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 show that is within episodes or series.

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)
Until the early 1980s most US television drama series followed a set narrative structure, comprising of a story of the week delivering narrative resolution at the end of the episode.

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.


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.

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


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


7) What is a cold opening?


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


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

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?

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?


A/A* extension task: TV Drama v Film

Building on question 12 above, read this fascinating extended article comparing TV drama to film. It will also help to bridge the gap between our work on the film industry and our new topic of TV drama. Where do you stand on the debate? Is TV drama the key medium of storytelling or will cinema always be king?

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