Skip to main content

University of Salford - Shop


Code: FREE for Free Delivery £150 Spend

Reclaiming Female Authorship in Contemporary UK Television Comedy

Hardback by Minor, Laura (Lecturer in Television Studies, University of Salford)

Reclaiming Female Authorship in Contemporary UK Television Comedy

£95.00

ISBN:
9781399503013
Publication Date:
31 Aug 2024
Language:
English
Publisher:
Edinburgh University Press
Pages:
192 pages
Format:
Hardback
For delivery:
Estimated despatch 28 Sep - 3 Oct 2026
Reclaiming Female Authorship in Contemporary UK Television Comedy

Description

This book explores female authorship in UK television comedy, with a focus on British and Northern Irish writers/performers. More specifically, it examines comedy texts produced between 2010 and 2020, a period marked by a proliferation of female-centric and female-created comedy. In the following order, comedians Julia Davis, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Caitlin/Caroline Moran, Michaela Coel, and Sharon Horgan will be analysed as key case studies.Drawing from these case studies, the book has two objectives. First, it seeks to update Kathleen Rowe's concept of the 'unruly' woman, shifting the emphasis from visibility and performance to the labour and contexts behind on-screen portrayals. Building on Rowe's existing scholarship, the book introduces the term 'fastidious' to describe how comedians display delicacy, precision, and control over their carefully crafted TV series. Secondly, the book aims to extend this concept to British and Northern Irish TV writers/performers who have been either overlooked or examined within broader transnational projects. In doing so, it 'reclaims' the authorship of women from the UK.

Contents

Preface Unravelling the 'Unruly' Woman: New Perspectives on Feminism, Intersectionality, and Authorship in Contemporary UK TV Comedy Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Posh Humour, and Political Correctness: Constructing the Upper/Middle-Classes in TV Comedy Julia Davis, Dark Comedy, and Defying Ageing Stereotypes: Analysing Older Female Stars in TV Comedy Caitlin/Caroline Moran, Celebrity Comics, and Classed Humour: Examining Overlooked Duos in TV Comedy Michaela Coel, Colourful Sitcoms, and Challenging the Status Quo: New Representations of Race in TV Comedy Sharon Horgan, Comedy Screenwriting, and Starting Merman: Recognising Authorship and Entrepreneurship in TV Comedy Rethinking Women's Place in Contemporary UK Television Comedy References

Back

University of Salford