Episodic

(alternative structure to the 3 act-play)

In a network television series, there are usually 22 episodes through out a season. Each episode uses the same characters and locations but addresses a different story each week. These stories can be totally independent of each other. In the classic comedy series Seinfeld, for example, Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer live in a small apartments, eat at Monk's restaurant and work in Manhattan. Each week they face a new set of problems that are completely different that those of the week before.

It does not matter how petty or absurd the problems may seem to the audience. They are seen as indeed problems to the characters; and they are required to move the story.

Some problems are larger problems/issues that might carry over from previous episodes. Some problems/issues are specific to each show. Can you think of examples of such overlapping elements in Seinfeld?

... the interchange between small stories and large stories in a television series are a good example of using alternatives to the 3-act play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Krawczyk and Novak