Moss is constructed as highly intelligent all though socially inept. For example when Roy is trying to make Jen think that they are not IT nerds and that they often get visitors, moss ignores all obvious signals to stop telling the truth.
Jen is shown to know nothing about technology in the first scene as when asked about what she knows about technology she answers 'The web. Using a mouse, mices, using mice. Clicking, double clicking. The computer screen, of course. The keyboard. The... bit that goes on the floor down there.' However Jen is good socially as she manages to stop the woman from hitting roy with a shoe by making conversation about Laura's designer shoes.
Roy is presented as short tempered and irritable as he shown he has a short temper with the people he has to help with IT problems (when he shouts at the woman on the phone)
In what way are Roy and Moss standard nerds?
Roy and Moss are standard nerds as they fill the role as the stereotypical nerd that is socially inept, especially with romantic relationships, they are very knowledgable about technology and they do not go out much.
What is comic about Jen's appointment as manager of IT?
its comical that Jen has been appointed as manager of IT because she knows about as much about IT as most people and lied on her CV about being knowledgable which caused her to end up with the job. Not only this but she tries to cover up her lack of understanding for technology by lying to Roy and Moss and they immediately see through it.
A lot that is encouraging here but we need to shift from textual analysis to analysis of the audience pleasures.
ReplyDeleteTopic sentence: stereotypes are part of sitcom genre.
You should use the 4 audience pleasures framework
'Standard Nerds': who is the target audience for the show? Men mostly, 15-45, computer savvy
Is the audience positioned on equal terms /omniscient (yes as we understand the jargon and the jokes against the other staff).
Are we positioned as superior?(yes, as M and R are social failures and Jen is IT illiterate).
You do well to give examples of how R and M are socially inept / inadequate and how Jen is computer illiterate.
Grade C/B