UHS Favorite Television Shows

Television has adapted tremendously since the early 20th century when it was first introduced to the common people. Popular shows went from comedy like I Love Lucy in the 50’s, to dramas like ER, and crime shows like Law & Order and Dateline in the 90’s. Out of all of the shows in the history of television, how does one decide on a favorite? Will this decision alter your interests and in the long run, your career choice? A pattern was observed in a favorite childhood television survey that was given to several of Urbana High School’s staff members- bringing up the question of a relationship between those shows and the teachers’ jobs.

The first result that supported this theory came from Urbana High School English teacher, Erin Ludwick. Her favorite television show as a high school student in the late 90’s and early 2000’s was Dawson’s Creek. Dawson’s Creek was a drama set at a high school. Of course, Ludwick is now a high school teacher; she says she would no longer watch this show because, “I see too much real high school drama.” Maybe this choice of Dawson’s Creek as her favorite television show prepared her for everyday high school drama here at UHS. The results that were most fitting to the teacher’s career were, Biology teacher, Bobbi Roy’s answers. As a high school student, Roy loved medical shows like Saint Elsewhere and crime shows like The A-Team. Her well-fitting television choices didn’t stop at her high school favorites; her favorite show now is Hawaii Five-O. Her reason for this choice: action and forensics. All three of Roy’s choices were science-related. Maybe this led to her career as a biology teacher.

Another Science teacher, Dennis Migut, has many favorite types of television. One of these favorites are crime shows. More specifically, Criminal Minds. Crime shows such as this one are packed with forensics, which compliments chemistry very well. Some less-related, but still significant, answers were answers such as, Math teacher, Nick Stillwell’s. Stillwell commented that his favorite shows are “History, science… anything educational!”

UHS librarian, Matthew Murray, has always had a very diverse collection of favorite television shows. As a high school student in the late 70’s and early 80’s, his favorite types of shows were anything from crime shows and drama to game shows and even science fiction and horror. Murray has a library of favorite television shows! This pattern was not only found in results from teachers, but also results from UHS’s own students.

UHS Freshman, Jazzlyn Carter, said that her favorite show is BET’s 106 & Park. Carter is the CUperstars winner of 2010. CUperstars is a singing competition that showcases several young musicians from the Champaign-Urbana area. UHS may have a superstar on our hands. UHS Sophomore, Jesus Olmedo, has a variety of favorite types of T.V., one of which is sports. Olmedo is on UHS’s junior varsity soccer team. Maybe UHS also has the honor of schooling future athletes. Freshman, Bridget Mueller-Brennan also has a few favorite shows. One of her favorites is So You Think You Can Dance. She said, “It [So You Think You Can Dance] has amazing dancing that I can only ever dream of replicating myself.” Mueller-Brennan has been dancing for years; maybe she’ll show up on her favorite show someday. Then again, there’s always T.V. to just pass the time. UHS Junior, Chris Johnson’s favorite show is South Park. He said liked it, “because it’s hilarious and pointless and it just takes up my time.”

Maybe favorite television shows are somehow linked to future careers; maybe they aren’t. But if they are, Urbana High School is very lucky.

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Hannah Mohr

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