1. Homework Read the introduction to The Gospel According to the Simpsons and make notes – I would like a couple of quotations too. Read chapter on Ned Flanders ‘The Evangelical Next Door’ and make notes. Due next Monday – I will want to see notes.

2. Religion and TV How is religion portrayed through the medium of television? You need content – knowledge of the tv programmes to substantiate and evidence your arguments. You need a sound knowledge of the religious issues to argue the validity (truthfulness) of their portrayal You need scholarly knowledge to support evaluation. YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO QUOTE AND REFER TO ACADEMIC STUDIES.

3. Reading List Add to it the following extracts which you have been given: David Chandler: The Soap Opera Genre and Its Viewers Merris Griffiths: Why Are Soap Operas so Popular? Extract from the House of Lords Select Committee (set up in 2005 to report on the future of the BBC) Jon Swift: A Modest Proposal

4. What is satire? If satire attacks moral failings and hypocrisies in a particular culture, what then does it defend?

5. 29 th September Lesson 7 - To create a pen portrait of all the key characters in The Simpsons – Homer, Lisa, Marge, Rev Lovejoy, Apu, Ned Flanders - focusing on their representation of and attitude to religion. For each character include references to any specific episodes that help to illustrate your research. Keep asking the question – what, if anything, is being satirised through this character? Use www.thesimpsons.com to access characters and relevant episodes.www.thesimpsons.com