How many times have you heard someone say (or have you said), “It’s just TV!” In this class, those, as they say, are “fightin’ words.” Television—from high drama like Breaking Bad to goofy animation like Bob’s Burgers—makes meaning, makes arguments. Television both reflects and creates current attitudes about public issues; and it can and should inspire important, sometimes difficult, conversations. I’ve designed this course around one major question that should be important to those of us who love TV (or who hate it!), who live for the next episode of Scandal or the next season of Daredevil, or who can. not. even. with Game of Thrones: How does TV make meaning? How does it contribute to our sense of self—as individuals, as a nation, as [you-fill-in-the-blank-based-on-your-interests]? The content that we study will be television; the end result of our study will be an intimate relationship with rigorous thinking, writing, and revising processes. We will practice strategies of close reading, thick description, research, analysis, reflection, revision, and responding in writing to a variety of texts: television episodes and series (some chosen by me, some by you), academic articles, podcasts, and mainstream publications. We will engage in the kinds of tasks you will be asked to do often as a college student: blogging, social media writing, informal writing, planning and conducting research, review writing, analytical essay writing, etc. We will argue about the virtues and shortcomings of the shows we watch. We will disagree (respectfully but enthusiastically) about all manner of things. We will “live every week like it’s shark week.” This will all help you look anew at something you likely know well (tv) as you practice making dynamic, savvy, even artistic academic arguments. And we’ll hopefully have a lot of fun doing it. “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.”