Genre

Simply put, genre is a way to categorise TV shows. Each television genre has its own themes and storytelling techniques that help audiences quickly figure out what kind of show they’re about to watch and what to expect. Yet, in today’s TV landscape, genre lines are becoming increasingly blurred. As Bill Lawrence notes in his BBC Maestro course, Writing Comedy For Television, “Back in time, you were either a comedy writer or a drama writer.” However, with the emergence of streaming platforms, there’s more creative freedom than ever, leading to a blur of traditional genre boundaries and the birth of innovative new formats.