Articles
Writers

Muslim Television Shows in Canada

Little Mosque on the Prairie, A Successful Canadian Muslim TV Sitcom

© Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

Jan 11, 2007
Muslim Television Shows in Canada, Stock Exchange
Little Mosque on the Prairie combines humor & stereotypes to defuse interracial conflict & create harmony. It's a successful Muslim television show in Canada.

The Little Mosque on the Prairie is a Muslim television show in Canada on CBC. This sitcom uses humor and stereotypical thinking to challenge our beliefs about Muslims and terrorism. The idea is to defuse interracial conflict while poking fun at Saskatchewanites.

This is the first Muslim television show in Canada.

Why Canadians Love Little Mosque on the Prairie (the strengths)

  • Little Mosque on the Prairie creates “real” people with whom we can relate, who also happen to be Muslim, who wear head coverings, and who pray to Allah. This Muslim television informs us about Muslim beliefs and customs.
  • Little Mosque on the Prairie role models living together peacefully in the same house (Muslim husband and a once-Christian wife) and the same building (Anglican church and mosque in one).
  • Little Mosque on the Prairie breaks down the “us” versus “them” barrier. This Muslim television show shows people learning how to live together without panic attacks, which could difuse interracial conflicts.
  • Little Mosque on the Prairie makes viewers laugh and roll their eyes (in a good way). There is a sense of humor on this Muslim tv show.
  • Little Mosque on the Prairie shows how ridiculous stereotypes are by injecting "real" people living quietly and peacefully in a "real" place --- pursuing their beliefs and living their values. This Muslim tv sitcom reveals stereotypes.
  • Little Mosque on the Prairie opens a forum for discussions about fear and terrorism. This Muslim television show's funny and cute quips could start real conversations and encourage people to escape their comfort zones.

Why Canadians Don't Love Little Mosque on the Prairie (the weaknesses)

  • Most of the small-towners – and the airline booking agent, police, and reporter – viewed all Muslims as potential terrorists. Are small-town Saskatchewan viewpoints really this superficial and dim? This is a drawback of this Muslim television show.
  • The Muslims are very attractive; almost too attractive. Not a stereotypical scary-looking dark-bearded man or woman in the group. Little Mosque on the Prairie is full of beautiful people, which is unrealistic.
  • The characters on Little Mosque on the Prairie are “stock”. They don’t really change or display any deep thoughts or emotions, which doesn't difuse interracial conflict. This Canadian Muslim tv sitcom hasn't yet created dynamic characters.
  • Some plot lines are obvious: the daughter and Amaar (the imam or Muslim “pastor”) are attracted to one another, the husband and wife fight, and the mosque and town will face new conflicts every week. The first few episodes of Little Mosque on the Prairie weren't highly original.

Little Mosque on the Prairie

Is this Canadian Muslim tv sitcom actually difusing interracial conflict and creating harmony through its sense of humor?

The biggest question is how to measure the psychological effects of Little Mosque on the Prairie. Would anti-Muslims watch it? What are the before and after effects? Are viewers experiencing different attitudes to terrorism? The only way to find out is to do some psychological experimentation, which researchers may very well be working on.

Stay tuned.

If you found Muslim Television Shows in Canada interesting, you may also be interested in:


The copyright of the article Muslim Television Shows in Canada in Prime Time Sitcoms is owned by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen. Permission to republish Muslim Television Shows in Canada in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.




Post this Article to facebook Add this Article to del.icio.us! Digg this Article furl this Article Add this Article to Reddit Add this Article to Technorati Add this Article to Newsvine Add this Article to Windows Live Add this Article to Yahoo Add this Article to StumbleUpon Add this Article to BlinkLists Add this Article to Spurl Add this Article to Google Add this Article to Ask Add this Article to Squidoo

Comments
Sep 29, 2009 9:57 AM
Guest :
I am a retired Canadian. I have contributed taxes to Canada my whole working life. I am not predjudiced, bigoted or a racist.
I am however, smart enough to see what Islam is contributing to our world at this time.
Children who are brainwashed and abused from birth. Loss of ability to make choices in life. Worship of a prophet who beheaded Jews and warred on others. Worship of a religion which requires deceit and lying to infidels. Worship of a religion that encourages murder of infidels. Treatment of females as subservient and only 1/2 the worth of a man. Circumcism of females against their will. Deceiving youngsters that its OK to blow yourself up because you will be glorious in heaven afterwards. Immigrants who DO NOT assimilate! And how very obvious it is to me how all Muslims world wide never criticize themselves. No wonder, when people like Theo van Gogh get their throat cut in their own country. Muslims have such a fixation on removing their enemies head.
In my estimation, Islam is not a religion. Rather it is a supremist cult not unlike the preaching and mayhem spewed by Jim Jones.
Shame on Canada and the CBC for showcasing Islam as a comedy on Little Mosque on the Prairie. You don't get it! You're blind. Mosques are used for preaching hate and intolerance for infidels. They are used as ammunition caches and centers for the plotting of suicides and murders.
If this website thinks that promoting Islam in a false way will help diffuse interacial conflict it won't. More and more Canadians like myself are becoming better informed about the objectives of Islam. As a Canadian, I have never been worried for my welfare. Until now! Islam through Iran will be more than happy to cause a global nuclear war and when it happens, you and me will be breathing in radioactive particles carried by the weather.
And don't forget the Islamist plot to invade and behead our Parlimentarians!
There are alarmed and worried people world wide who are waking up to this dire threat. We are not racist, bigoted or supremists. We are not stupid and uninformed. We merely want to protect ourselves from a cult who seeks to convert us or murder us.
Please, as one Canadian to another, remove all references to Islam from this and future websites under your control.
1 Comment:
about us • Limelight Blog • freelance writing jobs • careers • press room • Site Map • Terms & Conditions • Privacy Policy