LFU:online

After successfully completing this course, students will be able to discuss the most important theories and concepts regarding serial narration and publication. They can apply these theories in order to analyze different media’s structures. Furthermore, students can discuss the effects of different kinds of structures and publication methods on the audience. They will demonstrate their knowledge of the subject in their presentations, in their research papers, and most importantly in in-class discussions.

Serial narratives have a long and varied history across different media, reaching back to novels that were published in installments during the early 19^th century to the movie serials and radio soap operas of the first half of the 20^th century. Today’s media landscape is similarly full of serial storytelling, from podcasts like Serial to the film installments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Telltale Game’s series of videogames that feature multiple “episodes”. However, indisputably the most popular and prestigious serial form today is the television series, with cultural phenomena like Game of Thrones or Westworld captivating millions of viewers each season.

This course will highlight the ways in which serial television shows differ from episodic ones, with a special focus on the unique challenges for serial television, due to the need to strike a balance between consistency and innovation. That is how series ensure that they do not alienate longtime viewers by changing their basic format too much, while still providing enough innovation to keep audiences interested.

Some of the areas that will be covered include the importance of paratextual information for serial narration, the special roles that beginnings and endings play for signaling change, as well as the rules for experimenting with set formulas in television. Furthermore, the role of seriality in connection to other important concepts such as prestige or quality television or increasing complexity will be examined. To situate television seriality within a larger cultural framework the history of seriality as well as seriality in selected other media will be discussed.

Lecture inputs, weekly viewings/readings, student presentations, group discussions.

Active class participation, student presentations, writing assignments and/or term paper.

As far as possible, course materials and selected primary and secondary sources will be posted on OLAT.

for the Bachelor Program (612): positive completion of compulsory module 14
for Bachelor Program Lehramt (457): positive completion of compulsory module 16
for the Teacher Training Program (Lehramtsstudium: 344): VO2: Introduction to American Literary Studies

For the Teacher Training Program (Lehramtsstudium: 344): PS2: American Culture.

Due to substantial differences in the allocation of ECTS-Credits in various curricula (teacher training program - BA/MA English and American Studies), the requirements for this course vary. Information will be provided by the instructor at the beginning of the course.