American Movies & TV Series Stereotypes

Reviewed by Editorial Team
The ProProfs editorial team is comprised of experienced subject matter experts. They've collectively created over 10,000 quizzes and lessons, serving over 100 million users. Our team includes in-house content moderators and subject matter experts, as well as a global network of rigorously trained contributors. All adhere to our comprehensive editorial guidelines, ensuring the delivery of high-quality content.
Learn about Our Editorial Process
| By Brunogomes
B
Brunogomes
Community Contributor
Quizzes Created: 6 | Total Attempts: 5,158
| Attempts: 81 | Questions: 12 | Updated: Jul 22, 2025
Please wait...
Question 1 / 13
🏆 Rank #--
Score 0/100

1. Which American television drama series portrays Italians as mobsters?

A -

B -  

C -

Explanation

The correct answer is The Sopranos. The Sopranos is an American television drama series that portrays Italians as mobsters.

Submit
Please wait...
About This Quiz
American Movies & TV Series Stereotypes - Quiz

Based on the text "Creating or Magnifying Stereotypes" on pages 24 and 25 from the MYP 4 book, and on general knowledge of well-known American movies and TV series, students will become aware of how stereotypical these products of the USA media can be, coveying prejudicial, cultural values.
Obs. :... see moreYou will be prompted to go over the text on your Student's book when the question is followed by the command "Check your book". see less

2.

What first name or nickname would you like us to use?

You may optionally provide this to label your report, leaderboard, or certificate.

2. "The U.S. entertainment industry has plenty of other rotten ideas to offer." Consider the TV series Ally McBeal:



Ally McBeal was an American television series which ran on the FOX network from 1997 to 2002. The series starred Calista Flockhart in the title role as a young lawyer working in the fictional Boston law firm Cage, Fish and Associates with other young lawyers whose lives and loves were eccentric, humorous and dramatic. Despite its success, Ally McBeal did receive some negative criticism from TV critics and feminists for it conveyed strong values of:

Explanation

The correct answer is sexism. The explanation for this is that although Ally McBeal was a successful TV series, it received criticism for its portrayal of women. The show often focused on the characters' appearance and relationships, rather than their professional abilities. This perpetuated stereotypes and objectified women, leading to accusations of sexism.

Submit

3. 1.    

Clark Kent on Smallville has to be pretty, white, and straight, and being pretty, white, and straight is an oppressive prerequisite for most popular television shows in North America, conveying the exhaustively and inevitably explored stereotype of:

Explanation

The correct answer suggests that the stereotype being conveyed is about what a superhero, and consequently any person in society, should look like. This means that popular television shows in North America often portray superheroes as being pretty, white, and straight, creating an oppressive prerequisite for representation. This stereotype implies that individuals who do not fit this specific physical appearance are not suitable or deserving of being seen as heroes.

Submit

4. How much of the European film market is controlled by Hollywood?
(Check your book)

Explanation

The correct answer is "Roughly eighty percent." This suggests that Hollywood controls a significant majority of the European film market, indicating its dominance and influence in the industry. This level of control implies that European audiences are more exposed to Hollywood films compared to local European productions.

Submit

5.  During the U.S. government’s “WAR ON TERRORISM”, what does the entertainment offered by the U.S. try to impose on peoples’ thoughts and opinions?
(Check your book)

Explanation

The entertainment offered by the U.S. during the "WAR ON TERRORISM" tries to impose the American values of democracy and freedom on peoples' thoughts and opinions. This suggests that the U.S. government uses entertainment as a tool to promote its ideals and beliefs, emphasizing the importance of democratic principles and personal freedoms in countering terrorism.

Submit

6. 1.   

The TV series Lost, on the other hand, portrays the ________ not as villains, but as heroics, as one of its lead characters, Sayid, possesses a heroic, intelligent and romantic posture.

Explanation

The correct answer is Arabs. The explanation for this answer is that the TV series Lost portrays Arabs as heroes and not as villains. One of the lead characters, Sayid, who is Arab, is depicted as heroic, intelligent, and romantic. This portrayal challenges the stereotype of Arabs as villains and presents a more positive representation of Arab characters in the show.

Submit

7.

1.     The Mummy is a 1999 American adventure film written and directed by Stephen Sommers and starring Brendan Fraser, and Rachel Weisz, with Arnold Vosloo in the title role as the reanimated mummy. The film features substantial dialogue in ancient Egyptian language, spoken with the assistance of a professional Egyptologist. It is a loose remake of the 1932 film of the same name. USA Today gave the film two out of four stars and felt that it was "not free of stereotypes", as it portrayed:

Explanation

The correct answer is "Anti-Arab stereotypes". This is because the film was criticized for perpetuating negative stereotypes about Arab culture and people.

Submit

8. What about the values and ideas? Which ones are conveyed by American movies and TV series?
(Check your book)

Explanation

The correct answer suggests that American movies and TV series convey the values of "democracy" and "freedom" as well as sexism and corporate self-centeredness. Additionally, it implies that people of color tend to play a secondary role in society in these media representations.

Submit

9. According to the texts, what kind of stereotypes are conveyed by American movies and TV series?
(Check your book)

Explanation

American movies and TV series convey stereotypes of anti-Arab stereotypes and portray African-Americans as either criminals, clowns, or wealthy athletes. This is evident from the texts which mention these stereotypes specifically.

Submit

10. 1.    

HEROES is about a group of everyday people who wake up to realize that they have special powers, and it conveys…

Explanation

The explanation for the correct answer is that the show HEROES portrays gender stereotypes by having a significant imbalance between the number of men and women with special powers. This suggests that men are more likely to possess extraordinary abilities compared to women, reinforcing traditional gender roles and expectations.

Submit

11. 1.    

Which of the following stereotypes from the movie Madagascar is false?

Explanation

The correct answer is the villainy-ridden behavior of the penguins negatively reinforces the real aggressiveness these animals possess. This means that the portrayal of the penguins as villains in the movie Madagascar does not accurately represent their true behavior in real life. The statement suggests that the penguins are depicted as more aggressive than they actually are, which perpetuates a negative stereotype about these animals.

Submit

12. 1.    

The movie Twilight reverses a stereotypical formula, present in most of the films, when…

Explanation

The movie Twilight reverses a stereotypical formula by portraying the female figure as the "aggressor" who puts the man and his family in danger, rather than the opposite. This challenges the traditional gender roles often seen in films, where men are typically portrayed as the protectors and women as the ones in need of protection. In Twilight, the female character takes on a more assertive and dangerous role, subverting these expectations and providing a fresh perspective on gender dynamics in storytelling.

Submit
×
Saved
Thank you for your feedback!
View My Results
Cancel
  • All
    All (12)
  • Unanswered
    Unanswered ()
  • Answered
    Answered ()
Which American television drama series portrays Italians as mobsters?...
"The U.S. entertainment industry has plenty of other rotten ideas...
1.     Clark Kent on Smallville has to be pretty,...
How much of the European film market is controlled by...
 During the U.S. government’s “WAR ON TERRORISM”, what does...
1.   The TV series Lost, on the other hand, portrays...
1.     The Mummy is a 1999 American adventure film...
What about the values and ideas? Which ones are conveyed by American...
According to the texts, what kind of stereotypes are conveyed by...
1.     HEROES is about a group of everyday people...
1.     Which of the following stereotypes from the...
1.    The movie Twilight reverses a stereotypical...
play-Mute sad happy unanswered_answer up-hover down-hover success oval cancel Check box square blue
Alert!