Work on television genre continues to draw on theories developed in relation to film, despite the fact that these theories have been heavily criticised. Not only can this ignore the differences between film and television genres, it can also work to privilege film over television, so that television is often seen as an inferior copy of genres developed elsewhere. The module will therefore explore the theory of genre in relation to television, the historical development of television genres, and the operation of genre in the production, mediation and consumption of television and its programmes. The module will also examine these debates in relation to concrete case studies. The module is taught by seminar and screening.