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On September 20, 1968, the first episode of Hawaii Five-O was broadcast on the CBS network, and the show ran for an astounding 12 seasons. On September 20, 2010, CBS revamped and relaunched the program, sticking to the main principles of the original, but adapting it for the current audience. With a gap of 42 years between the two pilots, aspects of pace, storylines, new genre conventions and changes in American culture and society had to be considered, in order to make it as successful to the contemporary society.
This course will examine the development of American TV over the past 40 years. The aim of our sessions will be threefold: first of all, we will take a look at how the American TV landscape changed over the past decades, starting with the dominance of the big three networks in the 1970s, to the current state, in which online content has become the biggest threat to traditional TV broadcasting. Furthermore, we will also study the major genres of TV, including drama and comedy, and analyze how their conventions transformed and intertwined in order to adapt to current audience demands. Finally, we will also look at aspects of American history, culture and society and see how they have been represented ‘on the air.’ All in all, a general introduction to TV studies will be offered, combined with a look at key issues in American society and culture. |
