TV: Deutschland 83 case study

Introduction: Reviews and features

Read the following reviews and features on Deutschland 83:

The Guardian - Your next box set: Deutschland 83
The Guardian - Deutschland 83 Pity the Germans don't like it

1) Find one positive aspect and one criticism of Deutschland 83 in reviews.

"an irresistible export" and “the flop of the year”

2) Why does the second Guardian article suggest the Germans didn't like the show?

It makes the time period seem less serious than it actually was.
3) Find three 'below the line' comments from either of the Guardian articles. What did the audience think of Deutschland 83? Do you agree with the comments?

One on the commentators felt proud initially then found out this German show was written by Americans.

'German series often suffer from poor production value and screenplays are either obsessed with complexity or dull and boring' The audience can be seen to be unimpressed with the poor production value of the show.

was designed to be the big ballsy production that restored German TV’s pride, with the marketing budget to go with it. 


Interviews and behind-the-scenes video features

Channel 4 News: Matt Frei interviews Jonas Nay



1) What does Jonas Nay say about growing up in a united Germany? 

Jonas says that the Cold War was not as well covered as WW2 in school. As he wasn't alive during the separation - he said that he's like to live in West Berlin as they had more freedom.
2) The Channel 4 News interview is conducted in German with English subtitles. How does this reflect Channel 4's remit as a public service broadcaster and their target audience? (Clue: revise your work on Channel 4 and Public Service Broadcasting here!)

 "Channel 4 is a publicly-owned and commercially-funded UK public service broadcaster, with a statutory remit to deliver high-quality, innovative, alternative content that challenges the status quo". - C4 wants to reach out to a bigger, more international audience.

3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest the Channel 4 News audience?

C4 has their own News section and much of the refugee crisis was covered on C4 News.

Behind the scenes clips

The All4 website has a range of clips from behind the scenes of Deutschland 83. Watch the following:

Making Of: Why Should You Watch Deutschland 83
Watch this short promotional clip for Deutschland 83.

1) According to the clip, why should audiences watch Deutschland 83?

Anna Le Vine Winger (creator of the show) says = 'Because it is fun, because it is super interesting, because there are great performances, because it is a trip, it's an adventure, and there are a lot of surprises... and it's a journey and you want to go on the journey with these people'.

2) Why is history an important aspect of the appeal of the show?

It's a costume drama set in a real life event but in a fictionalised form. The Cold War was also not covered alot so this provides information as well.
3) What technical aspects are highlighted in the video?

 'The cinematography,the costume and the production design are striking. It uses a style that we know from some "event movies". I'd say our mother and fathers paved the way for us'-Jorg Winger (producer)

Making Of: Set Design
Watch this interview with Production designer Lars Lange.

1) Why were the set design, costume and props so important for Deutschland 83?

Because it's a costume drama, the costumes say everything from the time period to the occupation of the character. The set design and props are meant to look like they are from 1983 to give it an authentic feel and to succeed at making a costume drama.
2) How historically accurate was the setting, costume and props?

Lange read the screenplay, then looked at images for perspectives. The setting, costume and props were very historically accurate and there was a lot of research done in preparation about the different cars, computers, building designs and colour schemes that we used in 1983.

3) Why were the props, costumes and music such a key audience pleasure for Deutschland 83?

Without these props, the drama would be very boring and unrealistic. This was set around Able Archer and not having the dated costumes, set design and props to go with it would lose the audiences interest.

Textual analysis: Audience pleasures and representations


We need to consider the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 alongside various representations created in the first episode.

Type up your analysis from the lesson using the headings below. You may want to watch the key scenes again and develop your notes in further detail - the more specific and memorable your analysis, the better it will serve you when writing an essay on TV drama. Remember, you can watch the episode for free on the All 4 website or on Amazon Prime.

