CONVENTIONS IN TV DRAMA

OLLIE NATHAN SOPHIE BETH

TV drama mainly looks at four different aspects of life. These are Crime drama, medical drama, costume drama, and soap operas.

GENRE

Genre refers to the form of setting in which a peace of music, film, art etc. can fall into. It defines the composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities on form, style or subject matter.

A sub-genre is a sub category in a particular genre, for example, in TV crime-dramas, the genre would be drama and the sub-genre would be crime.

CONVENTIONS OF TV CRIME DRAMAS

Can be set in many different locations. Usually a city.However most have a three part structure. Beginning (discovery of the crime), middle (solving the crime), end (usually making a arrest).Here are some of the key elements to a crime Drama:• A mystery/problem that needs to be solved• The resolution to a mystery/problem• Question of morality• Debates about innocence and guilt• Conflict between modes of policing• Different characteristics of villainy • The hero usually defeats the villain• The hero often has a sidekick in order to let the audience see the hero’s

thoughts.

Examples of TV crime dramas are, CSI, Sherlock Holmes, Top boy, law and order, The Bill, Board Church, Midsummer murders.

TODOROV’S NARRATIVE THEORY

TV crime drama follows Todorov’s theory. He believed that the formula for most dramas/story’s started with little action at the equilibrium, then comes the disruption of the equilibrium by some action. Next he believed there needed to be recognition of the disruption and after this an attempt to repair the disruption. Finally a reinstatement of the equilibrium.

However as often can be seen in TV Crime dramas, you can be left on a cliff hanger which goes against Todorov’s theory.

CONVENTIONS OF COSTUME:

• Costume/period drama’s are often adaptations of a famous 'classic' novel or play but can also be original works.

• They show a specific part of history. For example life in war.• This type of drama is normally part of a series.• These drama’s use costume clothing to show a certain

period of time.• A typical period drama is set in a large country mansion

house is for the point of interaction.• Normally involves romance between two characters.• Example of costume drama’s are: Down town abbey, the

Tudors, Arabian nights, Oliver twist and Vikings.

MEDICAL TV DRAMA

Conventions of a Medical TV Drama:• set in a hospital or a doctors which is the point of

interaction • The characters often witness horrific events, • Similar to a Soap Opera but a Medical TV Drama is

believed to be more educational by using more medical terms

• It relates to soap operas in the way that there are usually 2 doctors that fall in love and there are usually tensions and arguments between doctors.

• Medical dramas can also be similar to crime dramas as often doctors get police involved

• Medical TV Dramas always hold emotional or life changing moments to a doctor or patients life e.g. a patient dying.

• Medical TV Dramas tend to follow Todorov’s theory.• Usually a lot of blood and gore.• Examples of medical dramas: Holby city, casualty, ER

and doctors

SOAP CONVENTIONS

• In most TV soap operas there are certain aspects of them that are the same, for example, A British soap opera almost always features the following conventions:

• It is a serialized drama that usually runs week-in, week-out, all year round.

• It features continuous storylines • It generally has a well-known theme tune.• The plots are open-ended and usually many storylines

are featured or even interlinked in an episode.• They are often set around a small, central area such as a

square (as in EastEnders) and have a standardized meeting point like a pub.

• Soaps often have special episodes for events in the real world such as Christmas or the Millennium.

• British soaps most often feature common, ordinary, working class characters.

• Soap operas usually end on a cliff hanger.• Three, four or even five storylines will be in progress

during any one episode, with the action switching between them.