The aim of this module is to examine the representation of gender and sexuality across television narratives of the last 30 years, a period in which television as practice and product has been changing radically. Structured around ten themes – e.g. sex, youth, society, politics, loss, serial killers, doctors, and vampires – each session examines how the representations of gender identities, sexuality, race and class have changed from television’s second golden age to the post-television era.  

The thematic emphasis will be on the ways in which characters perform identities and establish relationships; however, these narrative and audio-visual aspects of content will be framed in terms of the technological and medium-specific parameters in which they unfold. For example, how does televisual seriality impact on the representation of friendships, transformation of identity, or history? How does the transition from flow tv to on-demand, streamed content impact on narrative, and on viewer identification?  

The module will not only examine issues of representation but also question how these narratives reflect and inform social trends across cultures, languages and societies (for example, through transnational movement of television professionals, or international sales and remakes of series). The gender perspective will offer a standpoint from which to reflect on how the reconfiguration of narrative structures and genres contributes to new cultural paradigms and emotional repertoires. For example, how have televisual stardom, neo-auteurism and fandom (re-)shaped, and been shaped by individual and collective identities?  

Finally, the module will deal with developments in production, reception and technology, examining changes in screenwriting and directing practices, and addressing how the transition to digital broadcasting and subscription-based streaming services such as Netflix intensified the transnational flows of TV series and radically changed their consumption.  

The focus of the module is on European and North American television since 1990, with a wider international focus where relevant. 

Delivery Method 

There will be one whole-group session per week of two hours: one lecture-style hour, and one hour of group discussion. Students will also engage online (via moodle ) by keeping a reflective weekly ‘viewing diary’ (via a blog-style forum). Further, there will be regular pre-recorded online content, with the module tutors recording interviews with staff and professionals about their tv-viewing and production experiences. 

Module aims: 

To question how the representations of gender and sexuality across television narratives have changed from 1990 to 2020. 
	To give students an introduction to television studies, with a particular focus on television’s second golden age and the post-television era 
	To examine developments in production, reception and technology. 
	To discuss how the transition to digital broadcasting and subscription-based streaming services intensified the transnational flows of TV series and radically changed their consumption. 
Intended learning outcomes: 

This course will provide students with an in-depth knowledge of representations of gender and sexuality across 

television narratives, from television’s second golden age to the transition to digital broadcasting. 

By the end of the course, students will gain a broad appreciation of the reconfiguration of narrative structures and genres and will have a detailed understanding of developments in production, reception and technology. They will be able to examine changes in screenwriting and directing practices , and in stardom, neo-auteurship, fandom and adaptation practices. The students will have developed their critical and analytical skills to a high standard themselves in the assessed work 