Abrahamson, Todorov's Theory Homework

Narrative Theory: Todorov’s Model of Equilibrium and Disequilibrium

Home work task: LO To develop understanding of Todorov’s Theory by applying to a Tv Drama

Watch a whole episode of a TV drama and make notes re: its narrative structure in the table below. Use BBC iplayer if you have to. Try to avoid soaps as they have many narrative strands which can be complicated to analyse.

TV Drama title: Waterloo road

Genre of TV drama: Drama

Date: 5th September 2013

Stage of narrative	Basic details of this stage in episode	How does this stage contribute to the episode overall? Why is it effective?
1)      An initial state of equilibrium (usually calm and settled) at the onset of the narrative.	start of the school day all the students and teachers are walking around smiling greeting each other because its the start of the new school term.	gives the program and episode a starting point and sets up the story line for that episode.
2)      A disruption of the equilibrium by some action (something happens)	Audrey is concerned when the new students look terrible and look like they do not get looked after at home by there guardian.	this part sets up the story even more and gives an insight into what might happen later on in the episode or the series.
3)      Recognition that there has been a disruption of the initial state (usually noticed by characters)	Audrey goes to the students house to find there guardian is a drug dealer, he comes home and stops her from leaving. Audrey escapes and flees back to the school	gives a sense of danger to the audience and gives an effect of emotion for Audrey and the students.
4)      An attempt to repair the disruption (by characters)	Audrey calls the police and tells them about the drug dealer, the police turn up at the school and take him away leaving the kids with no guardian now.	resolves the story in this episode and fills in the bits the audience didn't quite know about.
5)      A reinstatement of the equilibrium (everything may go back to ‘normal’, restoration of  balance)	School day finishes and everyone leaves the school the way they came in.	this shows the ending of the episode and gives the effect of that this is what happens in this school

Did this episode break any of Torodov’s rules? If so, why?: 

The episode seems to follow the Tordov theory well with all the stages.