1. Exam Information
You need to study two television comedies in two different ways, so you can explain:
• How and why they were scheduled on British television
• The audiencepleasures ofthe two programmes
• The exam questions will ask you
• Either to compare the two comedies
• Or to examine one comedy in detail
This means you needto study thecomedies in enough depth to that you can write about one programme in
detail, and you will need to know the similarities and differences between them.
You will need to create two casestudies ontwo comedyprogrammes ofyour choice. It is probably a good idea
to pick two programmes that are:
• Of a different type
• Aimed at different audiences
• On two different sorts ofchannels
• Offering different audience pleasures
Examples: QI and How I Met Your Mother; Have I Got News for Youand Friends; Gavin and Stacey and 8 Out of
10 Cats.
Preparing your Case Studies
Choose programmes you know and enjoy. Follow this 10-point plan for each programme:
1. Watch several episodes oftheseprogrammes so you get a feel for what is repeated and what changes.
2. Find out whatyou canaboutthetwochannels by looking attheir schedules, their channel idents, how they
promote themselves, their websites, and any audience figures you can get for the channel.
3. Decide what you think is the target audience for that channel.
4. Look at the slot the programmes have been scheduled in, and see:
a. What else is scheduled in that slot on different nights
b. What else is scheduled before and after the programme
c. What is scheduled on competing channels at the same time
5. Discuss why you think the programme has been scheduled in that slot.
6. Look at the narrativepleasures ofthe programme –does itoffer narrativeresolution (stories at the end),
identification with characters, rewards for the loyal viewer, etc.
7. Look at the media language pleasures ofthe programme –does it offer fast pace,attractive actors, glossy
style, appealing mise-en-scene, etc.?
8. Look at the form of comedy it offers –is it slapstick, character comedy, black comedy, satire, verbal
comedy, punch lines, flights offancy, etc.?
9. Watch somemoreepisodes ofthecomedy;this is a good idea in itself, but it also provides a number 9,
which leads on to…
10. …Number 10! Practise writing essays comparing two comedies and also writing about one comedy in
detail.
Exam Information
You need to study two television comedies in two different ways, so you can explain:
• How and why they were scheduled on British television
• The audiencepleasures ofthe two programmes
• The exam questions will ask you
• Either to compare the two comedies
• Or to examine one comedy in detail
This means you needto study thecomedies in enough depth to that you can write about one programme in
detail, and you will need to know the similarities and differences between them.
You will need to create two casestudies ontwo comedyprogrammes ofyour choice. It is probably a good idea
to pick two programmes that are:
• Of a different type
• Aimed at different audiences
• On two different sorts ofchannels
• Offering different audience pleasures
Examples: QI and How I Met Your Mother; Have I Got News for Youand Friends; Gavin and Stacey and 8 Out of
10 Cats.
Preparing your Case Studies
Choose programmes you know and enjoy. Follow this 10-point plan for each programme:
1. Watch several episodes oftheseprogrammes so you get a feel for what is repeated and what changes.
2. Find out whatyou canaboutthetwochannels by looking attheir schedules, their channel idents, how they
promote themselves, their websites, and any audience figures you can get for the channel.
3. Decide what you think is the target audience for that channel.
4. Look at the slot the programmes have been scheduled in, and see:
a. What else is scheduled in that slot on different nights
b. What else is scheduled before and after the programme
c. What is scheduled on competing channels at the same time
5. Discuss why you think the programme has been scheduled in that slot.
6. Look at the narrativepleasures ofthe programme –does itoffer narrativeresolution (stories at the end),
identification with characters, rewards for the loyal viewer, etc.
7. Look at the media language pleasures ofthe programme –does it offer fast pace,attractive actors, glossy
style, appealing mise-en-scene, etc.?
8. Look at the form of comedy it offers –is it slapstick, character comedy, black comedy, satire, verbal
comedy, punch lines, flights offancy, etc.?
9. Watch somemoreepisodes ofthecomedy;this is a good idea in itself, but it also provides a number 9,
which leads on to…
10. …Number 10! Practise writing essays comparing two comedies and also writing about one comedy in
detail.
