1) What is serial television drama? Write your own definition.
A serial television drama usually has a narrative that is played out over a period of time and is showed in episodes which typically end on cliffhangers to make the consumer carry on watching
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?
- Doctor Who
- The Sweeney
- Minder
- The Avengers
- Danger Man
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) -
-Medical - Casualty
-Period(Costume) - Casanova
-Sci-fi - Doctor Who
-Family - Fuller House
-Teen - Vampire Diaries
4) Why is setting so important for TV drama?
Serial dramas play out a 'precinct' or communal location inhabited by the ensemble cast of characters which tend to be based around one location which allows the drama to develop over a long period of time, weathering the comings and goings of cast members by replacing one archetypal character with another.
5) How do TV dramas typically use character? What audience pleasures can be linked to character in TV drama? (Hint: Uses & Gratifications theory!)
They often use multiple recognisable characters which allows audiences to relate to certain characters and develop more of a connection with them.
6) What is a multi-strand narrative? Give an example of a TV drama that features a multi-strand narrative.
It is when there is more than one storyline at a time that cross between and often link to eachother, such as Casualty.
7) What is a cold opening?
When the opening starts in the middle of a scene and the title sequence comes at the end of the show instead of at the start.
8) How can Todorov's theory of equilibrium be applied to TV drama serials?
In TV drama serials there is usually a narrative (or multiple narratives) where there is a beginning middle and and end (equilibrium, disequilibrium and a new equilibrium) as the problem usually has some kind of resolution at the end, which the narrative gradually leads up to.
9) What is the typical form for TV dramas and how are the programmes typically distributed to an audience?
They are usually formed in episodes that create a season and the number of episodes in a season can vary. They are usually distributed through online streaming / payed for services such as Netflix and Amazon prime.
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 a lot more adult and challenging content. Also, cable channels and services like Netflix and Amazon Prime also often commission shorter runs and do not need to stick to rigid timings.
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.
12) How might the TV drama genre evolve in future?
Due to 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. The running time of some longer TV dramas may also slightly decrease in order to attract more viewers.
A serial television drama usually has a narrative that is played out over a period of time and is showed in episodes which typically end on cliffhangers to make the consumer carry on watching
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?
- Doctor Who
- The Sweeney
- Minder
- The Avengers
- Danger Man
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) -
-Medical - Casualty
-Period(Costume) - Casanova
-Sci-fi - Doctor Who
-Family - Fuller House
-Teen - Vampire Diaries
4) Why is setting so important for TV drama?
Serial dramas play out a 'precinct' or communal location inhabited by the ensemble cast of characters which tend to be based around one location which allows the drama to develop over a long period of time, weathering the comings and goings of cast members by replacing one archetypal character with another.
5) How do TV dramas typically use character? What audience pleasures can be linked to character in TV drama? (Hint: Uses & Gratifications theory!)
They often use multiple recognisable characters which allows audiences to relate to certain characters and develop more of a connection with them.
6) What is a multi-strand narrative? Give an example of a TV drama that features a multi-strand narrative.
It is when there is more than one storyline at a time that cross between and often link to eachother, such as Casualty.
7) What is a cold opening?
When the opening starts in the middle of a scene and the title sequence comes at the end of the show instead of at the start.
8) How can Todorov's theory of equilibrium be applied to TV drama serials?
In TV drama serials there is usually a narrative (or multiple narratives) where there is a beginning middle and and end (equilibrium, disequilibrium and a new equilibrium) as the problem usually has some kind of resolution at the end, which the narrative gradually leads up to.
9) What is the typical form for TV dramas and how are the programmes typically distributed to an audience?
They are usually formed in episodes that create a season and the number of episodes in a season can vary. They are usually distributed through online streaming / payed for services such as Netflix and Amazon prime.
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 a lot more adult and challenging content. Also, cable channels and services like Netflix and Amazon Prime also often commission shorter runs and do not need to stick to rigid timings.
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.
12) How might the TV drama genre evolve in future?
Due to 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. The running time of some longer TV dramas may also slightly decrease in order to attract more viewers.
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