Contextual Studies- Post Modern Television

Watched TwinPeaks for the first half
Objectives:
Define experimental vs Conventional
Are there different types of experimentation in different genres of Television

Define 'experimental'
Challenging
Innovation (mise en scene, editing etc.)

Conventional 

  • Linier narrative- Beginning, middle, end
  • Episodic series or continuous serial 
  • Genre-specific codes and conventions (crime, scoff, medical etc.)
  • Formally presented (Hollywood) stylise en scene, continuity, editing etc.
  • Classic stereotypical or archetypical characters. 



Experimental

  • Non-linier 
  • Hybrid format 
  • Hybrid of multi genre
  • Unconventional characters or do not relate to specific drama expectations


Conventional Narrative formats
Episodic series- Usually long running (13 or more episodes), primetime, self contained storylines and closed resolution within each show.

Continuous Serial (soap opera)- Traditionally daytime, open-ended storylines with cliffhangers

Episodic serial (miniseries) - Short run drama (more than six hours in two or more parts). which combine the closed resolution of the episodic series.

Sequential series (Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice)- Development of the episodic series format which run narrative arcs throughout the series and end season with cliffhanger.


TWIN PEAKS was a mixture of all of these formats. The first season was short eight hour run similar to episodic serial or miniseries.

Episodically threatened narrative and cliffhanger finale of the sequential series
Open ended multi-character/multi plot lines of the continuous serial soap opera.

Genre hybridity

  • Crime Drama 
  • Episodic 
  • forensic rationality
  • Central detective character 
  • Crime resolution and narrative closure 


Soap Genre

  • Continuing
  • Emotional melodrama
  • Multiple character arcs
  • Crime may take weeks, months or years to be resolved 
Supernatural/Horror genre 
  • Demonic Possession
  • Native American Folklore 
Postmodernism
Ideologically disruptive
Deconstructs form, often in a playful way
May use elements of high and low culture (Usually through homage or pastiche) 

Mise en Scen
Pacific North-West small town setting (rather than conventional crime)
Costumes, makeup and set design evoke the 1950s 

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