Introduction to TV drama

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

A TV drama is a series that contains a central cast ensemble and takes place in a recognisable location

while having a narrative arc that goes across multiple seasons.

2) List five of the TV dramas discussed in the history of the genre on page 1 of the fact sheet. How has the genre evolved over time?

The Avengers (1961-1969)

Minder (1979 – 1994)

The Sweeney (1975-1978)

Starsky and Hutch (1975-1979)

The A-Team (1983-1987)

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

Crime - Brooklyn 99

Medical - Greys anatomy

Costume - The Crown

Sci-Fi/Fantasy - Star Trek / Lord of the rings

Family - Modern family

Teen - Gossip girl

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 and, over time, bring in additional characters while shedding others.

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

They have them go on a journey and change and develop over the course of the series. Also used to represent certain groups of underrepresented people. It links to audience gratifications as it allows the audience to connect with these characters through personal identification but also allows for diversion from the real world in terms of viewing another persons life in a narrative setting.

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

Two stories that are running concurrently in an episode and characters will develop these narratives throughout an episode and spread across the series and is eventually wrapped up by the end of either a season or the end of the series. E.g The Mandalorian, Loki

7) What is a cold opening?

employ a teaser at the beginning to hook the audience and keep them watching. to generate enigma or intrigue before the title sequence or first commercial break For example, in most cop shows this is usually the crime scene.

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

TV dramas move through Todorov’s narrative stages though often without the return to equilibrium at the end of each episode. So equilibrium will not be reached by the end of the episode and will continue to spread and will often only reach equilibrium at the end of the series.

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

Dramas usually are aired as 24 one hour episodes that have around 42 minutes to have time for commercials in between while also usually adhering to mainstream ideologies and swearing and violence will often be rare. usually distributed via CBS and NBC and other mainstream networks.

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?

Allow for more adult and challenging content with their anti-hero protagonists would not play on free-to-air network television as many potential advertisers would not want to associate their products with such content. Cable channels and services like Netflix and Amazon Prime also often commission shorter runs 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 fact sheet.

Grimm (2011)

Setting: Takes place in Portland Oregon in the USA which would be easily identified as an american city/region specifically to an american audience

Characters: Detective (Nick Burkhardt) Cpt. Sean Reneard, Juliet Silverton

Nick goes on to develop and grow as a detective after the discovery that he is linked to supernatural forces and is often conflicted between his inheritance of his family's role as a hunter and hiding it while being a police detective.  

Narrative: Has a multi strand narrative of solving a case in one episode but with an overarching arc that spreads across multiple series where by most of the criminals on these cases are supernatural beasts

Form: 123 episodes over 6 seasons that are around 40 minutes each. The TV drama is shown on apple TV, amazon video, NOW, Sky Go.

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

As film is moving to either high or low budgets, TV dramas will fill the gap of the middle 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.

With BBC 3 becoming online only and more people going to online streaming services to consume TV dramas more diverse and niche groups start to emerge and that the BBC may be diminishing due to new thoughts on what should be aired like medical dramas instead of crime ones.