Scene 1: Garden/BBQ scenes (East & West Germany)

4.58 – 8.20 and 34.00 – 37.20

• Setting used to show difference between East and West Germany
• TV in scene in East showing concert from Budapest (in East)
• Prop- Nescafé coffee demonstrates what is not available in the East BUT, also shows that you don't need these big brands to be happy as the people in the East prove
• Representation of East & West Germany / Family / Gender
• Individual v Community- West v East
• Contrast in atmosphere 
• Fetishisation of Eastern/ Working class life 
• Socialism vs Capitalism

Scene 2: Martin/Moritz first sees the West German supermarket 

14.30 – 20.25

• Mise-en-scene- supermarket colour
• House in the West- chandelier, oak panels- connotations of wealth
• Supermarket shelves- very organised, fresh food (how historically accurate is it?)
• Intertextual reference to pop art- Andy Warhol painting.
• Dialogue- on bench
• Music- "Sweet Dreams" (Diagetic use of the Eurythmics' 'Sweet dreams' helps to bring Martin's experience in the West to life).
• East and West- colour difference 
• Hegemony- Tobias- even though he talks about his sacrifices, a dominant ideology is being reinforced 
• Music- 'Sweet dreams'- NOSTALGIA
• PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS- When Martin runs, we want him to be free.

Scene 3: Training montage scene when Martin/Moritz learns how to be a spy

20.40 – 22.40

• Split screen- designed to create divide between East and West
• Graphics/ brand names- 80s 
• Montage sequence 
• Narrative development
• Dialogue/ voiceover
• music 
• difference between East and West 
• West- Americanised
• Bond movie, the gadgets create excitement
• 
  

Scene 4: Briefcase scene when Martin/Moritz is stealing the NATO nuclear plans

31.13 – 33.30

• Close- ups of real Able Archer documents 
• Ronald Reagan's signature makes it look more authentic
• Sound effects- exaggerated to give the feeling we are next to him
• Diversion- enigma/ action codes (Barthes)
• Surveillance- real docs- events (photo of the machine)

Production and industry contexts

Deutschland 83 was produced by German production company UFA Fiction and distributed internationally by FremantleMedia International. It was broadcast on RTL (Germany), SundanceTV (US) and Channel 4 (UK) as well as many other broadcasters around teh world.

1) What kind of company is UFA Fiction and what shows have they produced? 

According to their website - UFA FICTION stands for qualitative and successful fictional formats in German TV and cinema

Here are some of their most successful shows: 

" Deutschland86 " (Amazon Prime Video), " Ku'damm 59 " (ZDF), " The boy has to go to the fresh air " (cinema), " Naked under wolves " (Das Erste), " Danni Lowinski " (Sat.1), " Our Mothers, Our Fathers " (ZDF), " The Medicus " (Cinema) and " I'll be gone then" (Movie theater).

2) What kind of company is Freemantle Media International and what do they produce?

They produce shows that are under these categories: Global Entertainment, Drama and branded entertainment. They've made shows like Price is Right, Family Feud, X Factor and Grand Designs.
3) How does Deutschland 83 reflect the international nature of television production?

It didn't do so well in Germany but it did amazing in the UK and the US. D83 was written by a pair of German writers, produced by German/American companies then is distributed to American and British broadcasters such as Channel 4. D83 encompasses many asoects of an international effort being made.

Walter Presents

Watch this Channel 4 trailer for their Walter Presents international drama.

1) How does Channel 4 introduce 'Walter'?

C4 introduce Walter as some sort of TV drama oracle and that he KNOWS a good drama when he sees one. He then seems like a voice of reasoning and gives a sort of 'star power'/critical assurance that the Walter Presents lineup is worth watching.
2) What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?

They know that he is going to produce great dramas as the trailer shows him glaring at a TV for ages so he has quite a lot of experience by the looks of it.
3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age?

More and more people are owning a device where they can stream videos. C4 wants to attract an international audience so that they can get more streams and revitalise the new, digital age for some PSBs

Marketing and promotion


Trailer




1) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer? Think about Uses & Gratifications theory (Blumler and Katz).

Personal Identity- Many Germans feel as if they see themselves reflected in the drama

Personal Relationships- we establish a close and personal relation with Martin.

Diversion- The sub- genre of spy/ thriller can be seen as something that audiences may want to watch in order to divert/ escape reality-East v West (the conflict and suspense) 

Surveillance- As Deutschland 83 is a Historical drama based on true events that took place in the past (Able Archer), audiences can gain some information/ knowledge from the series- the archives of real footage of the war and president speaking showcases the historical aspect. 

2) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?

It shows that the drama is a spy drama due to the many images of him photographing things, looking for things. There is also some action scenes which tell us this is going to be good. Also the countdown could suggest something about war which makes it more watchable for some viewers.
3) The only words heard in the trailer are in English. Why do you think the UK trailer avoided subtitles or German dialogue?


Naturally, Brits are repelled by any language that isn't English. This is also to show that the foreign languages might make them confused as  they watch it because don't know it.

