BBC Television Comedy Case Study

1. BBC Television Comedy Case Study Tuesday 7th May 2013 Unit B322: Textual Analysis and Media Studies Topic

2. Aims & Objectives Why? • Re-cap prior learning of Section B: TV Comedy expectations. • Introduce 1 of the 2 Case Study examples YOU MUST learn for the exam – • Look at some of the key information YOU WILL need to know for the exam such as Institutional output, regulation and Audience reception. • Review the learning. Because you need to know about the inter-relationship between Institution and Audience for this popular genre. YOU WILL also be assessed on your “knowledge and understanding of media products and the contexts of their production and consumption” (A01)

3. Prove what you know already – Starter 3 minutes YOUMUST write down what you think this Television Comedy will focus on based on the image you are about to be shown. Extension: YOUCOULD refer to key concepts such as Narrativeand Representationin your analysis.

5. FEEDBACK

6. Re-cap Exam expectations • Section B is worth 30 Marks out of the 80 Marks available. • There a 2 areas to address within the question provided – for example: • 4 a) and b) - Both are worth 15 Marks EACH • YOU WILL need to know 2 Case Studies from the Television Comedy genre in a lot of detail. • YOU SHOULD be able to use and apply Audience theory and know both Institutions that exhibit both case study examples on their channels – for example: Vs.

7. Re-cap Exam expectations • Therefore knowledge of the following is important for BOTH Case Studies: • HOW they provide similarities and differences in terms of representation and audience pleasure(s) • HOW both texts are successful on the channels they are exhibited on – Do they follow any trends in terms of existing programming on the channel? • HOW they target their intended audience through their scheduling and themes and issues presented.

8. Key Information! • A “Sitcom” that focuses on the Dysfunctional, nuclear, middle class Brockman family, which is set in the familiar setting of the home in London. • Follows a long line of successful BBC sitcoms over the past 40 years – such as Only Fools and Horses and Gavin & Stacey. • Does NOTcontain “Canned Laughter” as a lot of the comedy – an example of ‘difference’ (Steve Neale) in the genre – is improvised. • Contains a lot of Intertextualreferences to other popular sitcoms – for example the 3 part narrative structure (Todorov) is present just as it is in Only Fools and Horsesand has a similar narrative feel in terms of simplicity to the popular American sitcom Seinfeld.

9. Television “Sitcom” Genre • Has become a important component for the BBC institution over the last 40 years, as they will see this as an accessible and popular genre for audiences across a wide range of demographics. • Safe Genre programming – It seems as though the lack of production value connotes how this genre is cheap and lucrative in terms of viewing figures. • ‘Outnumbered’ is conventional in terms it formulaic structure – 30 minute episode; focus on the antagonism of family dynamics; presents a comic ‘disequilibrium’ (Todorov); setting is familiar and themes and issues are exaggerated to engage a predominatly passive audience.

10. Key Information! • Viewing figures (BARB) • On average around 20% of our TV Consumption EACH week came through BBC 1.

11. Key Information! CONTINUED • Weekday programme – Usually on a Thursday • Exhibited at 9pm on BBC 1 (Series 4) but shown slightly later on Dave at 9:30pm – • What is significant about this time for programming & scheduling of TV shows? Watershed

12. Since the BBC’s launch in 1922 it’s remit was to: John Reith (1889 - 1971) “Inform, educate and entertain” How does this ideology apply to the case study example YOU MUST refer to in the exam?

13. John Reith (1889 - 1971) “Inform, educate and entertain” A big Media Institution like the BBC, according to Louis Althusser’s ‘Interpellation’ ideology, have the power to mediateand control the messages and values presented in their programming. For example in Outnumbered they have chosen to ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale) the generic themes and issues of families being dysfunctional and chaotic, yet something to laugh at and with.

14. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00fq31t The BBC have adapted to the current zeitgeist of multi-platform exhibition of TV programming, with VOD(Video On Demand) services such as BBC’s I-Player providing the “catch-up” that fans of the show (and other TV Comedies) crave for. ‘Survivors’ (Maslow) in particular will appreciate the accessibility of consuming the show through an E-Media service, especially those of a younger age as there exposure to new media technologies is something the BBC have had to adapt to before being left behind.

