Investigating the leading drama genres of different television eras in both Britain and the US, this book traces the evolution of television drama from the 'high culture' aspirations and technical limitations of its early days to the intense commercial competition that informs the creation of television drama today.
Introduction TV Drama Forms and Contexts Dominant Narrative Forms: the Series and Serial Movements in Style: Naturalism, Realism and Modernism Serial Melodrama: The Soap Opera Narrative Complexity in Post-1980s Series and Serials Tradition and Innovation in Situation Comedy Drama and 'TVIII': Innovations at the 'High-End' Conclusion
Notes Bibliography Index
