Introduction to TV Drama: Blog tasks

 Use our Media Factsheet archive on the M: drive Media Shared (M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets) or on Google Drive here (you'll need your Greenford Google login) to find Media Factsheet #164 on Television Serial 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 serial is a television show which has a continuous plot that unfolds in sequential episode-by-episode fashion

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)

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 factsheet. Come up with your own example of an existing TV drama to fit each category.

Crime - \Law and Order

Medical - Holby City 

Costume - Superman

Sci-Fi/Fantasy - Star Wars 

Family - Fresh Prince of Bel Air

Teen - Stranger Things

4) Why is setting so important for TV drama?

Settings influence the plot tremendously, are part of it, create an atmosphere and complete the picture. Putting a character into a room or place automatically creates tension. Settings connect, force together, divide or isolate characters; sometimes all in one.

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

As broadcasters seek to ensure that their most successful brands run for as long as possible it is necessary to populate them with a large cast of characters, much like soap operas. In a similar vein to soaps, 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.

This can link to audience media theorists Blumler and Katz's Audience and Gratification Theory as audience's can form Personal Relationships with the  characters on TV which means the audience can form feelings and relationships with the characters and begin to care about them as if the drama is real. Another audience pleasure from them is Personal Identity. This is when audiences begin to personally relate to the problems or dilemmas that the characters face on TV which helps to make the audiences at home relate to what is going on in the drama. 

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 a series or an episode features more than one problem going on in the episode and begins to focus on whats going on in the other characters life and to see what other personal problems they to face. An example of this in a TV drama that uses a multi-stand narrative is the soap opera EastEnders. 

7) What is a cold opening?

A cold opening (also called a teaser sequence) is a narrative technique used in television and films. It is the practice of jumping directly into a story at the beginning of the show before the title sequence or opening credits are shown.

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?

Subscription channels and streaming services have changed the form and content of TV dramas as now there are many ways more than one to watch TV dramas and series this means that people can watch there shows on other streaming services other than watching it at a set time. 

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.

EastEnders (Soap Opera)

Setting: Takes place in Watford in the UK in the Square which focuses on the characters lives living in the area and the personal problems they face.

Characters: Residents (Ian Beale, Sharon Watts, Suki and Nish Panesar, Stacey Slater, Jack Branning, Denise Fox).  These are some of the characters in EastEnders that face problems such as an ongoing problem for Denise and Suki and Stacey for the death of one of the characters in EastEnders Keanu Taylor. 

Narrative: Has a multi strand narrative that focuses on the residents lives in the square.

Form: Soap opera so never ending drama carries on. Comes on throughout the week except from Friday from either times 7:30pm or 8:00pm with each episode being 30 minutes long. This TV drama airs on BBC 1 channel and on BBC iPlayer.   

: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-budget 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.

With BBC 3’s move to an online only platform, and the rise in the popularity of streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, the form and 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.