
Today, we are truly spoilt for choice with various streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ vying for our money and our time. With Apple TV+ snapping up the talent of Spielberg to revive his anthology series, Amazing Stories, and their attempt to snare JJ Abrams with a $500m deal shows just how serious television has become over the years. Is it any wonder why there’s been a lot of talk about the declining cinema admissions? Make no mistake, COVID-19 is not solely to blame for this. Cinema admissions have had a rough time of late, stagnating over the last 20 years, but is still a far cry from the all-time high post-war. With the recent news of Cineworld closing its doors after further delays to releases, the current pandemic could be the catalyst for studios to make changes on how they distribute content in the future.
Tenet struggled to get audiences back into the cinema, though it did fare a great deal better than Disney’s attempt to fleece audiences with Mulan, insisting you not only sign up to their platform, but then pay a premium to watch it also. Now they’re charging another $30 for those without a subscription much to the dismay of those that signed up initially to watch it a few weeks back. If you’re really eager to watch a film whose 'family friendly' company filmed next to a concentration camp, then you could wait to watch it for free on their platform on December 4th.
With both of these films costing their studios north of $200m each, could this signal the end of tentpole budget sized blockbusters? Disney release on average 12 ‘pre-sold’ films per year, all of which have sizeable budgets – if they’re unable to collect on their ROI then surely something has to give.
Examples of long form dramas are Big Little lies, Stranger Things, Deutschland 83, Better Call Saul and Snowpiercer. Their conventions involve a series of 8 to 10 episodes with each lasting roughly 45 minutes. A main narrative thread runs through each episode before concluding at the end of the series. Each episode will end on a cliff-hanger of sorts to leave the audience wanting more. Whereas typical dramas have standalone stories and can run for 24 episodes a series – think NCIS, Bull and my favourite, Quantum Leap.

What makes a great long form drama? The way a story is told can affect our enjoyment and experience of the drama – who we see and what’s said of various groups can provide certain messages and values, which are then reflected in our own behaviour.
NARRATIVE
The structure within long form dramas tend to be complex, involving multiple narrative strands and storylines told at the same time. This is important because each strand will have its own characters, and with more characters there’s an increased chance someone is able to relate as per Gauntlett’s Identity theory (read part 2).
There are two structures we’re familiar with – linear and fragmented narratives. Firstly, linear narratives have clear beginning, middle and end. They follow a chronological timeframe where each action leads on to another until its conclusion. The main benefit of a linear story is it’s easier to follow. However, this could be to the dramas detriment in that it can become predictable and plodding in its execution. These structures tend to appeal to a more mainstream audience whereby a producer wants to engage as wide a group as possible. As touched upon, the downfall of such programming is that it can become formulaic. These dramas will rely more so on characterisation and genre to help it to standout from others.
A fragmented narrative on the other hand is one where its narratives are disjointed and don’t necessarily follow a chronological order. Instead, flitting back and forth in the form of flashbacks and flashforwards. It’s a technique that can help tell of parallel storylines within the same episode. These types of structures help to engage and challenge the audience to be more active, affording them opportunities to piece together the story as it unfolds much like a puzzle. These structures help writers to flesh out and develop characters, piecing together plot points in a disrupted order to replicate how our own mind works.
Consider your favourite long form drama, how does the structure help you to engage more so with it? Does the narrative unfold in chronological order or is it fragmented?
When considering the type of narrative there are two kinds – restricted and omnipresent. The former explores how we view the story through the mind of just one character. We discover new things as and when the protagonist does and are not privy to details they are not familiar with until things are revealed to them. A restricted narrative works wonderfully for crime related dramas and mysteries, luring us into the story through the investigator as they navigate their way through a labyrinth of deceit before uncovering truth and often surprise. An issue with this could be that slow-burning stories could lose its audience.
An omnipresent narrative is an all-seeing view of the world explored through multiple characters, helping the audience to see the story through several contexts. These narratives appeal to audiences who want to stay one step ahead of the characters on display as though we are the main focal point. We feel as though we are being treated and as such experience a sense of satisfaction. In addition, tension is accentuated when we are privy to information our protagonists are not, and so when action leads to another, we are on edge knowing a collision is about to occur.
