Section B - Long Form Television Drama Flashcards
Studying American drama 'Stranger Things' and Icelandic drama 'Trapped'
Define
Barthes Theory of Semiology
Study of signs Denotation = literal meaning Connotation = implied meaning Denotation + connotation = ideological meaning Makes ideology seem natural
How Barthes Theory of Semiology Applies to ‘Stranger Things’
Op. scene - hybrid genre:
- Horror (isolated lab, night)
- Sci-Fi (unnatural monster signs, unseen)
- Period Drama (non-diegetic text = 80s USA)
1st shot Hopper’s house = kid’s family drawing
(kind, cares for family no longer has)
- Has flaws (beer cans everywhere)
Intertextual references, Speilbergian diegesis - dominant mothers holding family together (high angle shots Mike’s mum), absent fathers (Mike’s dad literally out of focus in background)
Shot of Nancy’s reflection in mirror whilst making out with Steve - two sides to her (gender performativity)
How Barthes Theory of Semiology Applies to ‘Trapped’
1st shot Andri = doing laundry, trying get kids -> school. Kind, cares for family. Domestic, ‘feminine’ traits
Board meeting for port - all white men in power (mayor, police chief, businessmen). Corrupt traditional Icelandic patriarchy
Op. shot = advert for Iceland (hills, beautiful open space). Show exported to European countries - audience can get to Iceland for holidays
Define
Neale’s Theory of Genre
Genre = process where generic codes/conventions shared by producers & audiences through repetition in media products
Genres constantly evolve with each new edition to genre: play with generic does, hybrid genres
How Neale’s Theory of Genre Applies to ‘Stranger Things’
Hybrid genre (op. shot, see Semiology)
- Relies on hybrid genre hold audience interest (recognise conventions of each genre, past viewing experiences)
- Need audience appeal -> afford large budget ($6 mil/ep)
- Commissioned/distributed by Netflix: online streaming, young, global audience guaranteed (subscription)
- Representations change from conventions -> difference needed seperate series from other texts of genre
How Neale’s Theory of Genre Applies to ‘Trapped’
Traditional produced/distributed
- Equivalent of £700k/ep (largest budget any Icelandic drama ever)
- RVK (producers/distributors) sticks -> police drama genre conventions (find body, culprits -> justice)
- No risks -> marketability -> highest chance of profit
- Traditionally distributed (TV rights sold individually -> EU TV channels)
Advantages and Disadvantages of Applying Neale’s Theory of Genre to LFTVDs
Ads - explains film genres, LFTVDs most film-like form of TV (needs adverts & reviews -> large audiences needed)
- Draws attention to differences & hybridity in LFTVDs
Dis - have resources to rely on high production values, star system & exoticism to market themselves > genre
- Emphasises difference > similarity
Define
Strauss’ Theory of Binary Oppositions
Hidden rules governing structures
Binary Opposition - structure of opposing terms in all narratives: opposite ends of a spectrum
Advantages and Disadvantages of Applying Strauss’ Theory of Binary Oppositions
Ads - analyse narratives, set up ‘inside’ & ‘outside’ opposition, asking audience identify with inside. Sometimes play around with this, disorientate audience
- Analyse representations & ideological effect, which side of opposition valued by narrative
Dis - not specific. Nothing about
- TV ownership/control
- Mediation
- Audience interpretations/giving meaning
How Strauss’ Theory of Binary Oppositions Applies to ‘Stranger Things’
Binary opposition: small town community vs government
- Government experiment with wormholes, psychic kids (untrustworthy)
- 80s “Make America Great Again” Regan ideology & TRump ‘16 (year made): small town America vs Soviet Union
- Reflects anxieties of government power. Hopper - kind, deliberately stereotyped (Speilbergian diegesis, intertextuality)
How Strauss’ Theory of Binary Oppositions Applies to ‘Trapped’
Corrupt businessmen vs small town community
- Politicians & businessmen cover up rape & murder -> build port only benefit them
- During production, economic meltdown (corrupt businessmen loan money don’t have) -> leave EU, rebuild financially
- V.close community help each other in middle of nowhere
Define
Todorov’s Theory of Narratology
All narratives = move from 1 equilibrium to another
Disruption to equilibrium drives narrative -> new equilibrium
