Codes & Conventions of the Serial Drama format

• Never ending show, continues indefinitely. This is in contrast to a series, that has a set number of episodes, before gong on hiatus.

• Conventional linear narratives, flashbacks and other subverted narratives are usually very rare

• Aired pre-watershed (prime time TV)

• Deals with day to day family values

• Exaggerated content, often controversial (at least relative to traditional soap conventions)

• Deals with current social issues and narrative themes which are relative to the time (contemporary)

• Usually need to stand out from the crowd, and race to be "first" to include a certain "new" theme (USP) such as Emmerdale who had the first transgender character and Coronation Street who had the first Muslim wedding

• Reoccurring themes such as domestic violence, affairs, weddings, marriage, pregnancy, crime, and as such take advantage of realist narratives

• May use humour, that is often slap-stick in nature

• Star power may occur, relative to the 'soap' genre, such as long standing, returning characters. Peggy Mitchel etc.

• Much lower budgets, and therefore lower production values

• May save budget for the 'explosive' end of year (Christmas) cliffhanger

• May also do one-off events, such as live episodes, as viral USP driven "event television"