TV Drama

{TV Drama

Emma, Josh, Genit and Lauren

Genre

A category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterised by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.

Sub genre

A subcategory within a particular genre

Narrative Theory

Russian theorist, Tzvetan Todorov, suggests that all narratives follow a three part structure.

They begin with equilibrium, where everything is balanced, progress as something comes along to disrupt that equilibrium, and finally reach a resolution, when equilibrium is restored.

Propp theory suggest that there are set characters in every TV Drama. For Example: the hero, the villain, the helper and a mentor.

Tzvetan Todorov examples are Crime drama, medical drama and costume drama.Proop example is a soap opera

Crime

The main conventions of a crime drama:• main characteristics: officers of the law, victims,

suspects & criminals.

• one or two main crimes per episode, sometimes more. New victims created every time police officers stay the same.

• Usually set in rooms eg: an interview room, court room, autopsy room or a squad room at the police station.

• Mainly set in the city.

NCIS The Bill

Medical

The main conventions of a medical drama:• Events center upon a hospital, ambulance staff,

or any medical environment. (point of interaction)

• Most deal with one or two main accidents per episode, sometimes more.

• New victims are created each time, whilst the staff remain the same.

• Technical terms

• Possible romance

• Mise-en-scène – medical props

ERCasualtyHolby CityScrubs

Soap opera

The main conventions of a soap opera:• daily events in the lives of the same group of

recognisable characters.

• includes relationships within different family's in the area. Usually several different stories at the same time.

• Nearly always a central meeting place. (Point of interaction)

• Never really ends to keep the viewer interested

Costume Drama

The main conventions of a Costume drama: • A television or cinema production set in a particular

historical period, in which the actors wear costumes typical of that period

• Romance.

• Mise-en-scène is used - Old costumes, props and locations.

• Recognisable characters

• Point of interaction – stately home