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Television Drama

Rob Miller | Friday January 18, 2019

Categories: Codes & Conventions

Sub Genres

Television Drama is a broad area of study covering a range of sub genres and even genres that would be considered to be a category of their own with their own codes and conventions. Some texts cross over different sub genres e.g. 24 is Crime Drama and Action Adventure. A generic, comprehensive list includes:

  • Period Drama | Emma, Downton Abbey, The Tudors, Mildred Pierce
  • Crime Drama | The Wire, Luther, Life on Mars / Ashes to Ashes, Inspector George Gently, Jerry Bruckheimer’s Chase, CSI, NCIS, 24, New Tricks, Hustle, Bones, Dexter, Cold Case
  • Science Fiction | Torchwood, Doctor Who, Life on Mars / Ashes to Ashes (arguably), Primeval
  • Medical Drama | Holby City, Casualty, Scrubs, House, ER, Doc Martin
  • Teen Drama | Skins, OC, 90210, Waterloo Road
  • Melodrama / Soap Opera | Hollyoaks, Eastenders, Coronation Street, Footballer’s Wives and Hotel Babylon borrow from the conventions of Melodrama
  • Political Drama | West Wing, Spooks (Spy Drama), The Kennedys
  • Comedy DramaShameless, Trollied (although arguably a SitCom)
  • Action/Adventure Drama | Lost, 24

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