The Returned Flashcards
(The Returned) What channel was it first broadcast on in the UK?
Channel 4
(The Returned) When was it first broadcast?
9pm June 2013
(The Returned) Genre
French supernatural thriller
(The Returned) Creator
Fabrice Gobert
(The Returned) Producer
Haut et Court
(The Returned) Where and when was it originally broadcast?
Canal+ in November 2012
(The Returned) Inspired by…
The French film ‘Les Revenants’ (2004)
(The Returned) How long is the show?
Two series, 8 episodes in each
(The Returned) Main distributor
Zodiak Rights - one of the leading distributors in the international market.
(The Returned) How many countries was it shown in?
Over 70
(The Returned) Importance of genre
The supernatural thriller genre has a well established cultural history and recognisable elements which is important for a global product
These conventions have developed over time to reflect social and cultural change (e.g. migrants in France) and the needs and expectations of audiences
(The Returned) conforming to supernatural thriller conventions
Narrative focusing on the appearance of undead within a community and their attempt to deal with it:
- non linear time and space is manipulated (flashbacks to the crash at the beginning)
- narrative disruptions e.g. revelations ( when we find out about the connection between the twins or the reason for the bus crash)
- privileged spectator vision (we know it was victor who caused the crash)
- binary oppositions (living vs dead)
- unexplained events, creepy child, slow opening of doors, flickering of lights
(The Returned) Iconography
Mirrors and windows feature often in this episode (butterfly at the beginning) as ways of replicating the world and fabricating reality. (Claire and Jerome watch Camille through a window in disbelief of what they see)
(The Returned) Settings
Within the individual homes there is a sense of claustrophobia reinforced by the darkness and the framing
(The Returned) Todorov’s Narratology theory
Equilibrium - the bereaved community who are trying to adjust to the deaths of their loved ones
Disruption - return of the dead
Realisation - the tragic consequences (e.g. death of M Costa)
Resolution - since it is an episodic drama, there would not be a resolution at the end of the first episode, instead there is a cliff hanger. Therefore it subverts Todorov’s theory.
(The Returned) Genre hybridity
The Returned is harder to categorise as due to the hybridity of genres (conventions of supernatural thriller, zombie genre, fantasy, sci-fi and drama)
Drama - the producers don’t want it to be another ‘zombies vs humans’ they want to show the undead as real people which is why it is in a small rural area and showing complex relationships
(The Returned) Science fiction?
Yes - extraordinary events outside of the realms of reality but have some scientific appeals as it could happen
No - based on events that defy reality and explanation (people coming back from the dead)
(The Returned) Neale’s genre theory
Supernatural thriller genre has repeated conventions but to appeal to audiences, new programmes need to display something different to set them apart from others
Difference in The Returned:
- focuses less on gore and horror of zombie films and more on physiological impact on community after their children come back
- the children are not classic zombies as they look normal and are attempting to return to the life they left
(The Returned) economic context of genre
The recognisable codes and conventions of the supernatural thriller makes it easy to market to audiences
However, subverting these conventions could also ensure commercial success.
(The Returned) visual codes - dress codes
Clothing is a rapid way of communicating messages to an audience.
The normal clothing of the dead challenges typical conventions of the genre.
(The Returned) visual codes - gesture and expression
Claire’s shocked expression compared with Camille’s apparent normality when they first meet again. The audience will then be confused and empathise with Claire as they do not know what has happened to Camille.
Julie taking Victor’s hans and taking him into her home has references to the vampire genre as vampires always have to have permission to enter a person’s home and that was Julie giving him permission.
(The Returned) visual codes - iconography and setting
The opening scene when the butterfly escapes from the picture creates enigmatic unease foreshadowing the narrative.
The fact that Camille’s room is kept almost as a shrine shows how no one has been able to move on and allows her to assume everything is the same.
(The Returned) technical codes - angles and shots
Establishing shots - the shot of the town creates a sense of cultural verisimilitude, establishing a real place in which the characters function, reinforcing their believability.
Long shots - conventional of the supernatural thriller genre (the lonely road, Lucy alone in the subway, victor standing outside of Julie’s apartment)
(The Returned) audio codes - music
Estbalishes characters and genre
Sinister mood music - beginning, quickly establishes the enigmatic atmosphere of the episode and that everything is not going to be what it seems
Disconcerting music - when Camille returns home
Discordant music - when Claire tries to hide the shrine that is Camille’s room which contrasts with the very normal acts of Camille
(The Returned) audio codes - diegetic sound
Panicked breathing as Camille is walking home is unsettling.
Thunder is a conventional audio code which creates a sense of unease and fear.
