DC 229 Television Genres
Summary
Course Description: The purpose of this class is to enable students to study scripted television from the professional's point of view. The course involves critical analysis of successful scripted television shows, their narrative structures and themes. Programs of various genres and eras will be examined. Students will learn how to recognize basic structural elements in finished episodes. Students will develop a language with which to discuss television as well as a toolbox of techniques to use when creating television. Key concepts to be discussed include: basic structure, types of shows, genres of shows, character tropes, means of creating and sustaining tension, themes and advancements in form. Students will analyze and discuss some of the most important and influential shows in television history. Students will learn all about the writer-centric form of scripted television, where it's been and where it's heading. Students study serials and procedurals, network and cable shows, principal leads, partnerships and ensembles, comedy and drama, prevalent themes, innovations in content and form, the impact of DVR, and the impact of the internet.
Texts
Text book: The Revolution Was Televised by Alan Sepinwall. Touchstone, reprint edition, May 2013. ISBN-10: 1476739676, ISBN-13: 978-1476739670
Grading
Writing Expectations: There are three 2-4 page Papers and one 6-10 page Final Paper in this course. Papers are expected to be free of spelling and grammatical errors. It's YOUR work, YOU'RE responsible for its clarity. All assignments for this course must be typed and submitted on D2L. NO LATE WORK IS ACCEPTED!
Grading:
Homework: (30%) Breakdown paper, Character Paper, Theme Paper. Midterm: (25%)
Final Paper: (35%)
Participation: (10%) Pop Quizzes
Prerequisites
none
This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter. If a change occurs, it will be thoroughly addressed during class, posted under Announcements in D2L and sent via email.
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Students complete the evaluation online in CampusConnect.
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