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American TV Serials (series relying on a continuing plot) are a popular phenomenon, which has earned lively comment in Germany feuilleton. Among others, the serials produced by HBO, but also AMC have triggered partly enthusiastic responses, with a few warning voices. Terms like "qualitiy television" and "the 21st century form of the novel" attest to the hype. In this seminar we will study the phenomenon "serials" from two perspectives: 1) What is the form/format of the serial? How do serials engage viewer attention? How do we, as viewers, respond to the format? Which possibilities and limits does the format have? 2) In which way do the four serials in focus (The Wire, The Sopranos, True Blood, Mad Men) reflect American culture in the first decade of this century? How do they deal with questions of race, class, gender, sexuality, body, crime, identity, belonging etc. Viewing/Reading: - Before the class starts in April, please immerse yourself in one, or several of the serials for this class: Try to watch at least one season (all serials are available for viewing in the media center of the Fakultät; you can also get them in some video rentals). A key text in class will be the essay "Narrative Complexity in Contemporary Television" by Jason Mittell (The Velvet Light Trap 58 (Fall 2006: 29-40), which you can find in the moodle classroom (key: BonTemps).
- A reader with texts to be read for class will be available at "Sprintout", Georgenstraße, S-Bahn Bogen 190. Texts will also be uploaded on Moodle.
Requirements: Active participation is part of the requirements for this class (which presupposes 75% attendance)! Students will prepare one session in a group with the instructor. The MAP for the module consists in the creation of a Powerpoint Presentation on one episode/serial. Registration through Agnes. Please register also in the e-learning platform Moodle. As a password use "BonTemps". In Moodle you will find the syllabus for the class. |