Transformation between equilibriums expresses narrative values
Advantages and Disadvantages of Applying Todorov’s Theory of Narratology
Ads - easily identify key elements: equilibrium, protagonist, antagonist, disruption, quest, resolution, re-equilibrium
- Good for understanding narrative’s ideology
Dis - not designed for multi-stranded narratives or narratives without resolution
- LFTVDs: resolution & climax delayed, sometimes never reached -> last many series
- Doesn’t help understand TV’s tendency of multi-stranded narratives, or ones just for filler
How Todorov’s Theory of Narratology Applies to ‘Stranger Things’
Equilibrium = protagonists playing D&D, small town’s suburbs in America. Antagonists (government experimenting), ‘demigorgon’ all introduced at start
Disruption = monster takes Will (credits after = delay, keep watching)
Quest = find Will, get him home. Multiple narratives (Will, Steve, Nancy, 11, Hopper)
Resolution = not reached within 1st episode. Ends boys finding 11 (keep watching)
How Todorov’s Theory of Narratology Applies to ‘Trapped’
Equilibrium = divorced cop trying rebuild life with 2 young daughters
Disruption = dismembered body found, large storm approaches
Quest = catch killer, multiple narrative strands (Andri trying rebuild life, businessmen, Hjortur & Dagny)
Resolution = not reached within 1st episode. Keep watching
Define
Baudrillard’s Theory of Post-modernism
Idea society moved beyond modernism: ‘modern’ societies organised around production of goods, ‘postmodern’ societies organised around ‘simulation’ - play of images & signs
Individuals construct identities through media. Differences of gender, class, politics & culture dissolved
Convergence of modes, intertextuality
Controls how we think & behave
Define
Baudrillard’s Theory of Post-modernism
‘Modern’ societies organised around production of goods, ‘postmodern’ societies organised around ‘simulation’ - play of images & signs
Individuals construct identities through media. Differences of gender, class, politics & culture dissolved
Convergence of modes, intertextuality
Controls how we think & behave
Advantages and Disadvantages of Applying Baudrillard’s Theory of Post-modernism
Ads - works for all cultural products
- Post-modernism celebrated in LFTVDs, refuse simple identification of ‘the real’ in fictional world
Dis - not specific to form
How Baudrillard’s Theory of Post-modernism Applies to ‘Stranger Things’
Very post-modern: intertextual references to 80s films, Speilbergian diegesis (see Semiology)
How Baudrillard’s Theory of Post-modernism Applies to ‘Trapped’
Needs stick to traditional genre conventions -> marketable
Slighty post-modern: gender roles. Hinrika = strong female police woman, Andri = feminine (see Semiology)
Define
Hall’s Theory of Representation
Representation generates multiple meanings
Meaning constructed by representation: what is present, absent and different
Power (through ideology or stereotyping) tries to create a preferred meaning, create deliberate anti-stereotypes
Advantages and Disadvantages of Applying Hall’s Theory of Representation
Ads - Draws attention to role of power in representations: both general distribution of power in society, and power of TV industry
Dis - Not specific
How Hall’s Theory of Representation relates to ‘Stranger Things’
Government vs small town community (see Strauss - Structuralism)
Race - Lucas = black, fully accepted into community
Feminism - matriarchy, women = power (Speilbergian diegesis)
Nancy = gender performativity (see Semiology). Male (science & maths), female (boyfriend). Grows from ‘normal’ teen girl -> monster fighter
How Hall’s Theory of Representation relates to ‘Trapped’
Traditional Icelandic patriarchy
Men = power (mayor, police chief, businessmen)
Hinrika = strong, female police officer: actions drive narrative, challenges patriarchy
Government vs small town community (see Strauss-Structuralism)
Race = most characters white (Iceland = not multicultural). Only people of colour = 2 young women kidnapped for sex trade from Africa. White man exploits them
Define
Gauntlett’s Theory of Identity
Diverse and contradictory media messages exist - consumers use them to think through own identity and how they express themselves
- Success of ‘popular feminism’ and increasing representation of LGBT -> meaning of gender, sexuality & identity. Strengthened by online media
Advantages and Disadvantages of Applying Gauntlett’s Theory of Identity