Press pack

Read the Channel 4 press pack interview with writer Anna Winger. (If the link doesn't work, you can find the text from the interview here). 

1) How did she use the historical context and real-life events to create a successful drama?

Winger says = "The original seed of the idea was based on something that happened to my husband when he was doing his West German military service in the 1980’s. He was a radio signaller in West Germany, listening to the Russian troops in East Germany. Occasionally the Russians would greet him by name. So they knew that he was listening and he knew there must be a mole at his base – but he never figured out who the mole was. It could have been a boss or a colleague. My idea was to tell a story form the point of view of the mole."

2) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?

"Music was key to the story from the beginning. The top 100 songs of 1983 are still on the radio all the time! It was just an incredible year of pop culture and the songs really travelled, maybe because music videos started around that time as well, so there was a visual component for the very first time".



Press release

Read this Channel 4 press release on the success of Deutschland 83. (If the link doesn't work you can find find the text from the article here).

1) List the key statistics concerning audience figures. Why is considered the most successful foreign language drama?

After launching with 1.49 million viewers, the first episode has now consolidated with 2.5 million viewers.

2) How does the news release describe the drama?

“This is the next subtitled sensation……..unmissable TV.”

TV Times

“This pacy saga could be your new subtitled obsession.”

The Guardian

“A stylish curtain-raiser for Walter Presents.”

The Times

“Great fun, and powered by an irrestible 1983 vintage soundtrack.”

The Daily Telegraph

“Evocative and gripping.”

The Daily Mail

International marketing

Look at these two different marketing campaigns - the UK DVD release (left) and the American Sundance TV advert (right).




1) How does the UK DVD cover communicate the sub-genre of the drama?

The font suggests a formal/military sort of feel. The font reads "over the wall -- under cover" which suggests that this is a spy drama. Also the review mentions the Cold War which implies that this could be a Costume Drama.
2) How do these use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?

They utilise the concept of the '80s' feel to use thee neon-pop fonts and pop art colours to suggest that this is a postmodern show. The idea of Martin being split in two shows the divide between east and west. The graphics of the rockets and the Brandenburg Gate in the US advert shows that this is to do with Germany and some sort of war.
3) Why might the distributors Freemantle Media International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries? 

The bold, comic like colours in the US version is to make the average lazy, passive and u=unintelligent American viewer think that this is worth a watch as the poster is such a spectacle. The UK version employs a restrained approach. It still features some colour but also leaves some ambiguity to what it could be about as the average British viewer is smarter than the average American viewer.

Marxism & hegemony: blog tasks

1) Re-read the Mail Online review of Capital. Why does it suggest that Capital features a left-wing ideology?

Capital features a left-wing ideology via the Kamaal family - Illustrate love and affection towards each other. Also through times such as when Roger, Lother and Mark were having a meeting, Mark was explaining the issues of the company, Roger and Lother had no idea of what he was talking about, which suggests bankers and the super rich are being seen as incompetent and clueless - essentially demonising the wealthy.

2) Choose three quotes from the review that are particularly critical of Capital and paste them into your blogpost. Do you agree with the criticisms? Why?

"It started with such a brilliant display, but by the finish we were left staring at the proverbial damp squib" - I don't agree with this as the don't take into account how the different narratives strands have their own representations and pleasures.

"But that concept went nowhere. The residents were bemused, but not scared." - this shows that the article misses out how Capital reinforces left-wing views as this shows how the different societies don;t get along with each other in a capitalist community.

"Capital was as stuffed full with fashionable causes as Jeremy Corbyn’s function diary." - I agree with this as it shows how Capital presents strong left-wing views through the Kamal family.

3) What scenes or characters from Capital could be read as promoting left-wing ideology?

The scene where the Kamaal family are eating together and were showing love and affectation to each other can be seen as left-wing, also when Mr Kamaal had 'spared some coriander for a customer' (customer being Arabella).4) What about the other side of the argument - are there any aspects of Capital that reinforce the status quo in capitalist London?

4) What about the other side of the argument - are there any aspects of Capital that reinforce the status quo in capitalist London?

The aerial shots of London demonstrates power and dominance (power and dominance of London being the status quo - normalised) , which essentially supports hegemony (how the elite class maintain control. We also see through Roger and his wife how an upper-middle class family deals with living amongst refugees and immigrant families. This inevitably displays the divide between right and left wing ideologies in Capital.


