Transnational Television Drama: Special Relations and Mutual Influence Between the US and UK

A history of American and British television drama, this book charts how the two production systems have moved closer together since the 1970s: both observe each other to drive innovation, and both continuously turn to each other to find new markets and new production partners. Although earlier collaborations exist, this increased transnationalisation of US and UK television drama has intensified since the 1970s as the increased number of channels and new technologies such as the internet and cable and satellite have led to stronger competition. Examining genres as diverse as period drama, the mini-series, the super-soaps of Dallas and Dynasty, crime drama and the recent spout of celebrated British and American quality drama, this book investigates how marketing campaigns within the press continually return these dramas into the realm of the nations they represent.

'Perhaps one of the strongest points of this excellent book is the realization that despite many creative, industrial and socialcultural entwinements between the UK and US production cultures their output is, still, perceived, critiqued and marketed as a result of an outdated conception of producing entertainment from within and for a singular national culture.' - Kai Hanno Schwind, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television

ELKE WEISSMANN is Senior Lecturer in Film and Television at Edge Hill University, UK. She is vice-chair of the television studies section of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA). The research presented here culminates work conducted during her employment as research fellow at the University of Reading for the AHRC-funded project 'British Television Drama and Acquired US Programmes, 1970-2000'.

Acknowledgements

List of Abbreviations

List of Figures

Introduction

American and British Television 1970 to 2010

National Specificities and Transnational Success and Failure

Transnational Aesthetic Influences and Performance

The Development of a New Genre

Making Sense of a Transnational Genre: Forensic Science Drama

International Co-Productions and their National Location

Transnational Origins and National Quality: 'American Quality Drama'

Conclusions and Outlook

Notes

Bibliography

Index