Ads - LFTVDs offer diverse & contradictory representations, time & resources to develop complex representations > stereotypes
- Attempt reach international audience, offering local representations of place & culture with international resonance, increasing diversity of representations
Dis - Assumes powerful, active audience. Underestimates power of media conglomerates -> shape pop culture
How Gauntlett’s Theory of Identity relates to ‘Stranger Things’
Nancy’s character (see ‘Hall’)
Small town community - demonstrates traditional American values to rest of the world, Many relate to it
How Gauntlett’s Theory of Identity relates to ‘Trapped’
Hinrika & Andri (see ‘Hall’)
Small town community (see above)
Op. shot = advert for Iceland (hills, beautiful open space)
Define
Hook’s Feminist Theory
Feminism = movement to end patriarchy: sexism, sexist exploitation, oppression
Intersectionality = intersections of gender, race, class and sexuality create ‘white supremacist capitalist patriarchy’. Ideologies dominate media representations
Advantages of Applying Hook’s Feminist Theory
Ads - works for all media products, especially representations of gender
- Draws attention to misrepresentations and stereotypes based on gender, race, class and sexuality, and their inter-relationship in any LFTVD representation
- Patriarchy works for ownership & control of TV, recruitment & ethos of TV professionals, representation of gender and women’s bodies
Disadvantages of Applying Hook’s Feminist Theory
Dis - Not specific
- Prioritising gender, may overlook similarities or equalities in representations in LFTVDs
- In stressing influence of social conflict on representations, theory underestimate influence of social consensus on representations
How Hook’s Feminist Theory relates to ‘Stranger Things’ & ‘Trapped’
Feminism - matriarchy, women = power (Speilbergian diegesis)
Nancy = gender performativity (see Semiology). Male (science & maths), female (boyfriend). Grows from ‘normal’ teen girl -> monster fighter
Traditional Icelandic patriarchy
Men = power (mayor, police chief, businessmen)
Hinrika = strong, female police officer: actions drive narrative, challenges patriarchy
Define
Butler’s theory of gender performativity
Gender created by how we perform our gender roles - no essential gender identity behind roles, created in performance
Performativity = repetition and ritual becomes naturalised within body
Any feminism concerned only with masculinity & femininity excludes other forms of gender & sexuality. Creates ‘gender trouble’ for those don’t fit heterosexual norms
Advantages and Disadvantages of Applying Butler’s Theory of Gender Performativity
Ads - Applied to LFTVDs where gender performance foregrounded (women presenting bodies for display, men training for combat OR representations exposing hetero-normative roles)
Dis - Not specific
How Butler’s Theory of Gender Performativity relates to ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘Trapped’
Nancy = gender performativity (see Semiology). Male (science & maths), female (boyfriend). Grows from ‘normal’ teen girl -> monster fighter
Traditional Icelandic patriarchy
Men = power (mayor, police chief, businessmen)
Hinrika = strong, female police officer: actions drive narrative, challenges patriarchy
Define
Gilroy’s Theory of Ethnicity & Post-Colonial Theory
Slave trade caused transatlantic culture simultaneously African, American, Caribbean and British: the ‘Black Atlantic’
Britain has ‘post-colonial melancholia’ - attachment o airbrushed version of British colonial history
Advantages and Disadvantages of Applying Gilroy’s Theory of Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Theory
Ads - works best for LFTVDs covering representations of race, ethnicity & post-colonial world
- Draws attention to continuing role of colonial ideology (superiority of white western culture) across range of representations
Dis - Not specific
- Prioritising race and post-colonialism may not aid analysis of other forms of inequality in representation in LFTVDs
How Gilroy’s Theory of Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Theory Applies to ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘Trapped’
Race - Lucas = black, fully accepted into community
Race = most characters white (Iceland = not multicultural). Only people of colour = 2 young women kidnapped for sex trade from Africa. White man exploits them
