“The Pfaffs Are Not Like the Osbournes”

Abstract

This article investigates the ongoing importance of national culture as a context to understand variations in television formats. To this end, it uses the example of the docusoap, a recent addition to the broad category of “reality TV” that crosses the border between fact and fiction and, in particular, between documentary and soap opera. The docusoap conventions have quickly spread internationally, but national variations can be distinguished. To illustrate this point, two “celebrity” docusoaps are analyzed, the American The Osbournes and its Flemish counterpart The Pfaffs. While both shows are superficially similar, they also show many differences, which are partly related to their respective national contexts. Although eccentric, The Osbournes is typically American in several respects, referring to American myths and themes. The Pfaffs, in contrast, are presented as typically Flemish, most clearly through the emphasis on their simplicity and ordinariness. The ensuing differences in tone make the program more authentic to domestic viewers.

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“…Instead of attempting to present the reality of "ordinary" people, docusoaps placed "popular entertainment, first and foremost," meaning that the characters and their stores are not "socially meaningful" and largely became famous for playing themselves (2000: p. 136). Researchers have explored several aspects of docusoaps including the creation of celebrity (Dhoest, 2004), portrayal of masculinity (Mazzarella, 2008) and race (Dominiguez, 2015).…”

Love to Hate

“…The Osbournes revolves around a globally established British pop star, whose appeal oscillates between the national and the transnational. However, in Europe, the docusoap tends to solicit viewer affinities along national cultural differences, despite the global mobility and adaptability of the format (Dhoest 2004). For instance, the popular Flemish celebrity reality show De Pfaffs (The Pfaffs), broadcast on the national public service channel VTM, features former Belgian soccer goalie Jean-Marie Pfaff and his populous family.…”

“…By virtue of being hybrid platforms with a globally shared blueprint formula available for local appropriation, reality formats have been argued to trigger a rearticulation of national identities worldwide (Stetka 2009;Turner 2005;Waisbord 2004; Aslama and Pantti 2007;Frau-Meigs 2006;Dhoest 2004). In the postsocialist region, this new and unexpected mirror of national self-recognition has produced a Janus-faced image: it has both confirmed and unraveled national narratives and self-definitions (see Volcic, forthcoming).…”

The Mediation of Nationhood: Communicating the World as a World of Nations

“…In relation to television, empirical studies have been conducted across a host of formats and settings, including soaps (Abu‐Lughod, ; Dhoest, ), comedy (Medhurst, ; Perkins, ), drama (Dhoest, ), lifestyle (Brunsdon & Morley, ; McElroy, ) and reality programs (Dhoest, ), documentaries (Roosvall, , Roy, ), and sport (Tzanelli, , Visacs, ). It should be reiterated that while ideas around the significance of nationhood are reproduced in each of these cases, the meanings they will have for different actors and institutions will vary enormously across social settings.…”

“…2 Although, a recent report by the consultancy firm, Deloitte, argued that ''the advent of social networks has enhanced, rather than diminished, the schedule's appeal as commentary on programs has expanded from the living room to a community''(Deloitte, 2012; http://www.deloitte.com/view/en_om/om/press/197dfd61017e5310 VgnVCM3000001c56f00aRCRD.htm). 3 In relation to television, empirical studies have been conducted across a host of formats and settings, including soaps (Abu-Lughod, 2005; Dhoest, 2009), comedy(Medhurst, 2007;Perkins, 2010), drama(Dhoest, 2004a), lifestyle(Brunsdon & Morley, 1978;McElroy, 2008) and reality programs(Dhoest, 2004b), documentaries(Roosvall, 2009, Roy, 2007, and sport(Tzanelli, 2004, Visacs, 2011. It should be reiterated that while ideas around the significance of nationhood are reproduced in each of these cases, the meanings they will have for different actors and institutions will vary enormously across social settings.…”