1) What does Marxism suggest regarding power in society?

In terms of representation of power in society, Marxism deals with social and economic power relationships and have been influential in economics, politics and sociology. Marxism tells us that power is contained by only a select right-wing few.

2) Why is The Apprentice a good example of the media reinforcing capitalist values and ideologies?

3) Come up with three examples of media texts (e.g. TV programmes, newspapers etc.) that either fetishise working class life (e.g. EastEnders presents quite a harmonious East End community which probably doesn't accurately reflect East London life) or demonise working class life or poor people (e.g. The Daily Mail and The Sun newspapers regularly demonise people living on benefits with headlines referring to 'scroungers'.)


The Sun - targets immigrants
Labour ad campaigns - celebrates working class
Bob the Builder - childrens show makes the life of a builder seem magical, in reality - it's not.

4) Look at the bullet points on page 4 of the factsheet:

When making a Marxist reading of a text, look out for representations that:

• show the values of the power elite as beneficial to the mass
• show queries or challenges to the base as meaningless, foolish or anti-social via ‘failed revolt’
• show the subdominant position of the masses as a naturalised idea
• show the values of the power elite as ‘natural’ or ‘right’
• show that being a member of the mass is a good thing
• show the masses accepting the values of the power elite
• show the values of the power elite as being ‘for the good of the masses’ (even when unpleasant)

Now try applying those bullet points to Capital. Think about the setting, characters and narrative strands - how many of the bullet points apply to Capital? Does Capital reinforce or challenge the values of capitalism? Give examples from episode 1 to support your points.

Capital, in my opinion, perfectly show how left wing and right wing ideologies can co-exist in one society. On one road you have a banker who things £30k is disgusting for a bonus and Qwentina puts in a lot more effort in her job than Roger and gets very little money and gets harrassed. Through the Kamal family the happy side of socialism is shown through a left-wing tinted pair of glasses however we are yet to understand that their business, their butter and bread is run on the simple ideas of capitalism.

1) Why did the Daily Mail suggest The Casual Vacancy promoted a left-wing ideology?

Rowling heavily promotes left-wing values by ridiculing the wealthier residents and shaming them for their
plot to sell off the local food bank and rehab centre Sweet love House. 

2) How does the article suggest characters, narrative and setting are used to promote a left-wing ideology?

the article states: "the characters are cut from plywood. the plot is nonsense and the left wing breast-beating in unbearable"

3) What research is quoted regarding BBC bias and what did it find? Do you think the BBC is biased?

The Mail research shows that the BBC Director of Television is a member of Rowlings charity, Lumos. This creates a sense of bias as they are basing friendship over talent and success in a 'risky business'

4) Gramsci's theory of hegemony suggests people are kept under control through active consent - the control of 'common sense'. How could you apply the Daily Mail or the BBC to the idea of hegemony and dominant ideologies in the UK media?

Dominant ideologies are ideologies or beliefs that we live by in our day-to-day lives + often do not question them. - they have become natural, common sense. This could therefore be easily applied to the Daily Mail or the BBC as they are superior and have a high level of control amongst persuading audiences of media.

Capital Case Study

1) What positive points do the reviews pick out about Capital? What criticisms are made - either of the TV drama or the original novel?

It shows how asylum seekers like Quentina Mkfesi are represented as hard-working and resilient and never give up and this is also shown on the other end of the spectrum with the bankers wife, who represents how money can corrupt Londoners.

The book explores issues that others are not wanting to talk about such as the rising house rices and horrible state of the nation that the book is set in.

2) In the Telegraph 'behind the scenes' article, what does the writer say about the London housing market?

*this article required a subscription*

3) What references can you find in these reviews and features to the idea Capital is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama? How does it capture modern-day London?

It's a state of the nation drama due to the diverse social conditions the cast act out to be in. The period the book is set in is still disappointingly relevant - says the Evening Standard article.

The ES article also states that Capital speaks out to Londoners and evokes them to make a personal connection to one of the characters in the drama. Even the sweaty commute armpit shot depicts how this is a typical state-of-the-nation drama. 


1) How does the drama use camerawork to capture London life?

The trailer starts with a top crane shot of a lot of houses which shows how packed tight London is and not an open and relaxed city. 

The tracking shot with all these characters beong introduced is a key example of hoe Capital treinforces that London is very diverse with people of all socio-economic backgrounds.

