MTV's Awkward informs us of the social hierarchy

I recently watched the pilot episode of MTV’s Awkward. For those who haven’t seen the show, it revolves around Jenna Hamilton an unpopular high school girl who secretly hooks up and falls for one of the most popular guys in school, Matty Mckibben. At summer camp Jenna and Matty secretly hook up in a utility closet. Jenna refers to herself as a ‘nobody’ and is surprised that she and Matty actually hook up. After the rendezvous, Jenna musters up the courage to ask Matty if he would be interested in sitting next to her at the required school assembly.  Matty reminds her of the reality, they both represent different social circles within their high school. Matty, is part of the minority in-group of cool kids and jocks. While Jenna and her clique, represent the majority out-group of social outcasts, misfits and band geeks. Someone finding out about Matty’s attraction to Jenna is equal to social suicide. Social suicide is understood colloquially as an doing something soooo grave,  that would alienate or downgrade an individual’s popularity status within their own group and possibly social circles.

The class reading,  Isn’t it romantic? (Lippman et al, 2014) study found that colleges students reported lower beliefs in the love myths of one and only and idealization. This study uses the  cultivation theory, which states that heavy exposure to certain media genres can lead to stronger beliefs in our lives. MTV’s Awkward is a portrayal of the lives of millions of teenagers both past and present who have been in some way shape or form ‘awkward’. Albert Bandura’s social learning theory could very well be at play here too. Many girls and even guys can put themselves in Jenna’s shoes. She seems normal and down to earth. However she makes the mistake of falling for a guy who was essentially “out of her league”. Throughout the entire pilot in various comical scenes she is reminded of her low social status,  and thus put in her place. I counted at least four different scenes in the twenty minute segment in which Jenna is reminded of her unpopularity.

1:12 Jenna and Matty hook up in the utility closet

4:34- Jenna’s bf Tamara reminds her that “guys like Matty don’t go for girls like us” ( unbeknownst to her!)

8:44- Mean girl Sadie throws shade to Jenna “only a pedophile would screw her, maybe”

10:12- Matty and Jenna see each other at school for the first time after the summercamp fling. Jenna after a slip and fall accident that everyone thinks was a suicide attempt is in a neck brace and arm cast. They make eye contact but cannot speak to each other.