Media Representations Who is being represented?
Women are being represented in a stereotypical way, because they are portrayed as 'housewives', hence the title. Also, they always look immaculate and range from the perfect mother to the trophy wife.
Why is the subject being represented in this way?
They are being represented in this way because this is the stereotypic woman. Also because they want to live up to their title, so obviously the programme is going to be about 'housewives' and their problems.
Is the representation fair and accurate?
the representation is not fair and accurate because not all females (mothers or wives) are housewives and behave the way some of the characters do, for example, Edie and Gabi.


Media Languages and Forms
What are the denotative and connotative levels of meaning?
When Gabi is wearing a bikini then that is just her clothes, but the representation of that is her being a sex symbol especially because she is tryin to impress her husband.
What is the significance of the text’s connotations?
the significance of this is to show that 'housewives' are always looking good for their husbands, as that is part of their jobs to also cater for thei partners needs.

What are the non-verbal structures of meaning in the text (e.g. gesture, facial expression, positional communication, clothing, props etc)?
The clothes are very important as that outilines each of the characters personality, for example, Bree is always looking presentable and smart-and her character is known to be tidy and a clean freak. Gabrielle is always dressed 'sexy' - she used to be a model and has affairs, so the clothes give away her personality. Lynette is the worn out housewife- he clothes are mostly baggy and her hair is tied up and not done up whilst at home, as he does not have much time because she is looking after the children.
What is the significance of mise-en-scene/sets/settings?
the mis-en-scene is important because most of the programme is set on the one street, Wysteria Lane. This has an affect that what is being shown is the characters everyday life, also the audience can relate to it becuase even though it is a rich area, it is realistic. However, this also shows that as they are 'housewives' they stay at home most of the time, home being Wysteria Lane.
What work is being done by the sound track/commentary/language of the text?
The commentary is also important because the narrator who is dead, used to be the characters' friend, so she used to be one of them, therefore she comes across as knowing the characters well because they were her friends and as she is watching them and telling the story it is almost as if she is there amongst them. which also makes the audience seem secure about what she is saying as she also talks about how the characters are generally, however, it is not a bias point of view becuase she just basically tells the story.
What are the dominant images and iconography, and what is their relevance to the major themes of the text?

What sound and visual techniques are used to convey meaning (e.g. camera positioning, editing; the ways that images and sounds are combined to convey meaning)?
At the end the narrator always tells the moral of the story etc and this tells the audience about what is 'right' and 'wrong'.
Narrative
How is the narrative organised and structured?
The narrative is in chronological order, however, there are also some flashbacks now and again.
How is the audience positioned in relation to the narrative?
The narrative is easy to follow, especially as there is a voice over who guides us along the story and also adds humor.
How are characters delineated? What is their narrative function? How are heroes and villains created?
Edie and Gabi both create humor to the episodes as they are both portrayed as 'drama queens'. Bree is seen as the villain because she is very cruel to her children but in a sly way as she also blackmails them. In some episodes the villains seem to be the women becuase they act malitious towards their husbands, for example Gabi and Carlos, when they were going through their divorce, Gabi did all she could to keep the house. Also Lynette being the control freak makes the audience sympathise with her husband. However, even though the women are portrayed like this, the audience also sympathise with them becuase we hear their troubles and are not shown the point of view of the men or them talking about their feelings, inlike the women who we all understand the reasons for their actions.
What are the major themes of the narrative? What values/ideologies does it embody?
Genre
To which genre does the text belong?
comedy drama
What are the major generic conventions within the text?
Both comedy and drama are combined, for example, the funny bits are not over the top, there are also emotional scenes.
What are the major iconographic features of the text?
What are the major generic themes?
To what extent are the characters generically determined?
To what extent are the audience’s generic expectations of the text fulfilled or cheated by the text? Does the text conform to the characteristics of the genre, or does it treat them playfully or ironically?
Does the text feature a star, a director, a writer etc who is strongly associated with the genre? What meanings and associations do they have?
Media Institutions
What is the institutional source of the text?
The institution of the text is Channel 4.
In what ways has the text been influenced or shaped by the institution which produced it?
Is the source a public service or commercial institution? What difference does this make to the text?
Who owns and controls the institution concerned and does this matter?
How has the text been distributed?
Media Values and Ideology
What are the major values, ideologies and assumptions underpinning the text or naturalised within it?
What criteria have been used for selecting the content presented?
Media Audiences
To whom is the text addressed? What is the target audience?
The main target audience for this text are females as they can relate and understand the issues.
What assumptions about the audience’s characteristics are implicit within the text?
What assumptions about the audience are implicit in the text’s scheduling or positioning?
In what conditions is the audience likely to receive the text? Does this impact upon the formal characteristics of the text?
What do you know or can you assume about the likely size and constituency of the audience?
I assume the audience for Desperate Housewives is large as they continue to make more episodes/series.
What are the probable and possible audience readings of the text?
As it is a comedy, it is not taken too seriously but more of a comedy and drama.
How do you, as an audience member, read and evaluate the text? To what extent is your reading and evaluation influenced by your age, gender, background etc?
I really enjoy the programme because i find it funny and interesting the way the women deal with their dramas. this is definately influenced by my gender because i can relate to these problems with my friends.