Abstract
Fun is central to entertainment—which both gives its consumers fun and offers them the intellectual resources to think about fun. In this chapter McKee explores two key ethical questions about fun addressed by entertainment: What is good fun? and When should we have fun? In relation to the first question McKee analyses the television programme Scandal in order to argue that entertainment insists that fun must do no harm—those characters in entertainment who hurt other people ‘for fun’ are always villains. In exploring the question of when should we have fun, McKee uses the programme House to show that entertainment argues that even though suffering exists in the world, it is still acceptable to take time out to have fun.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Notes
- 1.
My thanks to Carol Williams and Cody Jarrett for this insight.
References
Anon. (undated-a). Home page. TV Tropes. Retrieved from TV Tropes Web site: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HomePage.
Anon. (Undated-b). It amused me. TV Tropes. Retrieved from TV Tropes Web site: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ItAmusedMe.
Burns, S. J. w., & Anderson, B. d. (2014). Simpsorama. The Simpsons. Los Angeles, Ca: Fox Entertainment
Davies, R. T. w., & Boak, K. d. (Writers). (2005). World war three. In R. T. Davies (Producer), Doctor Who. London: BBC.
Davies, R. T. w., & Lyn, E. d. (Writers). (2005). The end of the world. In R. T. Davies (Producer), Doctor Who. London: BBC.
Davies, R. T. w., & Teague, C. d. (Writers). (2007). The sound of drums. In R. T. Davies (Producer), Doctor Who. London: BBC.
Foucault, M. (1965). Madness and civilisation. New York: Pantheon Books.
Hasino, K. d., Watanabe, A. d., Kido, A. d., Tanaka, Y. w., & Kawasaki, A. w. (2008). Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4. Tokyo: Atlus Co Ltd.
Hoggart, R. (1998 [1957]). The uses of literacy. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers.
Holmes, R. w., Lewis, G. w., & Russell, P. d. (Writers). (1975). Pyramids of Mars. In P. Hinchcliffe (Producer), Doctor Who. London, UK: BBC.
Hurran, N. d., & Moffat, S. w. (Writers). (2014). His last vow. In S. Moffat (Producer), Sherlock. London: BBC.
Marino, F. d., Cohen, D. X. w., & Groening, M. w. (Writers). (2010). Rebirth. In D. X. Cohen (Producer), Futurama. Los Angeles, CA: Comedy Central.
Moffat, S. w., & Talalay, R. d. (Writers). (2014). Death in heaven. In S. Moffat (Producer), Doctor Who. London, UK: BBC.
Robin, S. d., & Wilding, M. w. (Writers). (2012). Crash and burn. In S. Rhimes (Producer), Scandal. Los Angeles, CA: ABC.
Tarantino, Q. (Writer). (1992). Reservoir dogs. Los Angeles, CA: Miramax Films.
Weller, P. d., & Hoselton, D. w. (Writers). (2012). Post Mortem, House. Los Angeles, CA: Fox.
Yaitanes, G. D., & Hess, S. W. (Writers). (2011). Charity case, House. Los Angeles, CA: Fox.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2016 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
McKee, A. (2016). Bad Fun. In: FUN!. Palgrave Entertainment Industries. Palgrave Pivot, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-49179-4_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-49179-4_5
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Pivot, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-137-49178-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-49179-4
eBook Packages: Literature, Cultural and Media StudiesLiterature, Cultural and Media Studies (R0)