Essay Genres of Netflix Originals – Hollywood Aesthetics – Essay Writing – Arts & Humanities Assignment Help

Assignment Task

Choose one of the following essay questions. Your essay MUST contain a clear argument.
1. ‘Netflix, through its promotional discourse, has played a vital role in redefining the medium of television, in part by aligning its recent entry into original programming
with the idea of quality television’ (Chuck Tryon). To what extent do Netflix Originals align with the category of ‘quality’ or ‘prestige’ television? How might the different
genres of Netflix Originals symbolise ‘quality’ in different ways? In answering this question, compare Ozark with one other Netflix Original program of your choosing
OR with one ‘quality’ television program from network television (especially, but not limited to, programs aired on HBO or AMC).

2. ‘Many web series deviate from Hollywood aesthetics to produce stories fractions of the length of traditional television. Yet, like in corporate television and film, heterosexual, middle- and upper-class white men overwhelmingly produce the most visible and profitable productions in the online video market, which tend to be
ideologically heteronormative, even misogynistic’ (Aymar Jean Christian). To what extent do web series subvert the norms of ‘Hollywood aesthetics’ and ‘traditional television’? Are web series so dissimilar from other forms of streaming television today, as regards issues of style and/or representation? In answering this question, focus on either: High Maintenance OR Awkward Black Girl OR Broad City (all web series) in comparison to either one web series of your choosing OR one Netflix streaming series of your choosing that is not featured on this unit.

3. ‘…as transnational broadcaster, it is imperative for Netflix to produce texts with a transnational appeal. The transnational market precedes any notions of a national market or the concept of cultural exports’ (Mareike Jenner). How do non-English language programs produced and/or distributed by Netflix appeal to both ‘global’ and ‘local’ audiences? In its ‘global’ offerings, how does Netflix balance elements of cultural specificity with recognisable genres and storylines to attract a transnational audience? In answering this question, focus on either Club de Cuervos OR Bablyon Berlin, as well as one non-English language series of your choosing available on Netflix.

4. ‘…whereas reality programming has enjoyed great commercial success over the last two decades on television, feature-length documentary has been underutilized and underappreciated as a genre’ (Sudeep Sharma). How has Netflix capitalised on existing interest in reality television? How has the streaming service generated large audiences for its documentary series? In answering this question, you may choose to focus on either documentary OR reality television, but you may also compare the two genres. Focus on either A Shot in the Dark OR Chef’s Table AND one other documentary or reality program of your choosing, from Netflix or elsewhere.