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The House of Cards Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) will often directly
address the audience one of many storytelling devices that have
emerged in television in recent years.
Many have praised contemporary television using cross-media accolades like
novelistic or cinematic. But I believe we should recognize the mediums
aesthetic accomplishments on its own terms. For this reason, the name Ive given to
this shift in television storytelling is complex TV.
There are a wealth of facets to explore about such developments (enough to fill a
book), but theres one core question that seems to go unasked: why has American
television suddenly embraced complex storytelling in recent years?
Television & American Culture
To answer, we need to consider major shifts in the television industry, new forms of
television technology, and the growth of active, engaged viewing communities.
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We can quibble about the precise chronology, but programs that were exceptionally
innovative in their storytelling in the 1990s (Seinfeld, The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire
Slayer) appear more in line with narrative norms of the 2000s. And many of their
innovations season-long narrative arcs or single episodes that feature markedly
unusual storytelling devices seem almost formulaic today.
What changed to allow this rapid shift to happen?
As with all facets of American television, the economic goals of the industry is a
primary motivation for all programming decisions.
For most of their existence, television networks sought to reach the broadest
possible audiences. Typically, this meant pursuing a strategy of mass appeal
featuring what some derisively call least objectionable programming. To appeal to
as many viewers as possible, these shows avoided controversial content or confusing
structures.
But with the advent of cable television channels in the 1980s and 1990s, audiences
became more diffuse. Suddenly, it was more feasible to craft a successful program Genre and Television: From Cop
by appealing to a smaller, more demographically uniform subset of viewers a trend Shows to Cartoons in American
Culture
that accelerated into the 2000s.
In one telling example, FOXs 1996 series Profit, which possessed many of Search... Go
contemporary televisions narrative complexities, was quickly canceled after four
episodes for weak ratings (roughly 5.3 million households). These numbers placed it tsopm odnar
83rd among 87 prime time series.
feeling lucky?
Yet today, such ratings would likely rank the show in the top 20 most-watched
broadcast programs in a given week. Academia Books Complex TV
Copyright Fair Use Fandom Film
This era of complex television has benefited not only from more niche audiences, but Genre MediaCommons Media
also from the emergence of channels beyond the traditional broadcast networks. Politics Media Studies
Certainly HBOs growth into an original programming powerhouse is a crucial Meta-blogging Middlebury
catalyst, with landmarks such as The Sopranos and The Wire. Narrative New Media
Not Quite TV Press Publishing
But other cable channels have followed suit, crafting original programming that Representations Spoilers Taste
wouldnt fly on the traditional Big Four networks of ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX. Teaching Technology
Television TV Industry
A well-made, narratively-complex series can be used to rebrand a channel as a more TV Shows TV Textbook
prestigious, desirable destination. The Shield and Its Only Sunny in Philadelphia Vermont Videogames Viewers
transformed FX into a channel known for nuanced drama and comedy. Mad Men and
Breaking Bad similarly bolstered AMCs reputation. stm
nm
oec tnecer
The success of these networks has led upstart viewing services like Netflix and Christine Geraghty on
Amazon to champion complex, original content of their own while charging a Complex TV has arrived!
subscription fee.
Shannon on 30 Rock
The effect of this shift has been to make complex television a desirable business Comes to Middlebu
strategy. Its no longer the risky proposition it was for most of the 20th century. John Maxwell Hobbs on
Why has TV storytelling
Miss something? Hit rewind become
Questions, Secrets, on
Technological changes have also played an important role. These Questions Need
Answers:
Many new series reduce the internal storytelling redundancy typical of traditional Jason Mittell on I made a
television programs (where dialogue was regularly employed to remind viewers what remix!, or The Wire G
had previously occurred).
blackout on I made a
Instead, these series subtly refer to previous episodes, insert more characters remix!, or The Wire G
without worrying about confusing viewers, and present long-simmering mysteries and
enigmas that span multiple seasons. Think of examples such as Lost, Arrested Kelly on Losts Lingering
Questio
Development and Game of Thrones. Such series embrace complexity to an extent
that they almost require multiple viewings simply to be understood. jameszborowski on D.I.Y.
Disciplinarity (Dis)A
In the 20th century, rewatching a program meant either relying on almost random
reruns or being savvy enough to tape the show on your VCR. But viewing technologies David Alexander Smit on
D.I.Y. Disciplinarity
such as DVR, on-demand services like HBO GO, and DVD box sets have given (Dis)A
producers more leeway to fashion programs that benefit from sequential viewing and David Alexander Smit on
planned rewatching. D.I.Y. Disciplinarity
(Dis)A
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Family movie night: THE BOXTROLLS.
Quite fun and original, but the best
part is the reflexive tag during the
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Local station is disrupting #Hannibal
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