Introduction to TV Drama: Blog tasks

 Introduction to TV Drama:

Read the whole of Factsheet and answer the following questions to show your comprehensive knowledge of the television drama genre:

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

A dramatic production for television comprising episodes of specific duration which are not self contained but which form part of a series of such episodes and which have a continuing theme.

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) 
•  Danger Man (1962-1968)
• The Sweeney (1975-1978) 
• Minder (1979 – 1994)
• Starsky and Hutch (1975-1979)

 Crime stories ran over several episodes before offering any closure, and sometimes offered no satisfactory resolution. Story and character arcs were introduced across a whole season of episodes.

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 (crime) - 'Dahmer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story'
•  Medical - 'Grey's Anatomy'
• Period (costume) - 'Bridgerton'
• Science-fiction/fantasy - 'Stranger Things'
• Family - 'The 90's Show'
• Teen - 'Euphoria'

4) Why is setting so important for TV drama?

 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.

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

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.

Characters in serial dramas go on a journey, allowing them to change and develop – although not too much or they run the risk of outliving their function in the narrative. More often than not their presence in story of the week forces the guest characters to change and grow.

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

The narrative structure in television programmes and movies does not always follow one story line. This happens most often in Soap operas and long running episodic dramas, such as Grey's Anatomy. In these long running shows the audience will be aware of character histories.

7) What is a cold opening?

A cold opening is to generate enigma or intrigue before the title sequence or first commercial break.

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

Generally, stories move 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 length of a ‘season’, as well as the length of individual episodes, vary according to the institution producing and distributing the programme. In the US, the commercial networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) schedule most of their drama serials in blocks of twenty-four one-hour episodes, effectively spanning half the calendar year.

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?

Drama serials presented on 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.

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.

CRIMINAL MINDS (2005 – present)

• SETTING -  The FBI’s Behavioural Analysis Unit (BAU) iQuantico, Virginia.
• CHARACTERS - Follows the professional and personal lives of a team of FBI profilers. Notable characters include Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner, Special Agent Dr Spencer Reid and Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia.
• NARRATIVE - Procedural format, but focus on profiling the unknown criminal rather than the crime itself.
• FORM - Distributor : CBS Television Running time : 42minutes

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

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, but how far might it play a part in serialized drama? 

Following the publishing of the Government’s white paper on the future of the BBC, the corporation is now under pressure to create shows that are more ‘distinctive’ and different to what commercial channels offer. This has led some to speculate that the BBC may be forced into producing shorter runs of medical dramas like Casualty and making less crime shows. As a public service broadcaster, the BBC is also likely to take a few more risks in creating serials outside of the tried and tested genres. However, as the landscape changes it is unlikely that the audience’s thirst for serialized drama will diminish any time soon.