COMM1073 TV CULTURES
Assessment Task 1, Part A: Write about a course screening (or its genre)
BROAD CITY AND CROSSING PLATFORMS
Recently, with the increasing power of the digital age, more and more creators are choosing to start out creating content for online distribution platforms. As traditional television networks start to take notice of their success, an increase in transmedia content has emerged. One of these examples where established web series have been picked up by traditional network TV is Comedy Central’s Broad City.
Broad City, loosely based on writers Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazers’ experiences, is about two twenty-something women and their misadventures while trying to figure life out in New York City. What started out as a series of couple-minute clips on Youtube in 2010 has evolved into a half hour comedy going into its third season on Comedy Central. As a result, the show now exists on multiple platforms as webisodes, network TV episodes, network released extras, as well as web spin offs in the same universe.
The show’s non-stereotypical narrative content and characters are particularly reflective of its origins as a web series; in this way, it distinguishes itself from the typical broadcast “twenty-something friends in New York” sitcom. The two main characters are messy, unpredictable, and unpretentious individuals who are hard to group into typical archetypes. In terms of content, more explicit themes are addressed, with marijuana and casual discussion of sex being a regular occurrence. These are all elements that have roots from the lack of censorship and creative freedom of internet streaming.
Above is a comparison of the first webisode and a clip from Season 2 of the series. It is evident that although the general premise has remained the same, the crossing of platforms has affected the show in terms of production, audience and mode of distribution.
Obviously, having the support and resources of a network leads to a higher production value. The web series had a DIY aesthetic, whereas the TV show clearly has better technical quality and is shot more cinematically. As for audience, the show was able to keep its initial cult following due to the successful translation of its characters and tone to meet TV conventions. In addition, being on a network meant the show became marketed and available to a wider group of people. Hence, whilst the web episodes averaged 200,000 views, the TV show is seen by almost a million people each week.
When adapting the show from web to network, the perhaps the most noticeable change is the length of episodes. On Youtube the webisodes consisted of short unrelated clips in more “slice of life” tidbits, however the move to TV meant the set half an hour long episode length that requires narratively complex material. For example, the first webisode above involves a single two minute segment of just the two main characters encountering a homeless man, while the series clip was part of a more fully formed story with the addition of a recurring cast and multi-episode arcs.
Shows like Broad City are part of a fascinating shift of the television world. It will be interesting to see where the gradual interweaving between online and traditional distribution leads the platform in the future.
References:
1. Berkowitz, J. (2014). How The Creators of “Broad City” Turned Their Web Series Into A TV Show. [online] Co.Create. Available at: http://www.fastcocreate.com/3025672/how-the-creators-of-broad-city-turned-their-web-series-into-a-tv-show/ [Accessed 10 Aug. 2015].
2. Rothman, L. (2014). Broad City: Web Series Becomes a Comedy Central TV Show. [online] TIME.com. Available at: http://entertainment.time.com/2014/01/22/broad-city/ [Accessed 12 Aug. 2015].
