Episodic television drama is currently one of the most popular, profitable and variable forms of audio-visual media production. The author of the study focuses on its ability to appeal to people preferring ‘traditional’ modes of reception as well as to media audiences that spend a lot of their free time in the virtual world. New trends in production of dramatic television series and serials refer to importance of multimedia distribution platforms and fully acknowledge social networks as communication and advertising channels that are capable of actively encouraging the emergence and evolution of so-called “institutionalised fandoms”. The text aims to offer a set of theoretical outlines related to post-television era, placing emphasis on “brandcasting”, a term that has been developed in order to thoroughly reflect on processes of television branding which often result in hybrid communication forms merging media content and promotional material. The author also focuses on specific modes of producing, distributing and consuming episodic television drama in the context of so-called “over-the-top” television (OTT TV) or rather “connected” television. The addressed development tendencies are explained through an analysis of successful cooperation between two popular entertainment brands (Marvel Television and Netflix) that is built upon the contemporary ‘boom’ of superheroes and their stories. A basic assumption here is that television drama serials produced by Marvel and exclusively distributed by Netflix can be seen as hybrids of content and promotion which significantly expand Marvel’s global popularity and Netflix’s increasing influence in the sphere of digital media production and distribution.
Reviewed book: RONČÁKOVÁ, T., VANDÁKOVÁ, Z.: Slovenčina v médiách. 111 z najčastejších jazykových chýb v novinárskych textoch. Ružomberok : Verbum, 2020. 293 p. ISBN 978-80-561-0773-7
Most young people living in the world of today do not express much interest in history and historical landmarks. It is therefore quite surprising that specific digital games portraying various historical periods or their alternative, partly fictitious versions might at least raise their players’ awareness of real historical facts and sites. Some of these games have been able to achieve global popularity. The author uses the digital game series Assassin’s Creed (2007 – present day) as an example of a digital gaming environment which features historical fiction merged with real historical events and figures. The aim of the study is to better understand the ways Assassin’s Creed portrays historical landmarks all over the world and bring them closer to the players. The basic assumption is that at least some of the players, here seen as potential “gamers-tourists”, may be interested in finding out more about the depicted historical sites and their true counterparts. Given the aforementioned assumption, our ambition is to discuss the digital game series Assassin’s Creed and its tendency to offer visually attractive virtual re-creations of real historical sites, reflecting on the series’ presumed ability to depict historical landmarks, figures and events in mostly fictitious, but still interesting and eye-catching ways.
In this study, we would like to address the issue of antiheroism in relation to the popular episodic television drama The Boys (Amazon Prime Video, since 2019). The television antihero is discussed quite frequently, but more often in a rather general manner than based on specific case studies. The study outlines the related terminological axis and then applies the individual theoretical frameworks to a specific episodic television drama that presents an axiologically and morally determined conflict between fictional characters of superheroines and superheroes and their counterparts, ordinary citizens, direct or indirect victims of amoral decisions made by people with superhuman abilities. As we believe, applying the given body of knowledge to the selected television drama via a case study allows us to explain the contemporary understanding of antiheroism in relation to fictional characters with superhuman abilities and, at the same time, outline the specific aspects of so-called society of performance on basis of theoretical reflection on the issue, followed by a qualitative content analysis of the episodic television drama The Boys focused on its selected narrative and discursive aspects.
The study focuses on Bohemian Rhapsody (2018, directed by Bryan Singer, later Dexter Fletcher), the biographical drama that reflects on the extraordinary lives and career patterns of the four members of the rock band Queen, predominantly the band’s frontman, Freddie Mercury. Given the fact that this feature film has changed the way we perceive the economic potential of biopics entirely, we offer an overview of some of the reasons why it was so successful in terms of the globalised film industry. The main objective of the study is to outline the biographical drama’s synergistic tendency in relation to the movie industry and the music business. Acknowledging Bohemian Rhapsody’s unprecedented global success, we work with the assumption that certain biographical dramas can, in fact, become globally popular, partly thanks to the fact that they utilise music as a nostalgia-driven narrative tool making portrayals of musicians deeper and more complex. The assumption is addressed via a theoretical reflection on the given topic and through a qualitative content analysis of the biographical drama Bohemian Rhapsody.