On the Couch: The Alpha Male in Therapy in Contemporary American Television Drama

As ideas of masculinity have changed in the United States, so too has the presentation of men on television. This article, then, explores a range of characters that have characteristics associated with the alpha male in the unusually vulnerable position of the patient, in a variety of programmes fro...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of American studies Vol. 53; no. 3; pp. 799 - 818
Main Author TEMPLETON, PETER
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.08.2019
Subjects
American culture
Characters (Roles)
Crime fiction
Drama
E-books
Gender
Heroism & heroes
Ideology
Literary devices
Males
Masculinity
Men
Motion pictures
Plot (Narrative)
Professional relationships
Television
Television programs
Therapists
Therapy
Turn of the century
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:As ideas of masculinity have changed in the United States, so too has the presentation of men on television. This article, then, explores a range of characters that have characteristics associated with the alpha male in the unusually vulnerable position of the patient, in a variety of programmes from generic detective dramas through to critically acclaimed productions, to analyse how programme makers navigate questions of masculinity against the cultural backdrop of the most recent fin de siècle. It also demonstrates a range of responses by programme makers, including some that question hypermasculine tendencies only to ultimately reinforce them.
ISSN:0021-8758
1469-5154
DOI:10.1017/S0021875817001815