2) How does the trailer use mise-en-scene to capture the family element of the drama?

In the Kamal family, the idea of togetherness is represented by having dinner together - highlighting that immigrants rely on being together to be happy whereas the Yount family show how sometimes money doesn't make you happy - with a lack of clothes and some dark lighting whereas the Kamal family are still in the dark but are happy with what little they have.

3) How does the trailer introduce narrative strands suggesting tension or enigma in the 40-second running time?

It suggests that Roger and his wife do not get on that well and could suggest there could be further tension between the two. The enigma codes come in the form of the postcards and who and why they were talong pictures - this leads the audience to wonder if those events are connected or not.

Another enigma code could be Gwen getting locked up as we do not find out that she is an asylum worker so we are intrigued to find out more about her.


1) What does this preview clip suggest about the potential sub-genres for Capital?

It definitely shows that it's a drama but it could be seen as a crime-drama or the most pertinent one - a state-of-the-nation drama.

2) What elements of the clip might suggest this is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama?

It shows the obvious divide in beliefs and racial tension between white people and Muslims as they mention Islamophobia. This tackles a heavy topic in a way that shows that even at the top of the law, some racial beliefs may still be held.

3) Analyse the mise-en-scene in this clip. How does this provide realism and familiarity for audiences?

The policeman is  wearing an official jacket and has a badge which reassures us in some way that there will be a safety element to the resolution of this film. The policeman is also white and has a soft voice and is not too intimidating making the hallmarks of a typical friendly officer.

The Kamal family are wearing casual clothes which is common in the suburbs of London and that they are wearing sweaters and look and feel relaxed so they come across quite trustworthy.

4) What audience pleasures are provided by this scene?

One audience pleasure of this scene could be having a personal relationship. This is shown by sympathising with the Kamal family along with their children that they may not be safe. Personal identity may be evident here as immigrants or families such as the Kamals could be watching - creating a personal connection.

5) How is the audience positioned to respond to the different characters in this particular sequence?

The audience is positioned to respond positively to the Kamal family as they seem friendly and helpless but the racial views that are present within this time in London could be reinforced by the policeman as he doesn't arrive as soon as the postcards are an issue and inly comes after the 'white people' have complained.


1) How does this clip represent upper-middle-class family life?

This shows that the family is rich enough to have a nanny and that Roger is clearly trying to get with her. This is supported when Rogers wife comes in and ruins the fun the kids have been having - representing upper-middle class lives as miserable without cheating.

2) What narrative strands are suggested in this sequence?

The kids are oblivious to the fact that Roger and his wife's relationship are deteriorating and that Roger is trying to woo the nanny.

3) How is the audience positioned to respond to Roger Yount, the main character (banker and father to the two boys)?

The audience is supposed to either agree or disagree with Rogers POV on his relationship. He gets treated badly by his wife who is only there because of the money and that the kids are supposed to receive a special type of sympathy as it's not their fault.


1) Write an analysis of the representations in each of the key scenes from episode 1 we studied in class:

Scene 1: opening sequence 00:30 – 4.49

This reinforces Capital is a state-of-the-nation drama. It presents a positive multicultural aspect of London.It represents the classical Londoners as a 'north of the river' joke is made. Typical British families are represented as having mostly white-collar jobs and having a flashback scene with the old lady.

Scene 2: work in the City 6.28 – 8.10

It starts with an armpit shot which shows the gruelling feeling of a London city-centre commute. Ariel shot of Canary Wharf shows the power of a metropolitan city and how powerful our CBD is. The long shot in the train station shows human insignificance to the buildings.

Scene 3: “Which of those isn’t absolutely essential?” 14.00 – 15.35

Inequality of London represented perfectly here. Uses typical stereotypes such as 'German Efficiency' - showing English arrogance. 'Frock Money' implies a heavily patriarchal society and how they waste money everywhere. 

Scene 4: asylum 18.03 – 19.42 AND 31.10 – 32.40

Typical sexism with the forced kiss. Abuse of power and subverts feminist stereotypes.Minority groups get less pay than white people so this shows the racial divide here in London. Capital criticises political correctness through illegal work. Inequality between Roger and Quentina as Roger wants to leave and has a chance whereas Quentina wants to stay and is forced to leave London. 

Scene 5: “What use is 30 grand?” 36.40 – 39.00 

Shows how spoilt upper-middle class families are. Luther, German boss, cannot remember children's names. "fundamentally unfair" applies to most narrative strands. Quentina barely earns enough to keep alive and Roger vomits at the 30k which shows the parallel lives they live.

