Cities are not just inert landscapes or lifeless settings; they play active and significant roles in shaping numerous television narratives. Whether in series or soap operas, urban environments play a fundamental role not only as the backdrop where plots unfold but also in shaping the developments of storylines, their creations, guidelines, and contexts. While, on the one hand, cities and their urban cultures contribute to the composition of various small screen plots, on the other hand, television programs can also help shape a certain idealized imagination about these urban spaces, generating unrealistic expectations and perpetuating a series of stereotypes about the represented cities.
Television plays a crucial role in shaping collective imaginaries about cities and their urban cultures. Through various programs, viewers are transported into the vibrant daily life of global metropolises or the quiet streets of provincial towns, experiencing narratives that shape public perceptions and readings. Television representation incorporates cultural, social, geographical, and historical elements that contribute to creating a specific urban image. This image can be crafted through various lenses, from critical perspectives to idealizations and romanticizations.
Architecture, landmarks, and cultural atmosphere become integral parts of television narratives, influencing character development, choices, and even the emotional tone of many stories. Frequently, television programs opt to showcase iconic landmarks and distinctive features, contributing to a specific visual identity linked to that urban area, thus influencing public perception of it. Paris is romanticized with its picturesque cafes and the Eiffel Tower, often portrayed as a romantic and charming backdrop that intensifies plots centered on relationships and emotions. Meanwhile, New York is frequently associated with skyscrapers and a bustling lifestyle, assuming the role of an impersonal and challenging city, a reflection consistently seen in the obstacles characters must overcome in their journeys.
Friends, the iconic television series set in New York, presents a laid-back portrayal of urban life in the metropolis and plays a significant role in shaping a captivating image of the city. Throughout its ten seasons, the show explored the bonds of friendship among the main characters while incorporating New York as a vital character in the plot. The apartment block in Greenwich Village and the Central Perk café have become symbols of New York. However, despite being one of the most beloved and popular series of all time, "Friends" also faces criticism for offering a homogenized representation of New York, portraying a reality that differs from the experiences of many of its residents due to the high cost of living and limited spaces.
In Sex and the City, New York is portrayed as a cosmopolitan, elegant, irresistible, and even more elitist metropolis. The romantic and professional adventures of the four protagonist friends intertwine with the backdrop of Manhattan, featuring chic restaurants, offices, and designer stores, projecting a glamorous and vibrant image of the city. By exploring the New York high society scene, the series transcended mere urban settings to reinforce the idea of New York as the epicenter of fashion, culture, and sophistication. While praised for its bold approach to feminist issues in the late 1990s, the series is criticized for presenting an overly elitist view of urban life in New York.
Emily in Paris, launched in 2020, aimed to create a charming and idealized narrative of the City of Lights. Set against stunning backdrops in Montmartre, along the Seine River, and near the Eiffel Tower, the storyline delves into fashion, culture, and Emily's dilemmas, projecting a glamorous and romantic image of the French capital. However, the series faced criticism for its superficial and stylized portrayal of Paris, lacking a genuine exploration of the city's cultural richness and complexity. Instead, it often resorted to simplistic stereotypes and clichés, ultimately failing to provide an authentic and nuanced representation of the diverse facets that characterize the true Parisian experience.
In Brazil, a country culturally marked by soap operas, one can observe how these programs played a significant role in constructing idealized narratives and forming stereotyped images of certain cities, especially Rio de Janeiro. According to researcher Beatriz Jaguaribe, "In Rio de Janeiro soap operas, images like those of Sugarloaf Mountain, the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana, the Botanical Garden, among other locations, form an enjoyable visual menu that provides a scenic break in the plot and an aesthetic delight for the viewer." The way the soap operas often portrayed the capital of Rio de Janeiro contributed to the creation of a romantic and exotic image of the city, crafting plots that were often distant from its real dynamics.
More than any other medium, television, especially through soap operas, has captivated audiences and offered mythologies of Rio de Janeiro's urbanity. [...] They stimulate tourism and real estate speculation by selling the city and showcasing its most significant postcards. They consecrate prestigious neighborhoods and suggest new itineraries based on the locations where their plots unfold. — Beatriz Jaguaribe
Television narratives profoundly influence how the public perceives specific cities by shaping imaginative portrayals of their urban cultures. Although this representation is often simplified and stylized for narrative purposes, it plays a crucial role in shaping the public image of cities worldwide. In turn, viewers should maintain a critical perspective and recognize the nuances behind television representations to cultivate a richer and authentic understanding of the complexities that are, happily and inevitably, inherent in any urban life.
Bibliographic reference
JAGUARIBE, Beatriz. A cidade midiática: telenovelas e mundo urbano. In: GORELIK, Adrián; PEIXOTO, Fernanda Arêas (Org). Cidades sul-americanas como arenas culturais. São Paulo: Edições Sesc São Paulo, 2019.
