LFTVD- Long Form Television Drama

Exam Information

Section B: Television Drama

• 45 minute essay- 30 marks
• 15 minute essay -15 marks

What does a TV drama need to have? 

• Various Locations
• Stock Characters
• Multiple Narratives
• 1hr Episodes
• Dramatic Cliff Hangers 
• High Production Values

What does Long Form TV Drama mean?

• A TV drama that has a number of episodes that helps create a narrative and tell a story to an audience.

Network Television: (E.g. NBC, CBS)

• US network broadcasters must satisfy their advertisers and hold market share. They are also controlled by federal regulation.
• The impact of this on content is a reliance on highly formalised genre conventions and normative values which meet mainstream audience expectations but generate conservative drama.

Cable Television:

• Launched in the 1970's, HBO was the first US national subscription cable TV channel.
• Other major US players include FX, Showtime & AMC. Many are subsidiaries of media conglomerates (HBO/Warner, FX/Fox)
• These subscription based cable channels can take more risks with content and form.
• By early 2000's, The Sopranos and The Wire won awards, audiences and created 'water cooler' TV.

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 90's > relied on genre-based, formula drama.
• Sky co-opted success of US long form with Sky Atlantic.
• Commissioning remains tightly controlled with a conservative outlook.

Subscription VOD: (Viewing On Demand)

• Content viewing via a TV still dominates in the UK. 
• 3/4 UK households have PVR (Personal Video Recording) uptake but it has plateaued.
• Use of timeshift is increasing
• Growth of SVOD (Streaming video on demand). Web based channels such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Now TV is considerable.
• Netflix dominates with 24% of UK market & 5 million subscribers. 10% growth 2015-16

Audiences 

• Rise in binge watching started with DVD in the late 90s/early c21. Partially due to syndication problems in the UK.
• A move to 'Water Cooler' to 'Shared Universe' fandom (as with cinema)
• US long form drama often uses easter eggs, and mid season breaks to generate fan intensity and maintain a media profile.