Scene 6: life at the corner shop 40.10 – 42.55

This depicts how working class shopkeepers, as well as immigrants, have a content life while n=having the stresses of feeding a large family and rising house prices. There are huge alternative representations that immigrants do contribute to the local economy and how they are very friendly and are willing to do kind things like give Rogers wife free coriander.

You can choose which aspects to focus on for each scene: e.g. London, family, gender, ethnicity, religion, immigration, asylum, inequality, wealth, aging etc.

2) How does Capital use stereotypes? Do the characters and issues represented in Capital reinforce or subvert the stereotypes we typically see in the media?

Capital reinforces the dominant stereotypes of Rogers (Bankers family) being a well off family. With a hot room, summer house and two cars show how Roger and his family are living in luxury despite their dwindling relationship bond between husband and wife.

We see an alternative stereotype with the Kamal family and how they are supposed to be immigrants and 2nd generation immigrants who are seen as a bit of an enemy in some racist parts.



1) Who is the parent company for Kudos?

Endemol Shine Group

2) What was the breakthrough show for Kudos in 2002?

Spooks



3) Watch the showreel on the Kudos website. What other TV dramas have Kudos produced? What awards have they won?

Apple Tree Yard- this got critical acclaim from the Telegraoh
Broadchurch
Gunpowder
Tin Star - Hollywood reporter loves this
Troy - partnership with Netflix


4) What audience pleasures does the showreel suggest Kudos productions offer? 

They create a lot of Personal relationship and identity ones such as the romance and the detectives one. There is also a lot of diversion with Troy and the 'orange shirt'
1) How does the programme information on page 3 make Capital sound interesting to audiences?

 there are stories bursting with piercing and funny observations on modern life and urban existence, of ordinary people who find themselves caught and changed by a city at a time of extraordinary flux. 

2) Why does the programme information mention the other shows that the director and producer have worked on?

Directed by Euros Lyn (Happy Valley, Last Tango In Halifax), Capital is a 3x60 produced by Kudos for BBC One. Executive producers are Derek Wax (The Hour, From There To Here) and Peter Bowker (Marvellous, From There To Here) for Kudos and Lucy Richer (Marvellous, The Casual Vacancy) for the BBC. It is produced by Matt Strevens (Cucumber, An Adventure In Space And Time). 

3) Who commissioned Capital for BBC?

Charlotte Moore, Controller of BBC One and Ben Stephenson, Controller of BBC Drama.

4) Read the interview with Toby Jones. What does he say about the character of Roger?

What really attracted him to the part was that he’s a very well educated, functioning human being on one level, who has obeyed the rules and earned a lot of money, but on another level something is happening to him internally that he doesn’t have the language to articulate. 

5) Read the interview with Adeel Akhtar (page 10). What does he suggest Capital says about the fictional Pepys Road and the sense of community (or lack of it) in London?

Some people feel ostracized from the society. They feel like they don’t belong and are on the outside looking in. Capital looks at that concept and also that they are all part of something bigger than themselves.

6) Read the interview with Shabana Azmi (page 12). What does she say about Asian representations in Britain? 

The street is like a 'global village;. There is so much diversity in one small part of the word that she feels like the world is shrinking.

7) Read the interview with Peter Bowker (who adapted Capital - page 14). What are his favourite scenes in the drama and why?

 Christmas morning where Roger has been abandoned and left to look after his two 15 children is one that Euros (Director) has done brilliantly. Roger realises that his life is changing but it’s done with such comedy! It is one of those glorious Basil Fawlty moments where the farce is working at one level and the emotional farce is working at another. I also love the Kamals’ chaotic family meals. They are quintessentially archetypal family scenes that everybody lives through, but played with great comedic panache. And when Bogdan the Polish builder talks to Matya the Hungarian nanny about the affluent Londoners they are working for, it’s fascinating. Capital has a wonderful scale but is all about the minute observations of human nature

8) Read the interview with Derek Wax, the Executive Producer for Kudos (page 16). Why did he produce Capital and what does it say about the way we live now?

He says that the obsession with property, the fact that London house prices have risen extraordinarily, has only intensified the sense of a society of haves and have-nots. Your home becomes the thing by which you are defined at some level, and in Capital we go from Bogdan's bedsit to Petunia's home untouched for 60 years, to Roger and Arabella with their multiple homes and constant refurbishment, which is a fascinating way of entering the psychology of these characters
1) How does the packaging use other critically acclaimed TV dramas to promote Capital?

