Moscow Nights (Press, 22 September 1987)

On 22 September 1987, Ruth Zanker commented on the portrayal of Russians in contemporary American television, particularly during a Friday night broadcast on Television Two. The evening featured a news report on the potential agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union to abolish medium-range and short-range missiles, which was overshadowed by two American sitcoms, "Night Court" and "Brothers," both of which included Russian characters and themes. Zanker described how "Night Court" opened with comedic interactions among its characters, interrupted by the arrival of Jakov, a Russian defector who brings along his non-scientist brother who is a bear trainer seeking asylum. The episode was filled with jokes targeting K.G.B. agents and workplace humour around "free enterprise," juxtaposed with cultural stereotypes, such as large, oversexed Russian women. Zanker pointed out the lack of depth in the portrayals, suggesting that the scriptwriters reduced Russian characters to mere caricatures, missing opportunities for genuine representation. The episode also included a plotline where arms negotiators from both the Soviet Union and the United States, who shared personal grievances reflected upon their lives, briefly establish a potential arms agreement, only to tear it up for lack of buyers. This moment signifies a failed hope for collective understanding, reinforcing the cycles of misunderstanding and stereotypes that pervade their interactions. Transitioning to "Brothers," Zanker critiqued a plot involving a homosexual character who falls for a Russian weightlifter, marred by lack of sensitivity and depth, reflective of societal attitudes at the time. Although the show was created in 1984, Zanker noted its datedness in light of the emerging attitudes surrounding AIDS and homosexuality, highlighting the shift in cultural narratives since a decade prior when such themes would have been considered taboo. Zanker concluded by highlighting the role of sitcoms as both a reflection and an influencer of middle American values, remarking on the complexity of changes in social attitudes toward race and sexuality through these comedies. Ultimately, she expressed concern over the stark contrasts between real-world diplomacy and the trivialisation of serious issues through the lens of entertainment, questioning whether audiences were truly moving closer to understanding each other amidst the continuous recycling of stereotypes.

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