1. Television Genre

2. Traditionally: 2 genre

3. Traditional Genres Melodrama Melodrama Comedy Comedy Workplace Workplace Domestic Domestic Crime Crime Police Police Detective Detective Action – Adventure Action – Adventure Workplace Workplace

5. Melodrama Series Series Typically serial (large story and usual characters, carries from episode to episode) Typically serial (large story and usual characters, carries from episode to episode) Can be anthology (idea and format carry from episode to episode in a series) Can be anthology (idea and format carry from episode to episode in a series) RARE: repertory (same characters, new stories) RARE: repertory (same characters, new stories) FORMULAIC -Episode contains dramatic structure (exposition – rising action – climax – falling action – resolution and denouement) FORMULAIC -Episode contains dramatic structure (exposition – rising action – climax – falling action – resolution and denouement)

6. Melodrama continued Heroes Heroes Social norms Social norms and villains and fools and villains and fools Social deviant/absurd Social deviant/absurd Can use almost anything as a source Can use almost anything as a source Example: Law and Order takes plot lines from headlines Example: Law and Order takes plot lines from headlines Demands justice (usually good is rewarded or deemed better) Demands justice (usually good is rewarded or deemed better) Emotionally intense Emotionally intense

7. Sample Melodramas

8. Workplace Programs Traditional prime time Traditional prime time Emphasizes American work ethic Emphasizes American work ethic Depicts: Depicts: Working conditions Working conditions Professional ethics Professional ethics Workplace camaraderie Workplace camaraderie Mostly: male-based, heroics Mostly: male-based, heroics

9. History: History: Cops and docs Cops and docs Workcom Workcom Work and home com/drama Work and home com/drama Almost disappears (domcom winning) Almost disappears (domcom winning) 1980s – Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere 1980s – Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere Serial story Serial story Documentary style (focus on realism) Documentary style (focus on realism)

10. Comedy Situational Comedy – Situational Comedy – Continuous cast Continuous cast Cast is usually randomized, mix of types of people Cast is usually randomized, mix of types of people Often have shared place (work, school, home) Often have shared place (work, school, home) ½ hour ½ hour Resolved within episode Resolved within episode Verbal sparring Verbal sparring Sometimes divided into actcom (action comedy), domcom (domestic comedy) and dramedy Sometimes divided into actcom (action comedy), domcom (domestic comedy) and dramedy

11. Domestic Comedy… Character based humor Character based humor We care about them We care about them Warmth, family, morals Warmth, family, morals Character learns Character learns Originally – only in house, very melodramatic, nuclear family Originally – only in house, very melodramatic, nuclear family Modern – hybrid, nontraditional and nonliteral families Modern – hybrid, nontraditional and nonliteral families 90’s more satirical than funny haha 90’s more satirical than funny haha

12. SAMPLE DOMCOM

13. Workplace Comedy Characters and situations are work-based Characters and situations are work-based Usually involves characters of different backgrounds Usually involves characters of different backgrounds Humor comes from: Humor comes from: Personality of characters Personality of characters Interactions of characters Interactions of characters Situations encountered Situations encountered Comedy OFTEN related to social concern Comedy OFTEN related to social concern fool fool Problem: youth didn’t care Problem: youth didn’t care

14. Workplace Comedy Examples

15. Action Adventure Can include: Can include: Crime (cop and detective) Crime (cop and detective) Western Western Scifi Scifi Spy Spy War War Other adventure Other adventure

16. AA Style contains: Style contains: Jolty camera movements Jolty camera movements Conflict Conflict Movement Movement Including exotic situations Including exotic situations *Critics: stupid show, just escapism *Critics: stupid show, just escapism Jeopardy Jeopardy Thrill Thrill Violence: Strike first, think later Violence: Strike first, think later Sex (women = objects or exotics) Sex (women = objects or exotics) Rise of nudity Rise of nudity

17. Problems with AA “pornography of violence” “pornography of violence” Began violent Began violent Example: The Untouchables Example: The Untouchables Then regulated Then regulated Late 1970’s – all violence is after 9pm Late 1970’s – all violence is after 9pm Repeat Repeat

18. Cops Combination of social values and action/violence Combination of social values and action/violence Car chases, gun battles, fistfights Car chases, gun battles, fistfights Justice, social order, law Justice, social order, law INITIALLY Presentation of Status Quo (1 correct social order) INITIALLY Presentation of Status Quo (1 correct social order)

19. Cop History Prior: Radio Prior: Radio 40’s: all good cops 40’s: all good cops 50’s renegade good cops 50’s renegade good cops Intro good cop and bad cop Intro good cop and bad cop 70’s wacky cop 70’s wacky cop Example: cop and dog sidekick Example: cop and dog sidekick 1980’s beginning realism 1980’s beginning realism Except Miami Vice Except Miami Vice

20. Detective 3 types 3 types Private eye (tough guy, rebel, loner) Private eye (tough guy, rebel, loner) Puzzle solver (Sherlock Holmes-esque) Puzzle solver (Sherlock Holmes-esque) Hybrid: screwball comedy + mystery Hybrid: screwball comedy + mystery Often married people Often married people Ex. Mr. and Mrs. Smith Ex. Mr. and Mrs. Smith

21. Other Major Genres Game/Quiz Game/Quiz “Reality” “Reality” Mockumentary Mockumentary Documentary Documentary News-style (soft) News-style (soft) Soap Opera (melodrama) Soap Opera (melodrama) Science Fiction (aa) Science Fiction (aa)

22. Game and Quiz Shows Late 1950’s Late 1950’s Scandals (cheating people out of prizes, family members receive prizes) – regulated by Supreme Court Scandals (cheating people out of prizes, family members receive prizes) – regulated by Supreme Court Early were physical, then focus began on trivial and factual knowledge Early were physical, then focus began on trivial and factual knowledge Cultural imperialism: competition, success Cultural imperialism: competition, success

23. Reality Early: news, magazine-style news shows, tabloid and entertainment shows Early: news, magazine-style news shows, tabloid and entertainment shows Then: amateur shows Then: amateur shows Now: mix of “documentary” style footage, interviews, and editing Now: mix of “documentary” style footage, interviews, and editing Often promotional Often promotional

24. Soap Opera Originally a serial radio program, sponsored by…SOAP. Originally a serial radio program, sponsored by…SOAP. Long-running serial (storyline rolls from episode to episode) Long-running serial (storyline rolls from episode to episode) Focus: “everyday” life Focus: “everyday” life Strong emotion Strong emotion Female demographic Female demographic Excess and extremes Excess and extremes Gossip Gossip Relationships Relationships

25. SciFi Futuristic or fantastic settings Futuristic or fantastic settings Speculative storylines Speculative storylines Technology Technology Science Science Sometimes “magical” or alien Sometimes “magical” or alien Typically serial Typically serial Traditional: low budget (sorry, Star Trek) Traditional: low budget (sorry, Star Trek) Modern: epic budget (thanks, Lost!) Modern: epic budget (thanks, Lost!)

26. Behold the HYBRID Modern audiences get bored… Modern audiences get bored… So we COMBINE genres So we COMBINE genres Dramedy Dramedy Supernatural Sci-Fi/Romcom Supernatural Sci-Fi/Romcom