PLOT DEVICES

Any show’s goal: Keep viewers from changing the channels during the commercial break! Plot must be compelling enough to achieve this.

Elements used: Conflict Jolts Cliffhanger Resolution

Conflict In the beginning, a conflict is introduced. May have multiple conflicts on one episode…keeps viewers interested in multiple characters

Jolts Moments of excitement that are used to advance the story and grab viewers’ attention. May be a joke or laughter, sudden movement, an entrance or exit of a character, a surprising event, or a quick cut to another scene

Cliffhanger Scenes that end in suspense right before a commercial break Give restless, channel-flipping viewers a reason to keep watching Dramas sometimes end episodes with cliffhangers to get the viewer to tune in the following week

Resolution The last scene of many sitcoms neatly resolves the conflict introduced earlier Dramas may not resolve the conflict until later episodes Attempting to create an emotional connection with the characters