Task 1 Revision clips and questions

You need to know very detailed information about existing TV dramas for Task 1 of the exam.

The following clips and questions will help with your preparation for this crucial task.

Research & Revision



Stranger Things

1) Watch the whole of the opening 8 minutes of Stranger Things. (If you have Netflix at home, watch the rest of episode 1.)



2) Read this Stranger Things Wikipedia entry to get some background to the show. How many seasons and episodes have there been? How long is each episode?

3) How does Stranger Things meet the conventions of TV drama: ensemble cast? Stock characters? Story arcs? Episodic narratives? Enigma and tension? Realism?

4) What would be the sub-genre of TV drama that Stranger Things best fits into?

5) What audience pleasures are provided by Stranger Things? Why do audiences love it? Use media theory here - Uses & Gratifications theory and the 3 Vs.

6) What unusual or particularly effective marketing techniques have been employed by Stranger Things and Netflix to generate interest in the show?



Waterloo Road

1) Watch the whole of Waterloo Road - Season 1, Episode 1:

 


2) Re-read this Waterloo Road Wikipedia entry and write down the number of seasons and episodes broadcast and the channels they have appeared on. 

3) How does Waterloo Road meet the key conventions of TV Drama: ensemble cast? Stock characters? Story arcs? Episodic narratives? Enigma and tension? Realism?

4) Write down three storylines (or narratives) from Waterloo Road - note which season the storyline appeared in. They can be from the first episode above or from the clips below:

• Lenny's Dilemma Series 10
• Justin Snaps Series 10
• There are clips from all series' of Waterloo Road also available here: Waterloo Road all clips

5) Why might audiences have enjoyed Waterloo Road?


Doctor Who

1) Re-watch these extracts from the classic Doctor Who episode 'Blink' when the Doctor was played by David Tennant during series' 2-4:

 

 


2) Read the opening of this Wikipedia entry for Doctor Who and make notes on why the show is so popular.

3) Now read this Wikipedia entry for the episode above - 'Blink'. Why is 'Blink' considered to be one of the best Doctor Who episodes ever?

3) List the key conventions of TV Drama that you can find in Doctor Who.

4) Write down three storylines (or narratives) that have moments of Enigma or tension - note which season the storyline appeared in. They can be from the earlier episodes (such as 'Blink' above) or from the Matt Smith series 6 that we have watched this week. 

The following clips are from Doctor Who - The Impossible Astronaut:

5) What audience pleasures are provided by Doctor Who?

Revision pack and useful links

Ms Fowler has created a range of excellent resources to help prepare you for this exam. Use the following to help you:

Revision pack
Use this revision pack at home or in Study Club to help prepare for the upcoming PPE. It has brilliant tips on how to approach each question and what you need to create and revise before the exam. 

Guidance on exam structure
This blogpost on exam structure will remind you of what each task could involve and the different things you need to prepare for.

Example Task 1 paragraph for Stranger Things
This example of how to structure a Task 1 answer is useful in terms of what the examiner is expecting in the exam.

CEEA paragraph structure
If you're not sure on the CEEA paragraph structure you can get an introduction to it here.

Institution: Public service broadcasting

Public service broadcasting is an important aspect of the institution key concept for TV drama.

Public service broadcasting refers to TV channels that are designed for public benefit rather than just to make money. 

The media regulator Ofcom requires certain TV and radio broadcasters to show certain programming as part of their license e.g news, documentary, sport etc. 

All of the BBC's television and radio stations have a public service remit. Indeed, the BBC is the best example of public service broadcasting. It was set up in 1922 with a famous mission statement it retains to this day:

“To inform, educate and entertain.”

The license fee

All BBC content (and some of Channel 4’s funding) is paid for by the License Fee, which costs £147 a year. 

You need a TV Licence to:

- watch or record live TV programmes on any channel

- download or watch any BBC programmes on iPlayer – live, catch up or on demand.

Some politicians want to scrap the license fee and change the BBC’s funding model.

Public service broadcasting: blog task

Complete the following tasks on TV drama and institution:

1) What is the difference between public service broadcasting and commercial broadcasting?

2) What type of TV programme does each of the following channels usually offer: 

BBC1

BBC2

ITV1

ITV2

Channel 4

Channel 5

3) Choose three of the channels above and find a TV drama that is broadcast on that channel that you feel represents the type of channel it is. Embed a clip or trailer in your blog and explain why it fits the channel it is broadcast on.

Example: BBC1

Doctor Who is the perfect fit for BBC1 as it is a long-running, much-loved mainstream series aimed at a family audience. It has been running for over 50 years and is considered a national treasure in the UK. It is generally quite innocent, family-friendly and features highly regarded British actors.

Make sure you've also completed the last work on institution - Netflix and the impact of new/digital media on TV.