george washington- TV test subject

screening day 1: potential test subjects asked to undergo thorough health screenings, mental batteries, and psychological evaluation. two possible candidates stand out- GW, born 2/22/1732 and NB 8/15/1769. both are successful, accomplished men, perfect for our study. our decision will be based on the interview as both are fit.

screening day 2: based on the interview we have chosen GW as our candidate.

day 1- test subject asked to sit stationary for one hour watching an assortment of prime time TV from the last twenty years. our choices for today's session were: married... w/children, dragnet, and buffy: the vampire slayer (one episode each).
RESULTS: subject communicates a general apathy toward the subject matter and has little/no interest in topics covered in the shows. his interest rests more in the effects and moral underpinnings of the shows themselves.

day 2- GW asked to sit stationary for two hours watching TV shows: i love lucy, south park, twin peaks, the honeymooners, the carol burnett show, all in the family (one episode each).
RESULTS: GW communicates a general malaise from both the physical and intellectual nature of the study. his sentiment toward the subject mater is still apathetic- no interest shown in either cultural or economic interests the episodes convey. GW has asked for periodic walking breaks which we have denied. GW wishes to cut off the remainder of the test and go home. we convinced him otherewise for the sake of science.

day 3- GW asked to sit stationary for three hours while watching (one episode each): american idol, arrested development, hawaii 5-0, dallas, cheers, M*A*S*H, lost, sanford and son, sesame street.
RESULTS: GW showing more interest in the content of the shows. his interest peaks when female characters are on screen. he also asked more questions today regarding dress, appearance, and socio-econmic status of the characters. this lead us to our first major breakthrough: GW is unable to realize they are not actual people. he believes these people are real and the event on the screen are actually happening. GW's stress levels are on the rise as a consequence.

day 4- GW asked to watch four hours of TV shows (one episode each) while sitting stationary. today's shows: the real world, seinfeld, king of the hill, deadwood, twilight zone, star trek, WKRP in cincinnatti, saturday night live, peewee's playhouse, gunsmoke, hill street blues, friends.
RESULTS: during the daily wrap up we find GW less interested in the questions and examinations we are carrying out. instead his focus remains w/the characters even after the shows are completed. he speaks less and less about his work and home life, instead choosing to talk w/his interviewers about the events of the TV world. yet even his interest in the TV events is fleeting and whimsical. his attention span is short and we find him harder and harder to get information from, and this after he was so forthcoming and eloquent during our first few visits.

day 5- GW asked to sit stationary for five hours and watch (one episode of each) the fllowing TV shows: 60 minutes, sex and the city, the abbott and costello show, roseanne, the shield, the simpsons, 24, st. elsewhere, the oprah winfrey show, the young and the restless, moonlighting, the monkees, the cosby show, freaks and geeks, the ed sullivan show.
RESULTS: after this, the final day of testing, GW is nearly unresponsive in his post-test interview. he shows signs of interest only when we mention names of characters from shows he has seen. this, after he came to the test today so excited and ready to participate.

two week post-test follow up interview: GW's wife was the main interviewee for this portion of the test as GW has experienced and all by complete emotional shut down. his work has suffered (she says he hasn't even stepped out of the house in days, instead choosing to watch hours upon hours of TV). GW is apathetic toward real life social and political events that drove his life pre-test. his wife has also confessed a liason w/a slave that occurred during GW's recent trance-like state.