© 2008 – Routledge
254 pages | 18 B/W Illus.
Examining the role of dramatized narratives in Russian television, this book stresses the ways in which the Russian government under Putin use primetime television to express a new understanding of what it means to be Russian, answering key questions of national identity for modern Russians in dealing with their recent history: ‘What really happened to us?’ and, accordingly, ‘Why?’
The book covers important issues in Russian television today, including:
This book provides a detailed account of the critical issues in contemporary Russian television, relating them to broader social and political developments in Russian society.
Introduction: Sweeping Statements and Broad Horizons 1. Action Heroes: Don Quixote or James Bond? 2. Adaptations: TV Drama vs. Literary Prestige 3. Soaps: The Influence of Latin America 4. Costume Drama: "Life as It Really Is" 5. Melodrama: Little People in the Big City 6. Heroines: Airports, Planes and Wedding Trains 7. Comedy: Nervous Giggling and its Serious Object 8. Law and Order: Making Sense of Something 9. Criminal Series: Soviet Traditions Come Home. Conclusion: Fighting the Good Fight. Filmography