Communication, values, and popular television series—A twenty‐five year assessment and final conclusions

Employing a dramatistic system based upon the critical frameworks of Kenneth Burke and Northrop Frye, a quantitative and qualitative analysis of primetime network television series from the 1974–1975 season through the 1998–1999 season is presented. A total of 1,365 series are classified as either ironic, mimetic, leader‐centered, romantic, or mythical communication systems, and then examined for their value orientation. It is concluded that during the last half of the 1970s, prime‐time television series promoted the value of individualism as a primary standard for resolving symbolic conflicts. In the first half of the 1980s, they promoted idealism and authority. In the last half of the 1980s and early 1990s, prime‐time series promoted the use of authority as the predominant conflict‐resolution value. In the mid‐and late‐1990s, primetime television series primarily featured alternating‐if not paradoxical‐values of individuality and authority as central standards for resolving symbolic conflicts.