What is a TV Drama?

What is it not?

A television drama is not a soap opera - it does not have countless narratives at once and is not on-going ... continuous ....& seemingly never ending...

It is also not a sit com - equilibrium is (not usually) reached at the end of every episode and the characters do not always 'stay in the same place'.

They usually run for a set number of weeks (seaons/series) and are divided into episodes, however there are one off TV dramas (eg 'A short Stay in Switzerland,' starring julie walters on BBC1.) Usually there is an on-going plot throughout the series, with smaller sub plots in each episode. The episodes often end on a cliffhanger, or something huge/shocking or a twist is revelaed at the end to hook the viewer and make them want to watch the next episode. However, this is not always the case. For example in Hustle, equilibrium is always returned to at the end of an episode - i don't remember there ever being a 'long con' taking two episodes. Doctor Who runs on similar principles, as episodes tend to focus on one disaster which usually gets 'fixed' at the end of an episode, though it is more common for Doctor Who plots to run onto two week dilemas.

They are usually fiction, but can be based on literature (Jane Eyre) or based on a true story (A Short Stay in Switzerland).

Tv drama's are also divided into genre:

Costume Drama's - eg BBC, Jane Eyre ... Crime - eg ITV Taggart,

Fantasy- eg BBC Merlin,

Family, eg BBC1 Doctor Who

and many more ...