1: DEFINE and
EXPLAIN the differences between series,
serials and single dramas, with examples.
(Give up to 5 examples; how many episodes/ seasons/ audience figures?)
(Give up to 5 examples; how many episodes/ seasons/ audience figures?)
Series:
A season is shown once a year. The
series will have the same title and the same group of central characters. The
narrative story line changes in each episode but the character’s personalities
stay the same. Every episode normally has a self-contained story line,
which follows the Todorov theory; the calm at the beginning of the episode is
broken by a 'situation', which is always resolved by the end of the episode.
Sometimes an episode may leave the narrative in a 'cliff hanger'. This is
typical of the 'Soap Opera' genre, which is a unique format because it is a
continuous drama with no end.
In most series, ideas and the scripts for the episodes may come from a
group of writers. A good example of a popular series is 'Waterloo Road'. It is a British drama series first broadcasted in
the United Kingdom on BBC One in 2006. This show became very popular over the
years; season one aired just 8 episodes, this increased to 12 in season two and
by season three, the show was airing 20 episodes. This has further increased to
the present 30 episodes. The present audience figures are over 3.54 million, in
some episodes audience figures have reached 6.04.
Others examples include: X-Factor,
Merlin, Doctor Who and Causality.
X Factor's - appeal is that it includes
members of the public. The singing competition helps a 'nobody' become a pop
star celebrity. This helps the audience relate to the contestants and the
interactive nature (public vote) allows the public to have a say; this is a
very powerful marketing tool.
Seasons: 9
Episodes: 30 per season
Audience figures: up to 9.96 million
Merlin - is a fantasy period drama which
has a prime time slot on BBC 1 on a Saturday night and has proved popular with
the public.
Seasons: 5
Episodes: 13 per season
Audience figures: up to 7.13 million
Doctor Who - series first began in 1963 and ran for
26 seasons. It was made popular again in 1996 and is a firm family favorite.
Seasons: 26 - 7
Episodes: 13 - 42 per season
Audience figures: 4.19 - 11.22 million
Casualty - is based in a modern hospital
and deals with real life issues in the NHS. The popularity is due to the
viewer's in the health care sector and the drama of life and death situations.
Seasons: 27
Episodes: 10 - 49 per season
Audience figures: up to 8.86 million
Serials:
A serial is normally an adaptation of a
book or real event. Many books have been serialized, Charles Dickens, Emily
Bronte and Jane Austen are very popular. The realist narratives are usually
linear and can be an interpretation of the actual story. There are many
different versions of the stories, which have been produced over the years. The
serials normally last between 1 – 3 episodes. The first and second episodes are
normally left with a cliffhanger, this makes sure that the viewers look forward
to watching the following episodes.
Example: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.
Recently, this Period Drama was aired in 3 parts on the BBC in 2011, starring Ray Winstone. Period dramas are very popular with families so it was broadcast over the Christmas period over 3 days (27-29 December). The book was adapted by Sarah Phelps and the production won many TV
awards.
Recently, this Period Drama was aired in 3 parts on the BBC in 2011, starring Ray Winstone. Period dramas are very popular with families so it was broadcast over the Christmas period over 3 days (27-29 December). The book was adapted by Sarah Phelps and the production won many TV
awards.
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