a course in the critical analysis of television
in the context of the history of the times
for MA in Film & Televsion Studies
Dublin
City University
School
of Communications
agenda for postgraduate module (cm581) television drama
aims:
for MA in Film & Televsion Studies
Dublin
City University
School
of Communications
agenda for postgraduate module (cm581) television drama
aims:
• to examine alternative methodologies for the critical analysis of television drama
• to trace the recurring themes, images, plots, settings & modes of characterisation & the patterns of change emerging in these over the years
• to reflect on the relationship between the shifting shapes of tv drama & the larger pattern of social experience
• to participate in
an intensive study of particular tv drama series
syllabus:
part1: concepts / contexts / criteria
week 1: overview + what is tv drama? (lecture)
the nature of narrative: from ancient myths to current tv series
storytelling & the social order story, myth, dream & drama
television as a medium of drama
week 2: criteria
for criticism of tv drama (lecture)
part2: Irish tv drama: a nation & its narratives
week 3: over the decades in the 60s / 70s / 80s / 90s to present
week 4: Fair
City: its evolution from 1989 to now
part 3: global tv drama & the temper of the times
• representations of
class, race, gender, morality, religion, crime, politics, culture in tv
drama
• contemporary tv
drama series will be chosen to bring these questions & themes to a
sharp focus
week 5: analysis of a currently running tv drama series: The West Wing (lecture)
weeks 6, 8, 10, 11: presentations & seminars analysing contemporary tv drama series
week 7: reading week
week 12: scenarios
for new tv drama
assessment:
tv
drama resources shared with module (cm210) social history & tv drama