We are going to discuss anthology series as homework for this week, reviewing the material we will discuss in class. Choose one of the two following topics and discuss. PLEASE DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH TO SUPPORT YOUR DISCUSSION.
1. In class we viewed an early Philco Television Playhouse drama. Why is there no such equivalent anthology series today on television? Am I wrong in saying that? What are the benefits and problems of such a series? Finally, consider if shows like Dr. Horrible are a modern anthology series (or the start of one). Below is the first part of Ernie Barger is 50.
2. Rod Serling made his career using the anthology series. His most famous anthology series was the Twilight Zone. The link below provides full episodes of the landmark series
http://www.cbs.com/classics/the_twilight_zone/
I don't want to mention auteurs as much in this particular medium, but is Serling an Auteur, maybe the first true auteur in television? Does drama lend itself more to auteur creators than comedy? Discuss.
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it seems lie sterling was a joss whedon of his time. He wrote smart, kinda of nerdy dramas that, while haveing a loyal fan base, never got good ratings and were eventually cancelled. I would imagine, if he over saw every show and nothing made it through without his approval, that would definatly be an atuer, even if the original words were created by someone else. you could draw the comparison with a photographer who might not have created the picture, saw that it was of merit and changed it slightly to emphasis it, with contrast and angles and what have you. i wouldn't say that drama lends it self to the auture, just that it is easier to get away with there not being one in comedy. drama by definition requires a plot and plots are generally done better with a single mind behin everything. on the other hand, so long as the comedy is funny, people couldn't care less wheter the what the acters are saying is out of character in a comedy
ReplyDeleteSo I've never gotten around to watching the twilight zone before, so I just watched the episodes: "It's a Good Life", "Nightmare at 20 000 Feet", and "What You Need." They're really fun, and after doing some more research on Rod Serling, I would totally consider him an Auteur. I don't think that drama lends itself more to auteur creators than comedy any more than classical music vs jazz. They're obviously by definition just different genres, and any art form can have a single driving mind behind it. Judd Apatow would be a great example of a comedic auteur.
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