You have the boxes of other characters which is like EastEnders?? (Never watched it) 

The critical comments present Capital as a drama that is worth watching through things like 'compelling portrait of modern Britain'

2) What does the use of design and images suggest to the audience about the drama?

They use 'someone wants what you have' which shows how the tagline can hook the audience. The skyline of London cements that this is a state-of-the-nation drama.

3) How are review quotes used on the cover and what do they suggest to the audience about sub-genre, narrative and audience pleasures?

This suggests that it's a state-of-the-nation drama as well as a crime inspired drama. The box suggests that this will be a multi strand narrative as there are a lot of people on the cover and they are separated by these black boxes - symbolising division.

4) What representation of London does the DVD packaging offer?

As I mentioned before, the silhouette of the skyline of London shows how the city is quite a bleak place - thus reinforcing Capital being a state-of-the-nation drama. The black and yellow colour scheme reminds me of a black cab which is a staple of classic London imagery.

Introduction to TV drama

1) What is serial television drama? Write your own definition.

A TV show containing certain dramatic signifiers that make it both tense and a mix of emotions for the viewers.
2) List five of the TV dramas discussed in the history of the genre on page 1 of the factsheet. How has the genre evolved over time?

Doctor Who, Hill Street Blues, Dallas, Knots and Landing. These changed the shape of TV drama as they introduced series and episodes, which is now a standard feature of TV dramas.

3) List the sub-genres of TV drama featured in the factsheet. Come up with your own example of an existing TV dramas to fit each category.

Deutschland 83 - costume drama
Call the midwife - period drama
science fiction - Doctor Who
Family - Suite life on deck


4) Why is setting so important for TV drama?

It establishes a sense of identity for the series and we are usually known to associate the time period and the background of the identity of the main characters.
5) How do TV dramas typically use character? What audience pleasures can be linked to character in TV drama? (Hint: Uses & Gratifications theory!)

They use characters to provide personal identity and relationships, this theory, from Blumler and Katz, lets us know if we are supposed to make a positive or negative connection with the characters.
6) What is a multi-strand narrative? Give an example of a TV drama that features a multi-strand narrative.

A multi strand narrative is a media text where there are smaller individual narratives within the drama itself, an example of this is The Wire, where we get an insight to a lot of peoples experiences.
7) What is a cold opening?

A cold opening is when the film starts playing before the credits are shown - around two minutes into the film. This is very popular in TV drama.
8) How can Todorov's theory of equilibrium be applied to TV drama serials?

At the start, it could be a disequilibrium or a equilibrium and then a problem would occur or would be solved so that it could restore to a new equilibrium at the end of the series or episode.
9) What is the typical form for TV dramas and how are the programmes typically distributed to an audience?

They are usually in one hour episodes and they are distributed in weekly or daily allotments.
10) How have subscription channels (such as HBO) and streaming services (such as Netflix and Amazon Prime) changed the form and content of TV dramas?

They make it less accessible for a wider majority of viewers to see a big range of shows, leaving specialised channels in a position to make more money as they get more exclusive deals and opportunities.

11) Choose a TV drama and do your own analysis of it using the SETTING / CHARACTERS / NARRATIVE / FORM headings as featured on page 3 of the factsheet.

Deutschland 83

Setting- 
As this is set in a fictionalised version of 1980s East and West Berlin - this is extremely vital to the plot and context of the drama.

Characters - 
The characters are in the form of a costume drama style. They all wear time specific clothing and the non-digetic songs are of that period. They also speak the language of that country.
Narrative
This, I think, has a multi-strand narrative as there are two or more stories that are going on at the same time. This is also and example of an arc narrative - where the last episodes ties all the last 7 episodes. Episodic narratives are a small part that makes up this arc.

Form

This film was distributed in 2015 where it didn't take off in Germany as expected. This, however, was an absolute hit in the UK and US. It took off in 2016 and 2017 where it was premiered on the PSB Channel 4 and was then available on Amazon Prime in 2018.

12) How might the TV drama genre evolve in future?

I think there will continue to be more and more sub-genres. We can apply Schatz's genre theory to this as there will be a time where some dramas are parodied and then reconstructed to start again or to make another genre. This will happen in around 30-40 years time.