11W MS1 - TV Comedy

1. Download and work through this revision booklet
2. Make sure you know all the audience pleasures and can link them to Friday Night Dinner and Bad Education
3. Read and remember this (especially the bits in pink)
4. Don't forget you need to know about audience demographics
5. Answer the questions on TV Comedy (from page 11)

Research for Scheduling Question (4a)

4. (a) Compare how and why two programmes were scheduled on different channels.

State the day, time and channel of each programme.

• Who commissioned the programmes?
• Who produced them?
• What audience are they aimed at? Why?
• Why are they on at that time and on that channel? Link to 'type' of comedy and target audience. 
• Are they on after the watershed? Why?
• Know the audience demographic

You must know:

1. day 
2. time
3. channel

for both programmes (Friday Night Dinner and Bad Education).

Extension work:

• Research original scheduling (time of broadcast) for both programmes and any subsequent scheduling that may be different. 
• Account for the reasons why the programmes were broadcast on their particular days. If this changed from series to series comment on this too.

Bad Eductaion - Research Task Question 4b

4. (b) Discuss in detail how one programme offers audience pleasures. Give examples from the programme. [15 marks]


Create a ppt which analyses each of the main characters in the series and connects them to the exam criteria. You need to create a slide for each character and include


E - C KNOWLEDGE

Character Name - what can we tell about the character from just their name?
Actor's name - do they have star appeal?
Actor's previous comedy/acting roles and TV station shown - often we like to watch people we 'know' are funny?
Character 'use/gratification' - do we identify with certain characters? 
Character stereotype - can we instantly tell what this character will be like? Why?
Character 'role' in series - how do they help 'tell' the story or move the narrative forward?

Include a range of images


THINKING QUESTIONS TO EXTEND YOUR ANSWERS


C - A GRADE EXPLANATIONS (with prompts)


Do we prefer 'characters' or 'stars'? - Do comedy series need a star or do they make a star?
Do we need to 'identify' with the main characters? - Is it important that we like and recognise ourselves in the character?
Why do we like repetition? - Why do we watch when we know how it will end?
How important are stereotypes?

Scheduling (4a) and Audience Pleasures (4b)

Date and time:

• Wednesday 10th December (period 1)

Task:

• Answer questions 4a and 4b (see posts below for details)

Duration:

• 25 minutes planning
• 30 minutes writing (15 minutes per question)

Bad Education Research

1. What channel is Bad Education initially broadcast on?
2. What other comedies (sitcoms/scripted comedies) does this channel broadcast?
3. What is the target audience for Bad Education? Give three clear reasons for your this.
4. Who are the cast?
5. How do they appeal to the target audience?
6. What shows have the main cast members appeared in before?
7. What time is Bad Education first broadcast?
8. Why do you think it is broadcast at such a time?
9. When is Bad Education repeated?
10. What channels is it repeated on?
11. What is it about the setting of the show that appeals to the target audience?
12. What has the critical reception been? Find some reviews of the show. Are they good, bad or mixed?
13. In your opinion, in what ways is Bad Education 'funny'.
14. What pleasure does Bad Education offer an audience? These might include such pleasures as:

• narrative pleasures such as those of narrative resolution, 
• character identification, snowballing narrative, suspense, comedy, and so on
• pleasures of recognition, familiarity and anticipation
• pleasures of difference-within-repetition
• performance unpredictability and spontaneity
• transgressive pleasures
• specific pleasures associated with performers or personalities.

Year 11 Half Term Homework

• Complete the research into Bad Education.
• Hand your work in on the first lesson back after half term: Wednesday 29th October Period 1