Further textual analysis: Everybody Hates Chris

I chose to do some further textual analysis on my chosen genre for children's TV drama, so I could have further knowledge on the codes and conventions of that genre. The dramas that I have chosen are: Everybody Loves Chris, Malcolm in the Middle and The Addams Family.


Genre: Sitcom
Created by: Chris Rock
Ali LeRoi
Producer(s): Adrienne Carter
Original run: September 22, 2005 – May 8, 2009



Everybody Hates Chris is an effective opening; it relies on a very small amount of action/movement, and instead uses still images with aninmation in the background to introduce the main characters.

- A lack of movement - keeps focus on the characters
- Characters introduced by a combination of mid-shots and long-shots
- Still shots of the characters used
- No dialogue, non-diegetic background music is used only
- Camera never stays still on one particular shot - zooms out from the characters and then pans to the next character
- Character's names appear at the bottom centre of the screen
- A street/neighbourhood setting - establishes location - suggests that there is a close a group of friends/family together, which is reinforced with the framed photo at the end
- Begins with a stereo with music playing out of it, also symbolises youth
- Youth/teenagers also symbolised through the graffitti and the skate park
- Small movement in the background, e.g. cars, leaves, clouds