PPE preparation task

2) Re-read this Waterloo Road Wikipedia entry and write down the number of seasons and episodes broadcast and the channels they have appeared on. 
waterloo road has had 10 series and 200 episodes.

3) How does Waterloo Road meet the key conventions of TV Drama: ensemble cast? Stock characters? Story arcs? Episodic narratives? Enigma and tension? Realism?
Waterloo Road meets key TV conventions like ensemble cast this can be good because there is a variety of characters like the deputy head who later becomes head teacher during this episode who is known as Jason Merrells. This is a key character but there is also other teachers who also make up the ensemble cast also there is a student known as Donte Charles this is 1 of the 2 characters who last the whole of series 1 which makes up the ensemble cast as well. These characters allow me to use the use if Propp theory as they're familiar to me and i know what there motives are. Also there are stock characters such as the like the bullies the 'neeks' the sporty ones etc.This also helps be a key convention because the viewers will be attracted to these characters as they may have played this role in high school so i  can apply the use of Blumler and Katz to see this. Also Waterloo Road uses story arcs such as the school is a bad high school and the aim for the teachers is to make it better however the kids just will not change. This is the story arc over all 10 series they also use episodic narratives such as the viewers know there will always be drama in every episode but they still watch the episodes to see the different dramas and how they will be fixed.

4) Write down three storylines (or narratives) from Waterloo Road - note which season the storyline appeared in. They can be from the first episode above or from the clips below:

• Lenny's Dilemma Series 10

• Justin Snaps Series 10
• There are clips from all series' of Waterloo Road also available here: Waterloo Road all clips

5) Why might audiences have enjoyed Waterloo Road?
Audiences may have enjoyed Waterloo Road because of the fact that they may have been due to the fact they can relate to the characters relationships such as high school kids can grab the attention of other high school kids in the real world this can help because they go through the same thing everyday but this school adds way more drama. Also it can grab parents attention when you see the relationships between some [parents and there kids. Al;so Waterloo Road add a lot of the key TV conventions that the audience see in other dramas and may be the reason they watch Waterloo Road