Film and Television Shows I Had To Watch As a Communication Student

The closer I get to graduation the more and more I reflect on all that I have learned during my time as a college student. While some tend to regret their field of study, I have been fortunate enough to absolutely love my major, minor, and all the coursework that has come with it. As a communication studies major and a film studies minor, I have spent a great amount of time doing television and film analyses. In fact, my favorite part of each quarter was the very first day when I finally had access to my new syllabi a.k.a. my new watchlists. While it would be impossible to review each assigned movie and television show, here is a list of some of my favorites:

Arrival (2016)

This sci-fi thriller, directed by Denis Villeneuve, was by far one of my favorite class screenings. The film follows a linguistics professor and a team of investigators as they try to communicate with extraterrestrial beings. The film’s themes include time, duality, memory, life, and language, all of which are very heavy theoretical concepts. I’ve watched Arrival at least a handful of times and I still find myself resonating with something new after each viewing. 

Succession (2018)

This HBO dark comedy focuses on the Roy family, the heads of an international media conglomerate. Its familial storylines and satire offer social commentary on things like the patriarchy and obscene wealth. If you’re looking for a new television show that is likely to be remembered with series like Mad Men, The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, etc., then you’ll definitely watch to add this to your binge list before the new season airs. 

Shattered Glass (2003) 

Hayden Christensen starred in this biographical drama about Stephen Glass and his scandal at The New Republic. As someone who has always been mildly interested in journalism, I found this to be an extremely engaging film. I’d highly recommend it to anyone interested in watching a criminally underrated drama. 

Random Acts of Flyness (2018)

This series is unlike most things on television. It can best be described as a sketch comedy/drama, however, even that isn’t very fitting. It takes on a stream-of-consciousness approach, meaning its editing offers a viewing experience that is perceived as a continuous flow. This show also offers social commentary but in a much more overt way. It challenges contemporary American life by exploring things like white supremacy, ancestral trauma, patriarchy, death, and much more. 

Shrek (2001) 

I know, I know! You’ve probably seen it a thousand times growing up, but I can guarantee that you’ll love it even more as an adult. When I saw the movie on the syllabus for my animated production class I almost didn’t watch it because I had already seen it plenty of times as a kid, however, I watched it from a new perspective and fell in love with it all over again. Animation is often regarded as trivial and something that is only for kids, but Shrek proves otherwise. When rewatching the film, I realized that it was full of adult humor that I never caught onto as a kid. As an adult, I grew to appreciate the movie in new ways, so much so that it reentered my list of favorite movies ever.  

Higher education is meant to facilitate critical thought, and as silly as it may sound to others, I, as a communication major and film minor can wholeheartedly say that my analysis of television and film has allowed me to do just that. I’ve learned to study the implications of television and film, while also having fun, so here’s a list to get you started if you’d like to do the same! 

• communication studies
• film
• television shows