Description
Book Synopsis What do Euphoria, Normal People, Atlanta, Ramy, Vida, I May Destroy You, Stranger Things, and Lovecraft Country have in common? In the 2016-2020 time period they were created, these TV shows exemplified one (or more) of four noteworthy trends: authenticity, diversity, sexual candor, and retrospection.
This is the first book to examine live action, fictional television shows produced within a five-year period through the lens of the trends that they epitomize. For each show, the following is discussed: the significance of the platform and the format; the intentions of the creators and showrunners; pertinent background information; similar shows and precedents; the storytelling approach; the cinematic form; and finally, how the show is emblematic of that particular trend. Since trends have the possibility of becoming part of the mainstream, they are important to identify as they emerge, especially for viewers who have a keen interest in narrative television
Trade Review
“The authors provide new content for scholars, researchers, and fans of American popular culture. This book would also appeal to scholars and journalists researching and writing stories on television.” - Joshua K. Wright, Ph.D., author of Empire and Black Images in Popular Culture
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- I. Authenticity
- 1. Euphoria: Raw Portrayal of Adolescence in a Teen Drama
- 2. Normal People: Slice of Life Approach in a Coming-of-Age Miniseries
- II. Diversity
- 3. Atlanta: First-Person Comedy-Drama on the Black Experience
- 4. Ramy: First-Person Comedy-Drama of an Arab Muslim Community
- III. Sexual Candor
- 5. Vida: Sex-Positivity in a Drama
- 6. I May Destroy You: Overcoming Sexual Harm in a Drama
- IV. Retrospection
- 7. Stranger Things: Exploring the Eighties Through Genre TV
- 8. Lovecraft Country: Exploring Our Racist Past through Genre TV
- Chapter Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