Camille’s scream when she finds out Lena is now older than her suggests her grief and confusion.
Disturbing noises from Julie’s horror film acts as a warning and contrasts with Victor’s apparent innocence.
(The Returned) audio codes - dialogue
Group meeting - adds to backstory and highlights tensions between characters (Jerome and Pierre)
Questioning by the undead of the living - reinforces the strangeness of the situation and their confusion (e.g. Simon asking for Adele at the bar)
(The Returned) representation - realism
Main aim of a television programme is to make the audience feel as though the representations created are real (even if the narrative is out of the ordinary e.g. supernatural)
Generic verisimilitude - codes and conventions are adhered to and fulfil audience expectations so the audience will believe what they see (this is done through the domestic drama in The Returned)
Cultural and social circumstances makes it seem more real - it was made in 2012 so there will be more traditional gender representations which is clearly shown in the show (women are emotional, men are rational and dominant) and there is the reference to the issue of the migrants in France
(The Returned) Representations and the position of audiences
Claire’s representation as a maternal figure positions audiences to empathise with her on Camille’s return.
Victor as the innocent child allows us to sympathise with him and his enigmatic situation and Julie’s initial response to him.
(The Returned) Historical Context - women/femininity
There is a range of different representations of women but they are all generally represented as passive and emotional and they perform roles related to nurturing and domesticity:
- sandrine announcing her pregnancy (she is the only woman who speaks up in the meeting)
- Claire (welcomes the return of Camille without question) and Julie (tends to basic needs to Victor even though she doesn’t know him) are both carers
- Adele is first seen in a wedding dress (traditional female role) and then is emotional and hysterical
- Lucy is seen as an object of the male gaze
- Lena is over-sexualised
However, Camille breaks away from the passive stereotype as she is seen as active, resourceful and determined.
(The Returned) Historical context - men/masculinity
Pierre - dominant, rational and in control of the community and Claire turns to him first after Camille’s return
Jerome - challenges stereotypical representation of men and women is presented as more emotional and unable to cope with his loss and grief. This is shown through him believing that Lucy can communicate with Camille (vulnerable)
Simone - represented as ‘other’ and an outsider. He remains looking into the life he once had with Adele.
(The Returned) Hall’s representation theory
Stereotyping tends to occur when there is an inequality of power e.g excluded groups are constructed as ‘other’:
- the undead are feared by the living in the same way that French people feared the impact of migration on their communities
(The Returned) bell hooks’ feminism theory
‘Feminism is a struggle to end sexist/patriarchal oppression’:
- men are seen in dominant positions (rational, efficient and unemotional) - Pierre is the one who tries to rationalise the situation and talks to Camille
- women are seen as passive and weak and maternal - Claire is domestic and a mother and she turns to the men in her life for help
(The Returned) Van Zoonen’s feminist theory
‘The meaning of gender varies according to cultural and historical context’:
- it was made in 2012 so there has been little change in the roles of men and women which function as binary opposites which reinforces the patriarchal system
‘The display of women’s bodies as objects to be looked at is a core element of Western patriarchal culture’:
- Lucy is sexualised and is an object of visual pleasure for the audience and male characters and at the end of the episode she is murdered by a man and seen as disposable
(The Returned) When was Channel 4 launched?
1984
(The Returned) What was the aim of Channel 4?
To cater for minorities and encourage innovation. Their slogan in 2013 was changed to ‘Born Risky’
(The Returned) significance of broadcasting non-english-language programmes
Channel 4 has been at the forefront of broadcasting non-English-language programmes and The Returned was the first fully subtitled drama programme to be broadcast by the channel in over 20 years
(The Returned) Production
Channel 4 is a publisher-broadcaster (no in-house production):
- commissions content from UK production companies
- co-produces with other companies
The Returned was originally broadcasted by Canal+ (premium French cable channel owned by multi-media conglomerate Vivendi)
(The Returned) Economic Factors
Channel 4 is publicly-owned and commercially funded
1993 - third largest broadcaster in Britain and the largest investor in the BFI and major investor of British Screen Finance LTD
Self sufficient business that reinvests all profit back into programmes at 0 cost of the tax payer (“payed for by advertising, owned by you”)
The Returned received funding from regional agencies including The Rhone-Alpes Regional Fund and the Central National de la Cinematograpahie
(The Returned) Marketing
Multi-platform campaign which created a social media buzz focusing on the recognisable genre:
- trailer (‘no.1 french thriller’, ‘when the dead return’, ‘history resurfaces’) underscored by haunting soundtrack
- merchandise (targets fan community)
- innovative/interactive website
- 360 virtual navigation of the town on multiple platforms
