1) What is serial television drama? Write your own definition.
It tells a story, and delivers narrative resolution, in a number of parts over a period of time often follwing a narrative/ multi-stranded arc.
2) List five of the TV dramas discussed in the history of the genre on page 1 of the factsheet. How has the genre evolved over time?
Starsky and Hutch, The Sweeney, Danger Man, The Avengers, Minder.
Until the early 1980s most US television drama series followed a set narrative structure, comprising of a story of the week delivering narrative resolution at the end of the episode. Whether a cop show like Starsky and Hutch or an action caper like The A-Team, the template is the same: a guest cast is introduced, along with a problem or crime, which is neatly solved within the time frame of the episode. Crucially the following episode starts afresh with no reference to the previous story. The advantage of this model is that it allows the broadcaster, who has purchased the show, to schedule the episodes in any order over any length of time.
3) List the sub-genres of TV drama featured in the factsheet. Come up with your own example of an existing TV drama to fit each category.
Police procedural: The Rookie
Medical: Greys Anatomy
Period (costume): The Great
Sci-fi/fantasy: Doctor Who
Family: A Series of Unfortunate Events
Teen: Gossip Girl
4) Why is setting so important for TV drama?
Serial dramas play out in a ‘precinct’ or communal location inhabited by the ensemble cast of characters. Serial
dramas that tend to focus on a story of the week, invariably ‘cops and
docs’, are generally based around a location as opposed to one or two leading characters.
5) How do TV dramas typically use character? What audience pleasures can be linked to character in TV drama? (Hint: Uses & Gratifications theory!)
Likewise, to reflect modern audiences, there is a greater presence of strong females as well as black and ethnic minority characters. Increasingly, gay, lesbian and transgender characters are also represented in television serials, therefore, people can identify with characters like this.
6) What is a multi-strand narrative? Give an example of a TV drama that features a multi-strand narrative.
A multi-strand narrative is when multiple narratives or plots are unfolding at the same time. Ex. Bridgerton.
7) What is a cold opening?
It is when a show plays a part of an episode usually at the disequilibrium before the title sequence. This generate enigma codes which make the audience want to watch the full episode to gain all of the answers.
8) How can Todorov's theory of equilibrium be applied to TV drama serials?
Shows will usually start with equilibrium, then pose a threat to this equilibrium causing disequilibrium, and usually it will take several episodes or even seasons to bring back a new equilibrium, leaving episodes on clifffhangers. This encourages the audience to watch.
9) What is the typical form for TV dramas and how are the programmes typically distributed to an audience?
In the UK, many serial dramas fill one-hour or a ‘commercial hour’ (about 50 minutes), with some dramas commissioned to span a two- hour slot. Sherlock was originally made as a 60-minute pilot but was later remounted as a 90-minute drama on the suggestion of the BBC in order to improve certain elements such as the look and pacing of the show.
10) How have subscription channels (such as HBO) and streaming services (such as Netflix and Amazon Prime) changed the form and content of TV dramas?
Cable channels and services like Netflix and Amazon Prime also often commission shorter runs (between six and thirteen episodes) and do not need to stick to rigid running times.
11) Choose a TV drama and do your own analysis of it using the SETTING / CHARACTERS / NARRATIVE / FORM headings as featured on page 3 of the factsheet.
glee -
SETTING: Set in William Mckinley High in Lima, Ohio
CHARACTERS: Follows kids in a Glee club (show choir). Notable characters: Will Schuester, Sue Sylvester, Rachel Berry, Finn Hudson, Santana Lopez, Mercedes Jones, Quinn Fabray, Noah Puckerman.
NARRATIVE: Multi stranded, it follows different characters and couples, but always comes back to the glee club, and usually each episode ends with a song where some conflicts are resolved, but some run through the seasons.
FORM: Fox Networks. Running time is 44 minutes an episode.
12) How might the TV drama genre evolve in future?
As the film industry moves towards a model of making only high or low budget films, television drama is filling the void vacated by the mid-cbudget movie (which is much harder to turn a profit on). As Hollywood concentrates on superheroes, special effects and high octane action, many film actors are turning to television to play ‘difficult’, often morally ambiguous, characters in more complex and challenging narratives. This trend is likely to continue. However, as television - with the aid of co-production budgets - makes bigger and more international content there is a fear that the TV producers are moving away from making smaller scale content aimed primarily at domestic audiences.
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