TV Drama

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

Television dramas are serial based programmes, typically with relatable themes and situations and overarching narratives.

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 Avengers
Danger Man
The Sweeney
Minder

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.

Period (costume)
Science-fiction/fantasy
Family
Teen

4) Why is setting so important for TV drama?

It establishes what types of scenarios the characters may go through as well as what the show is about. 

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

TV Dramas typically use archetypal characters as the framework. Audiences recognise the characters and enjoy being able to relate to them or perhaps form a relationship with them.  

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

Multi-strand narratives mean there are multiple narratives going on in a show at any one time, usually these plots follow two different groups of characters in an episode so each can break up the tension of the other. 

7) What is a cold opening?

Where the show plays for a minute before its title sequence.

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

There will usually be a equilibrium in which life is normal for the characters, when a disequilibrium occurs and the characters need to solve it to reach a new equilibrium. 

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

Programmes usually fill about an hour (or 50 minutes).

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?

The series now are not meant for weekly viewing, more so for binging 

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.

Haunting of Hill house is set in America and the settings are different for each one of the characters. This is, in my opinion to match the emotional distance between them. This causes tension for the viewer for what will happen when they're all finally together.

There is an ensemble cast of a broken family with more focus put, originally, on the brother who everyone hates the most. This dysfunctional representation of a family is more realistic and identifiable for audiences.

The narrative has a very big focus on the overarching mystery of the house and what happened to their mother while providing ample time to get to know the characters with smaller plots that still hold relevance to the ending.

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

TV drama will definitely be all streamable so the usual hour long episodes may change to shorter ones to keep up with our attention span.