or has too much talent or confidence. This encourages generalizations in society that all high school students are the same. Everyone is part of a stereotypical group. In reality however, there are numerous exceptions. Some people are very talented or have strong confidence in themselves. Glee reaffirms our beliefs on stereotypes and allows viewers to make large generalizations about people.
ReplyDeleteAlthough there weren't many comments on the article I believe that the only thing this article accomplished was stirring the pot. The author doesn't make any points for or against whether they should graduate or not, she simply just gives them a "pass" or "fail". Her opinion carries little weight, it just causes you to form an opinion on the matter, which is why at the end of the title it says tell us. From that point of view I believe she did accomplish something because it gets you thinking about what you'd prefer instead of telling you what to think. It does a great job at bringing about conversation, clearly because there were so many different points that we all made.
ReplyDeleteI think that this article is basically a tabloid. It is not a news source or any sort of article from a reputable place. I feel that it is just trying to strike up a discussion on whether or not people think the actors in Glee are accurately portraying their characters. I do not think it is a big issue for the actors to be older than the characters portrayed, and I believe they are fitting for the show.
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