TV DRAMA contexts

Question 1

economic contexts

Answer 1

-Stranger things $6-$30 million budget in first series whereas D83 was just €1 million —> lower budget could mean lower quality production

-TV market is now a global market place
-Funding has shifted from the dominance of advertising to subscription

-“The lack of advertising breaks on subscription funded platforms eg netflix means that the narratives of LFTVDs can keep the audience throughout without interruptions, resulting in more complex narratives and varied episode lengths”

-“ST is designed to appeal to a global audience as it includes major Hollywood star Winona Ryder” Hesmondhalgh packaging, stars, minimising risks, increase viewers, nostalgia, 80s audience

Question 2

cultural contexts

Answer 2

-“Stereotypes are now becoming more challenged” Many character start as stereotypes eg steve but these stereotypes are consciously challenged” Representation theory stuart hall. hegemonic groups have the power to construct their ideas of reality. representation is a construct

-“Postmodern culture has meant audiences are more culturally aware” Eg baudrillard. reworking texts from the past. spielberg and hughes 80s films.

-Funding is lower in Germany
-American quality is better
-Germany focuses on cultural references to the east and west whereas America focus on 80s references that are likely to be understood

Question 3

social context

Answer 3

-“Both texts respond to a change of attitude towards gender” bell hooks white supreacist capitalist patriarchy

-“Changes to the way women are represented have occurred as a result of feminism and these changes can be seen in the representation of women in the texts. For example….” Eleven & social work with gun, Lenora powerful office. Van zoonen feminist theory.

Question 4

historical contexts

Answer 4

“Potentially, more of a simulacrum (baurdrillard) of the historical reality of small town America than a deception of historical reality if place and era” Eg the sprinkler shot in ST.

“For D83, references to European brands, compared to West European during Martin’s ‘training’ montage. These references were explicitly included to trigger ‘ostalgia’ Fast paced editing. Gilroy postcolonialisation

Question 5

political context

Answer 5

-D83 is mainly a very complex era jn political history - the cold war. Both east and west were paranoid about the other launching nuclear weapons which would destroy each other. Gerbner mean world syndrome

Question 6

hesmondhalgh industry

Answer 6

strategies to minimise risks and maximise profits
stars
packaging the product to guarantee money
links to subscription

Question 7

Jenkins audiences

Answer 7

fandom
if it doesn’t spread its dead
textual poachers
audiences are active

Question 8

theorists

Answer 8

language- bar65qthes , baudrillard Levi strauss

representation - hall, van zoonen

industry hesmondhalgh

audiences Jenkins