Introduction to TV Drama

 Introduction To TV Drama

1) What is serial television drama? Write your own definition.

A serial TV drama is multiple drama stories expanded into a series of episodes. Like drama, the story mainly focuses on one narrative while the serial focuses on many stories with multiple beginnings and multiple endings.

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?

The Avengers (1961-1969) and Danger  Man (1962-1968) were discussed. They were aimed at  the domestic market. This model of making television drama was not  widely adopted by the industry until the 1990s. Today all television  drama is all shot on film and made like a film, with the same high  quality productions values. 

3) List the sub-genres of TV drama featured in the factsheet. Come up with your own example of an existing TV dramas to fit each category.

• Police Procedural
• NCIS
• Medical
• Grey's Anatomy
• Period
• Chernonyl
• Science-Fiction / Fantasy
• The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
• Family
• Pingu
• Teen
• Ragnarok

4) Why is setting so important for TV drama?

This allows the drama to develop over a long period of time, weathering  the comings and goings of the cast members by replacing one archetypal  character with another. Bringing in new characters also prevents the  show from going stale. Even heavily serialised dramas like Lost are  defined by their location.

5) How do TV dramas typically use character? What audience pleasures can be linked to character in TV drama? (Hint: Uses & Gratifications theory!)

Serial dramas often employ archetypal characters. In  subgenres like the crime drama archetypal characters, such as the  maverick cop, are frequently deployed. 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  transsexual characters are also represented in television serials, notably  in Orange is the New Black. By using Uses & Gratifications theory, it helps to build relationship between the character and the audience.

6) What is a multi-strand narrative? Give an example of a TV drama that features a multi-strand narrative.

Television drama employs many of the same narrative devices used by film. Generally, stories move through Todorov’s narrative stages though   often without the return to equilibrium at the end of each episode. A example that uses multi-strand narrative are most police procedurals.

7) What is a cold opening?

A cold opening is to employ a teaser at the beginning to hook the audience and keep them interested to keep watching. This helps to generate enigma or intrigue the audience before the title sequence or first commercial break...

8) How can Todorov's theory of equilibrium be applied to TV drama serials?

Through Todorov’s narrative stages though often without the return to equilibrium at the end of each episode. Most police procedurals, however, provide narrative resolution (and reassurance) to fulfil the audience’s need for answers.

9) What is the typical form for TV dramas and how are the programmes typically distributed to an audience?

The distribution in the U.S uses commercial networks, (ABC, CBS, NBC). Their schedule mainly consists of  most of their drama serials in blocks of twenty-four one-hour episodes, effectively spanning half the calendar year. Reliant on funding through advertising, this impacts upon the text in a number of ways. In an effort to attract advertisers the content is more conservative and adheres to mainstream ideologies; excessive swearing and violence is also rare.

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?

subscription cable channels, such as HBO,  AMC and Showtime are not governed by the same considerations,  hence their dramas allow for a lot more adult and challenging content.  The Sopranos (HBO), Breaking Bad (AMC), and Dexter (Showtime)  with their anti-hero protagonists would not play on free-to-air network

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.

Breaking Bad (2008)

Setting:

• Set in rural, deserty Albuquerque, New Mexico

Characters:

• Main protagonist, Walter White. A chemical teacher diagnosed with lung cancer and slowly dying.
• The Helper, Jesse Pinkman. A former student of Walter White chemistry class. Young, sluggish teenager that lives in the crime life.

Narrative:

• Walter White wants to experience the life of crime before he passes from the cancer. So he pairs up with Jesse to help him reach to business with other dealers. Since Walter is knowledgable with chemistry he makes clearer drugs for Jesse to sell on the streets.

Form:

• Distributor: Sony Pictures Television
• Running Time: -60 minutes

12) How might the TV drama genre evolve in future?

The content of the serial drama is likely to evolve further. As audiences consume content in different ways serial dramas may become more  diverse and targeted toward niche groups. Online programme makers are starting to create more short form content, leading to drama serials  that run for much less than 60, or even, 30 minutes. Interactivity is a key feature on non-scripted programming.