| Do you pay attention to how the mom characters are portrayed on your favorite TV shows? Loathe the so-called "mommy wars" on which the news media love to focus? Each week, Meredith O'Brien's Working Moms in Pop Culture & Politics column provides a reality check on how TV shows, movies, and the media depict moms. A longtime journalist and mother of three, Meredith O'Brien formerly taught journalism at the University of Massachusetts, is the author of A Suburban Mom: Notes from the Asylum and writes the Picket Fence Post blog for GateHouse Media. Follow Meredith on Twitter: @MeredithOBrien |  |
Friday Night Lights: Pregnancy, Abortion, and Responsibility.
It’s been a compelling, controversial storyline nominally about abortion but more, I think, about mothers: Mothers of teens, a woman who was a teen mom and a teen who was almost a mother. more
Parents at the Emmys.
When the Emmy nominations were announced last week, I was taking a good look at which actors and actresses were nominated for what roles when something jumped out at me: The list included a whole lot of characters who play parents on TV. more
Army Wives, Working Women.
When Army Wives began airing on Lifetime in 2007, of the drama’s five wives, only two were employed outside the home. more
Fighting over Feminism.
Mention Sarah Palin and half the people with whom you’re speaking may recoil and the other half may smile, as the working mother of five -- including a toddler -- former vice presidential nominee serves as a living, breathing Rorschach test for what it means to be a powerful woman in politics. more
thirtysomething: Third Time Definitely a Charm.
After I wrote up my suggestions as to what new TV fare could entertain you this summer, I spent some quality time watching the newly released thirtysomething season three DVD set and thoroughly enjoyed myself. more
Summer Televison Preview.
Okay, so we TV addicts are still feeling a tad melancholy about the fact that many of our favorite TV shows have wrapped for the season, not to return with new episodes until late September or early October. And some shows, like Lost, 24 and The New Adventures of Old Christine, aren’t going to return at all. (*sniff*) more
Sex and the City 2: Sexist Reviews, O.K. Show.
*Warning, minor Sex and the City 2 spoilers ahead*
Okay, so it wasn’t as bad as ALL THAT. It wasn’t Glitter for God’s sake. Geez film reviewers, hate much? more
Parenting Teens in Prime Time.
I used to watch the Gilmore Girls (still do in repeats) and coveted the relationship between Lorelai Gilmore and her teenage daughter Rory. My 11-year-old daughter and I have spent many an hour bonding while watching episodes of the show, talking about how we’d handle the various situations that cropped up between the Stars Hollow ladies. more
