‘Ashes to Ashes’ is a BBC produced drama series and a spin-off series of ‘Life on Mars’. The last episode of season one has been aired a few weeks ago. Some people may claim ‘Ashes to Ashes’ is a science fiction series others may say it is a police drama series.
This essay will examine if it is maybe a hybrid of several television genres. Therefore it will explain first how a genre is defined and will take Steve Neil’s and Graeme Turner’s point of view into account. Steve Neil is a professor for Film Studies at Exeter University and author of several books about genre. Graeme Turner is Professor of Cultural Studies and Director of the Centre for Critical and Cultural Studies at the University of Queensland, Australia.
Following this discussion this essay will concentrate on ‘Ashes to Ashes’ and whether it confirms the genre of police series and science-fiction series. In order to confirm this, the essay will compare both genres and show the similarities and differences. In addition, it will argue that ‘Ashes to Ashes’ is not only a genre hybrid, further, it is a hybrid between series and serial.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Genres and their hybridization
- Essential features of genres
- Genre Hybrids
- Series vs. Serial
- Television Police Series
- Early British Police Series
- Development and Narrative Structures
- Television Science Fiction Series
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay aims to analyze the television series "Ashes to Ashes," examining whether it fits neatly into established genres or functions as a hybrid. It will explore genre definition using the perspectives of Steve Neale and Graeme Turner, comparing and contrasting the conventions of police dramas and science fiction series. The essay will also consider "Ashes to Ashes" as a hybrid of series and serial narrative structures.
- Genre definition and its application to television
- Analysis of "Ashes to Ashes" as a genre hybrid
- Comparison of police drama and science fiction conventions
- Examination of series and serial narrative structures
- The evolution of television genres and audience preferences
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The Introduction sets the stage by introducing "Ashes to Ashes" and posing the central question of its genre classification. It then outlines the essay's approach, which involves defining genre and analyzing "Ashes to Ashes" in comparison to established conventions.
The chapter on Genres and their hybridization discusses genre theory, particularly Neale's process-based understanding of genres, highlighting the interplay between expectations, existing examples, and genre conventions. It differentiates between genre hybrids (e.g., "ER") and hybrids of series and serial narrative structures, using examples to illustrate the distinctions.
The section on Television Police Series traces the evolution of the genre in British television, from early shows like "Dixon of Dock Green" to later, more complex series. It outlines the core elements of police dramas and their narrative structures.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Television genres, genre hybridity, police drama, science fiction, series, serial, narrative structure, "Ashes to Ashes," Steve Neale, Graeme Turner, genre conventions, British television.
- Quote paper
- Andrea Struzyna (Author), 2008, A new genre hybrid? The BBC Television Show "Ashes to Ashes" between serial and series, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/119264
