TV Drama Codes and Conventions
Sub Genres
Television Drama is a broad area of
study covering a range of sub genres and even genres that would be considered
to be a category of their own with their own codes and conventions. Some texts
cross over different sub genres e.g. 24 is Crime
Drama and Action Adventure. A generic, comprehensive list includes:
·
Period Drama | Emma, Downton Abbey, The Tudors, Mildred Pierce
·
Crime Drama | The Wire, Luther, Life on Mars / Ashes to Ashes, Inspector George Gently, Jerry Bruckheimer’s Chase, CSI, NCIS, 24, New Tricks, Hustle,Bones, Dexter, Cold Case…
·
Science Fiction | Torchwood, Doctor Who, Life on Mars / Ashes to Ashes(arguably), Primeval
·
Medical Drama | Holby City, Casualty, Scrubs, House, ER, Doc Martin
·
Teen Drama | Skins, OC, 90210, Waterloo Road
·
Melodrama / Soap Opera | Hollyoaks, Eastenders, Coronation Street, Footballer’s Wives and Hotel Babylon borrow from the conventions of
Melodrama
·
Political Drama | West Wing, Spooks (Spy
Drama), The Kennedys
·
Comedy Drama | Shameless, Trollied (although
arguably a SitCom)
·
Action/Adventure Drama | Lost, 24
·
Fantasy Drama | Merlin, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Highlander, Lost, True Blood
Many TV Dramas like Downton Abbey (Period Drama) are critically
acclaimed and in October 2011 received 5 Emmy Awards. Critical success and
commercial success is common to the genre, as is high production values and
many texts are scheduled for 60 minutes, sometimes for 90 minutes in ‘feature
length’ format.
Below are the
conventions that are common to most of the above TV Dramas – remember that this
is generic categorisation:
Generic Conventions
·
Dramatic narrative (storyline)
·
Ensemble cast (each character – own storyline)
·
Expressive lighting techniques dependent on sub genre e.g. high key
lighting in Period Drama
·
High production value sound/emotive
·
Exaggerated, hyper real representations of character – cultural
stereotyping for entertainment values
·
Scheduled Prime Time (but can be dependent on sub genre e.g. some Crime Drama post watershed)
·
Scheduled in 30 minute / 60 minute (more common) or 90 minute feature
length slots
·
Mass, mainstream target audience (non challenging representations)
·
Target audience identified per sub genre e.g. Teen Dramas, Crime Drama
(older demographic)
·
3 Act narrative structure (beginning, middle and an end)
·
Use of Binary Oppositions (creates conflict and anchors meaning)
·
Critical and commercial success – reputation for pedigree
·
Reputation for quality – success is important for the broadcaster
·
Primary channels – BBC1 and BBC2 with some slots allocated to Downton Abbey
·
Open narratives common – some mini series
·
Many TV Dramas made by independent British Production Companies and
commissioned by the BBC/ITV/Sky 1/2/3, Sky Atlantic.
Analysis
of Key Scene
Episode 1, Series 7 (first seven minutes)
The scene immediately presents audiences with a blue colour palette, de-saturated colours and low key lighting signifying the time (dusk) but also anchoring the narrative – a young schoolgirl is
fleeing a house with a new born baby wrapped in a blood stained shawl. She is framed as vulnerable and alone and representations
show in long
shot a
council estate and urban development depicts working class culture. The diegetic sound of Police sirens allow audiences clues to
the social environment and to identify with cultural stereotypes of poor, deprived, working class urban
representations. The non
diegetic soundtrack and
credits roll introducing audiences to characters that are deliberately framed in close up using fast paced editing (reflecting the youth target audience) but
also with the special effect of lines and tears on the images that are common
to old film
stock – this
hasconnotations of history and tradition as is represented in the state funded,
secondary modern that is Waterloo
Road. The tone and feel of the music is upbeat and would relate to
the target audience and to the on screen characters.
In the second scene we are introduced to a strong, determined, pluralistic Head Teacher arriving at school at the
start of term to check out why the alarm has been tripped (a girl has broken
into the school and dumped her new born baby by a radiator) immediately
creating narrative enigmas.
The character
driven narrative continues
when the Head Teacher enters the school and bumps into the new Site Manager
played by Robson Green who is also investigating the why the alarm has been
tripped.
Their sexual chemistry is immediately obvious (it is consummated
later in the series) as shot,
reverse shot represents
this to audiences. Robson Green’s secondary
persona is
utilised as he is sexualised for the female
gaze – stereotypicallyGreen has been seen as a singer and actor who appeals to older
female audiences and in this instance his older female audience is the Head
Teacher. The implied relationship is a narrative
arc that
continues throughout the series.
It becomes clear as a wide
shot introduces
audiences to the schoolchildren arriving thatnarrative themes of interpersonal relationships are the main
focus – one sixth form couple are living independently while another female
character indicates she is attracted to Robson Green’s son who is a new student
at the school. Other narrative themes that are explored or touched on in the
first seven minutes include family values, social class, poverty, rites of
passage and teenage pregnancy (the main focus of this particular episode).
As the relationship between Green and the Head Teacher develops
during the first few scenes he is shown as a strong, intellectually dominant
but also a caring father as he is shot in the corridor mentoring his son,
adjusting his tie and offering very paternalistic
representations –
audience cultural
capital (older
audiences) would remember Robson Green’s prior roles and often hyper masculine, on
occasion sexualised character representation. His relationship with his son
reflects his nurturing side but also his patriarchalrepresentation - it is
implied he and his son have had a recent dysfunctional past (he tells his son
he needs his job and the implication is that he is recently divorced, hence the
behaviour and attitude of his wayward son). The Head Teacher enters the staff
room followed by her dutiful assistant who is male and who also is subservient
to Karen and although advises her on policy is dominated and is at her beck and
call. Each teacher conforms to a cultural
stereotype with the
two new members of the team as no exception – a young, female, Tory Asian Local
Councillor who teaches English (who we later find out is planted in the school
to discredit it) and a chubby, male Mathematics teacher who is eccentric and in
this scene is embarrassed because his flies are undone. Early morning assembly
is called and the class begins.
