A Study of Gender Representation in Californication

By analysing contemporary media texts we can achieve a greater understanding forour specific culture and time. The ambition of this text is to discuss some messagesthat the media convey about gender and the possible effects of this representation. Ihave therefore chosen to analyse the Showtime production Californication. Thisstudy uses critical discourse analysis to examine Californication from a genderperspective to answer the following questions: How is the world in Californicationrepresented? What identities and relationships are constructed for those involved inthe text Californication? How is gender representation presented in the text? Theanalysis shows that while Californication is in many ways a series based on liberaland experimental representations of masculinity and femininity, a closer studyreveals that the production at the same time actually promotes traditional ideals anda return to conventional family values