This module provides students with an understanding of the politics, spaces and histories of TV and film comedy and entertainment and broadens critical awareness of comedy as a TV and film form.
'The Light Programme:' in the first term students will look at the history, development, culture and theories of British light entertainment television. Using a diverse range of 'classic' and modern TV programmes we investigate what we mean by 'light' in entertainment and discuss how it embraces working class phenomena as well as how it engages a set of programmes, old and new. We will also look at the histories and traditions of this format, looking comparatively at a set of global texts.
'Film and Television Comedy:' in the second term we look more broadly at British, American and global forms and traditions of comedy taking in British seaside comedy, romantic comedies, traditions of Black and Jewish comedy and contemporary postmodern film and TV comedies.
On successful completion of the module students will:
The historical development of specific comedy genres, such as romantic comedy in film and situation comedy in television, and how texts, writers, stars and formats have moved between radio and television.
This year long module is taught through a series of weekly two hour lecture/seminars. It will be divided into two sections.. First the module will deal with an exploration of the theories and debates around film and television comedy and the relationship between television, film and radio.
The module and key themes will initially be introduced by lectures. Most of the learning will take place through workshops initially led by the tutor and then led by students.
Students will be expected to undertake a range of activities within taught sessions and by independent study, initially tutor-led and then student-directed. These will include viewings, examination of relevant theoretical material, close textual analysis, library based and on-line research, group presentations, and other workshop activities.
In the second section the module will focus on Broadcast light entertainment television in Britain.
Key themes, issues and light entertainment television texts will be introduced in a weekly two hour lecture which, while being led by the tutor, will also require student participation in class discussion.
Students will be encouraged to engage more fully with the material through class discussion and weekly group tasks, viewings, close examination of critical and theoretical material, presentations and textual analysis.
| Definitive UNISTATS Category | Indicative Description | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | Lectures/workshops | 44 hours |
| Guided independent study | Self guided study | 256 hours |
| Total (number of credits x 10) | 300 | |
The assessment will be two x 2000 word essays worth 50% each. Both parts of assessment must be passed to successfully complete the module. The essays will test an understanding of the module content and a clear and successful engagement with the learning outcomes
| Learning Outcome | Assessment Strategy |
|---|---|
| Demonstrate an understanding of the cultural and historical traditions of television and film comedy and light entertainment. | Assessed summatively by the essays and formatively through in class discussion |
| Discuss the various traditions of comedy and their place in 20/21st Century comedy. | Assessed summatively by the essays and formatively through in class discussion |
| Engage with debates about the key issues of taste, high and low culture, and 'the popular' in television and film, and to ask whether television forms or reflects popular opinion. | Assessed summatively by the essays and formatively through in class discussion |
| Discuss the representation of class, race, gender, 'otherness' and cultural conflict in light entertainment television. | Assessed summatively by the essays and formatively through in class discussion |
| Identify and critically analyse a variety of light entertainment formats, with reference to the audiovisual language and formal qualities of film and television. | Assessed summatively by the essays and formatively through in class discussion |
| Engage with debates about the key issues of taste, high and low culture, and 'the popular' in television and film, and to ask whether television forms or reflects popular opinion. | Assessed summatively by the essays and formatively through in class discussion |
| Demonstrate an awareness of the relationship between TV, radio, film and other media in terms of comedy. | Assessed summatively by the essays and formatively through in class discussion |
| Apply theoretical approaches, including debates around representation and identity, to a range of comedy texts across various media | Assessed summatively by the essays and formatively through in class discussion |
| Draw on appropriate theoretical approaches to explore the relationship between comedy and its audiences. | Assessed summatively by the essays and formatively through in class discussion |
| Description of Assessment | Definitive UNISTATS Categories | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| CWK | 1 x 2000 word essay | 50 |
| CWK | 1 x 2000 word essay | 50 |
| Total (to equal 100%) | 100% | |
It IS NOT a requirement that any major assessment category is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module
Medhurst A. (2006) National Joke Popular Comedy and Cultural Identity. London: Routledge
Wagg, S. (1998) Because I tell a Joke or Two. London: Routledge
Smith, A. and Paterson, R. (1998). Television, an international history. Oxford : OUP
Geraghty, C. and Lusted D. (1997). Television Studies Book. London: Arnold
Neal, S. and Krutnik, F. (199) Popular Film and TV Comedy. London: Routledge.
Jenkins, H. (1992) What made Pistachio Nuts? New York: Columbia
Fiske, J. (1978). Television Culture. London: Routledge
Livingstone, S. (1998). Making Sense of TV. London: Routledge
Allen, R.C. (ed.) (1992). Channels of Discourse Reassembled. London: Routledge