The term ‘quality’ TV can be difficult to define. Most frequently, journalists have interpreted this, although it can be troubling considering their targeting an audience: urban, middle-class, educated populations with disposable income – a so-called ‘premium demographic’. However, the dynamics change when it comes to DVD box sets and streaming companies: their audience is looking for an ad-free, controllable media experience. Therefore, the term ‘quality’ TV is always situated, depending on a person’s judgement, political, and moral perspective (Jenner, 2018, p. 142).

Mareike Jenner discusses different approaches to ‘quality’ TV and how it can be linked to binge-watching and DVD box sets. Binge-watching, defined as watching numerous episodes of TV series back-to-back, allows a flexible, personalised schedule with more aesthetic narratives, much seen in DVD box sets (Flayelle et al., 2020). Jenner explores ‘quality’ TV in relation to the rise of technology resulting in endless possibilities for higher image quality. Furthermore, she connects ‘quality’ TV with content streaming services created by employing strategies from cinema to develop more aesthetically pleasing imagery, favouring narrative complexity. Another point is how streaming companies are not reliant on advertisement slots, hence can create longer episodes, allowing binge-watching by dropping full seasons at once: the ‘pay-off’ of the show is now at the very end, rather than after each episode (Jenner, 2018, p. 140,-144).

As seen in the example, Dead to Me, a black comedy series about a grieving widow and a kind-hearted woman with shocking secrets, includes several of the points made by Jenner (Dead to Me, 2019). Following a friendship’s development through 30-ish minute episodes with open endings, it uses the tool of revelation to keep us interested and curious enough to press the next episode button. In addition, it is filmed with high-quality shots, has aesthetical visuals, and in opposition to sitcoms, it intertwines more complex jokes and several different genres to its already existing comic relief, with elements of crime and drama being frequently portrayed. With this in mind, I believe Dead to Me can qualifies as ‘quality’ TV (Jenner, 2018, p. 146-147).

By Serine Mikkelsen

References:

‘Dead to Me’ (2019), Season 1. Gloria Sanchez Productions Visualized, Inc. CBS Studios. Available at: Netflix. 

Flayelle, M. et al. (2020) ‘Binge-Watching: What Do We Know So Far? A First Systematic Review of the Evidence’, Current addiction reports, 7(1), pp. 44–60. doi:10.1007/s40429-020-00299-8.

Jenner, M. (2018) Netflix and the re-invention of television. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan.

Netflix (2019) Dead to me Season 1 Trailer (HD) Netflix. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwYBw1raC2o (Retrieved: 27. November 2022)