With each episode of long form dramas, it’s important to feature open endings. In film, open endings can be frustrating because you don’t know if there will be a sequel to offer us closure. Long form dramas on the other hand invite the audience to continue watching. Open endings indicate a continuation to the story and the audience will stay the course in search of gratification to find out the resolution. Therefore, cliff-hangers at the end of each episode is a common feature of the format.
There are various academic ideas on narrative that help writers to explore messages for audiences to take in. Todorov focused on structures which featured stories told in chronological order. The resolutions to these stories would often demonstrate arcs whereby its ending would involve a better world than they way the narrative began. It’s the messages within these endings that audiences are aligned with as a direct result of its chosen structure.
https://cinnamon.video/watch?v=397487165367387265
Example used in the video can be applied to LFTD
Another theorist, Strauss argued that stories are structured around oppositions. When applying his theory, the audience is able to better understand the ideologies of the producer based on conflict between characters driven by themes such as good and evil.
https://cinnamon.video/watch?v=387299598646904126
Example used in the video can be applied to LFTD
GENRE
One of the key ideas about genre is that it is formed based on the repetition of codes and conventions in media products. As children we grow up to form an understanding of repeated motifs associated with genre. While not fixed, these conventions evolve over time and can borrow from one another to form hybrids.
Long form dramas are no exception in needing to meet the expectations of audiences. We like to anticipate the familiar aspects of genre or else our interest is lost. However, what is clear is the necessity to update the conventions to sustain the dramas’ appeal to audiences. There is a fine balance between the familiar and the different, as coined by Steve Neale, a theorist of genre. For the economy of the genre to survive, he suggests that difference is essential. This can be made up of several factors including hybridity. For example, Stranger Things looks to borrow elements from the science fiction and horror genre, referring to many films of the 1980s before it. The cultural references play on the nostalgia, attracting an additional audience to the series. It’s not a direct copy, but instead an adaptation to meet the needs of a new generation. This leads to the importance of addressing the attitudes and values of a modern-day audience of the time in which the drama is produced. Without appealing to the sensibilities of today’s generation, it is unlikely for the drama to exist. Therefore, social context in this instance is key – whether you’re addressing post 9-11 themes such as Showtime’s Homeland did with great success, or attempting to address the strong feminist movement of today much in the way HBO’s Big Little Lies or Sharp Objects did with aplomb, long form dramas must look for ways in which they can identify with their audiences by offering them a fresh take on a recognisable genre.
STAR POWER and HIGH PRODUCTION VALUES
Let’s go back and take a look at some of those long form dramas already mentioned – Big Little Lies, Sharp Objects and Homeland. Consider the cast within each of those titles. Recognise the stars? A key feature of long form dramas is its cast. Nicole Kidman, Reece Witherspoon and Meryl Streep of Big Little Lies indicates the importance of having recognisable names attached to each project.
Homeland’s Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin and Damian Lewis pack a punch just as much as the high-profile and 6 times Oscar nominated Amy Adams does in Sharp Objects.
Go through the titles of you favourite long form dramas and consider the names attached to them. How many of them do you recognise? Do a quick search on the films they have appeared in and you’ll find a strength in long form dramas is being able to attract high-profile names to projects. Of course, this comes at a cost, but will be considered worth investing in. To truly appreciate this, the production values for long form dramas are lavish and on some occasions on par with some big budgeted films released in cinemas.

Stranger Things episodes cost anywhere between $8m and $10m – with 8 episodes each, potentially costing each series $80m to produce. And that’s cheap! Compare that to Game of Thrones costing in the region of $15m per episode and soon you’ll see that high production values are important to audiences to ensure they meet the demands of their respective fans. As an audience we are getting the quality of a cinematic production in the comfort of our own home. Disney Plus ratchets up the stakes with production budgets in excess of $150m and up to $200m for each of their series, with each episode of their slate featuring the likes of Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision and Hawkeye costing somewhere in the region of $25m per episode.
In conclusion, we enjoy spending time with these characters and the worlds they inhabit. We get to spend 8 hrs potentially, and see their journey unfold in a more realistic way, as each layer peels away to reveal more about them without the need to rush to get to the end. Often, characters are complex in their moral code, not governed by stereotypical conflicts. They reflect our selves to identify and relate with.
Click here for Part 2 of the series exploring the success of SVoD and Long Form Television Dramas.
What are you favourite Long Form television Dramas? Let me know on Twitter by replying in the thread.
https://twitter.com/BurntEnds88/status/1312709751134920709
Header image by Glenn Carstens-Peters