15. The show is also syndicatedout to a commercial TV channel in the form of Dave, a channel that specializes in exhibiting popular comedy and repeat programming to their audience. WHY would the BBC find this option appealing?

16. WHY is this sequence amusing and what “pleasures” do the audience get?

17. FEEDBACK YOU MUST answer the following questions and present your answers in the following format: “Inform, educate and entertain” (John Reith) Is it entertaining and if so WHY? WHAT are they informed of? WHAT are they learning about family dynamics/dilemmas of family life?

18. For Section B of the Exam YOU WILL have to answer 2 questions – 1 of the questions WILL require you to consider how the programme (or text) offers “audience pleasures” Based on your existing knowledge of sitcoms such as YOU MUST: Establish where the comedy comes from based on the clip you have just analysed? HOW does this compare to other sitcoms you are familiar with? WHO would this sitcom appeal to and WHY? YOU SHOULD work in pairs to address EACH of these 3 areas and give specific examples from the text (Verbal, Non-verbal and/or Technical codes) to support your understanding. WE WILL WATCH THE SEQEUNCE AGAIN!

19. FEEDBACK

20. Audience Interaction with The characters professions reflect the BBC’s intentions of providing an accurate ‘window into the World’ (Wendy Helsby) of suburban family dynamics and ‘disequilibrium’ (Todorov) – For example Pete (Hugh Dennis) is a History Teacher and his wife Sue (Claire Skinner) is a part-time personal assistant.

21. Audience Interaction with • Katz’ Uses & Gratifications theory • ‘Personal Identification’ with the characters and the nuclear family environment. • ‘Personal relationship’ with certain characters across a spectrum of different demographics – for example an older audience can form a relationship with Pete and Sue’s battle with their children. • ‘Diversion’ away from their own live and immerse themeselves into the World of the characters. • Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs • ‘Caregivers’ may sympathise with the losing battle of Pete and Sue against their children – this is an example of comic ‘binary opposition’ (Levi Strauss) though. • Richard Dyer ‘Star Appeal’ Hugh Dennis has appeared in other BBC Comedy programming such as the Panel Game shows Mock the Week and Have I Got News For You

22. Audience Interaction with • Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs • ‘Caregivers’ Humiliation and embarrassment are key ingredients for the “Sitcom” genre and are elements of ‘repetition’ (Steve Neale) often seen in other “sitcoms” – Can you tnink of any examples?

23. Audience Interaction with • Audience Reception Theory – Stuart Hall • The audience, according to Stuart Hall, take on a “Dominant position” when consuming a show like Outnumbered – for example they will fully appreciate the natural representation of the family and accept it to extent quite passively. • The audience will NOT(likely) take an “Opposed position” when consuming a TV Comedy like Outnumberedas the characters seem realistic and provide a fair reflection of a typical nuclear family. http://www.slideshare.net/dphillips4363/reception-theory-presentation-833299

24. “A comedy series depicting a slightly dysfunctional middle-class London family in which the kids threaten to dominate the adults” (Storry & Childs – 2013) Can the audience ‘personally identify’ (Katz) with this level of dysfunctionalbehavior?

25. YOU MUST answer this question in relation to what you have learnt today about: • YOU MUST draw upon the areas we have covered today, in particular how the characters, narrative themes and genre codes & conventions provide “audience pleasures” through theory such as: • Katz’ Uses & Gratifications theory • Hartley’s seven subjectivities • Socio-economic needs • Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs • Audience Reception theory – Stuart Hall • YOU SHOULD structure your answer in a clear and logical order and draw upon other theory where relevant – for example the use of ‘star appeal’ (Richard Dyer) and the presence of an actor/comedian synonymous to the BBC and the genre as a whole – what’s his name though and what else is he involved in with the BBC? • You have 15 minutes to answer the question and MUSTbe completed for Homework if incomplete!

26. Useful links for further reading/information on the show http://www.comedy.co.uk/guide/tv/outnumbered/about/ http://media.edusites.co.uk/article/outnumbered-case-study/

27. Prove what you have learnt– Plenary 3 minutes YOUMUST write down 3 things you have learnt about YOUSHOULD refer to theory/key terms/statistics in your answer. YOUCOULD give more than 3 examples!