Mom is a situation comedy produced by Chuck Lorre that airs on CBS’s highly popular Monday evening lineup. The program just completed its first season and has been renewed for a second. Mom is the story of Christy Plunkett, a single mother and recovering alcoholic and drug abuser who is trying to get her life back on track. Besides coping with her job and her children, Christy works at rebuilding her relationship with her acerbic and self-centered mother, Bonnie, who is also a recovering addict. Together, Christy and Bonnie attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and strive to keep each other sober. Ostensibly, the program conveys that drinking and drug use are a recipe for an unhappy life. On closer examination, though, Christy and Bonnie can be observed making asides which suggest that they look back fondly on their days of drinking and drug use and now lament their passing. This paper, therefore, seeks to demonstrate how Mom communicates two conflicting messages about substance abuse to its audience. Ultimately, the paper will argue that the melancholic and reverential tone the characters use in reflecting on their past excesses marginalizes the risks associated with such behavior and harmfully positions the audience to view alcohol and drug use as glamorous and exciting.
About the presenterMichael Moeder
Michael Moeder is an assistant professor in the Communication Department at Salisbury University. He is a member of the Media Studies track and teaches courses in mass media analysis and writing. Moeder received his Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Missouri and his dissertation examined the narrative structure of the television sitcom. In regard to research, Moeder is interested in the way entertainment programming shapes viewers’ values and attitudes.