Wish I had something smart to say about THE REAL WORLD.  My slight exposure

to the show itself and the hype about the show tell me that it is an

extension of the fundamental approach of AMERICAN FAMILY.  When he was

producing FAMILY, Craig Gilbert knew what he wanted and interviewed

250 families before casting the Louds.  The Louds interest was that they

would "be on television" as a way of making it in the great big world of

show biz.  THE REAL WORLD was cast in the same way, the only difference

is that they were a constructed "family."

 

THE BRADY BUNCH and the MONKEES don't seem to fit that paradigm, except

to the extent that any show takes on the characteristics of a family.

 

While writing the previous sentence, the thought occurred that many other

continuing groupings (department faculty??) take on the characteristics

of a family with people taking on comfortable roles of father, mother,

older brother, younger sister, etc.

 

I don't know what this all means; it's been a long time since I thought

I was a sociologist.

 

best wishes, cal