LFTVD contexts

LFTVD contexts:

Social- gender roles, gender, racial/ethnic inequalities on tv programmes. Understanding the influence of social anxieties (terrorism and security)/ contested social values on tv.

Stranger Things- Episode reflects 1980’s family and gender relations, set in white spielburgan house- the mother tries to keep family together, dad is absent, young boys are fierce and Nancy anti-stereotypically excels at science while fitting in stereotypes as a teenage girl. Social anxieties of scientific experiments.

The Killing- Episode reflects socially-contested genders and racial relations. The police management and politicians are male (patriarchal power) but narrative follows a female protagonist as a detective. Theis and Pernille are represented as equal partners but it’s the dad who goes out and looks for Nanna. Social anxieties about protecting children.

Cultural-  influence of national cultures and representations of social groups, events and individuals within those- cultural change and domestic conversations.

Stranger Things- episode shows influence of the cultural icon of the American small town community developed  by Hollywood cinema in 1980’s. This representation has global recognition.

The Killing- specifically contains Danish representations- rivalry with Sweden and nature of Danish politics  but the crime narrative is of global resonance.

Historical- The influence of key historical events on tv, such as 9/11 and the ‘war on terror’ and how this affected the American physce.

Stranger Things- the “Enemy within” and random attacks on the innocent. The unregulated, secret response of the government.

Political- attitudes to politics on tv and how tv can reflect, reinterpret and amplify national political institutions. Knowledge and understandings of the need for an audience to have political knowledge.

Stranger Things- episode reflects anxiety about the power of the central state in relation to the local community – shadowy world of possible sinister enforcement agents (all powerful secret state) but the local police are represented in a more humanized way and are lazy until forced into action. These stereotypes may be created to represent 1980 films.

The killing- episode reflects a cynical view of spin-driven politics and represents two separate worlds within the same society- family life and politics. It contains conspiracy/competition and values of caring. Series requires some sort of understanding of Danish politics.

Economic- influence of high budgets on flagship tv programmes- the opportunities for character development in high budget programmes allows for more complex, individualized 3D characterization rather than stereotyping. Also may show the difference between production budgets in US TV dramas and European tv dramas and their sources of funding and how it can influence representations through choices of programme makers.

Stranger Things- episode reflects the continuing success of streaming services such as Netflix who need to maintain the brand with innovative and original programming.

The killing- episode reflects the economic context of a small publically-owned  national broadcaster that can only finance one long form drama every season in cooperation to other European tv producers- requires the drama to be popular.