Long form TV drama

EXAM
Long answer- 30marks 60mins
Apply a theory- 10marks 25mins
40 marks
85mins


Language
Industries
Audience
Representation

The rise of long from TV drama 

Institutional context
US network broadcasters must satisfy their advertisers and hold market share. They are also controlled by federal regulation.

• Launched in 1970's
• First US national cable tv channel
• Fix, showtime and AMC- Many subsidiaries of larger conglomerates.

UK LFTVD

• BBC and ITV 90's- rely on heritage and crime drama
• SKY- US long form with sky Atlantic
• CHANNEL 4- foreign language/ subtitled long form winners

Problems with UK tv drama?

• UK Broadcasters have failed to meet the challenge of the US cable channels move to long form, with their risk taking content and style
• BBC and ITV 90s> relied on genre based, formula drama. Heritage and crime drama are prime examples.
• Sky co-opted success of US long form with sky Atlantic

Changing platforms

Content viewing via a TV still dominates in the UK

Netflix dominates 24% of UK market

PVR- Personal Viewing Recorder (3/4 households)

Time shift- Planning watching schedule 
SVOD- Subscription video on demand (netflix)

Binge watching started with DVD in late 90's.
'Water cooler tv' to 'shared universe fandom'
Easter eggs- clues, cross references (tv, film, video games)


Why do audiences love LFTVD?

• High quality drama
• Multiple episodes hours years
• Content can be dark and difficult but innovative
• Time shifting, easily acceptable
• Easily accessible
• Attracts some  of the  best and innovative writers and actors

'State of the nation' TV
 -Long from shows challenge the simplistic storylines and stereotypical characters that dominate the networking TV in US ( CSI)
-HBO ( time Warner) launched The sopranos in 1999 (2007) which was a huge commercial and critical hit. Increasingly these shows were about the crisis of US identity.
-Other shows followed inc. The Wire (2002-2008) which won awards and turned US TV into a medium for a serious subject matter and critique.

12- West Wing

13- Buffy the vampire slayer

The Emergency Room
Genre- Occult fiction
Themes- High school, youth
Narrative- Young girl becomes the next in line of 'Vampire slayers'
Platforms- DVD

Netflix- Haven't made a profit