The Series: From Victorian Novels to Streaming TV

This course explores a form popularized in the nineteenth century but familiar to us today: the series. Our emphasis will be on Victorian fiction published in monthly or weekly parts: Charles Dickens'sDavid Copperfield, Elizabeth Gaskell'sNorth and South; Margaret Oliphant's small-town comedyPhoebe Junior; science fiction master H.G. Wells'sThe Time Machine,and a Sherlock Holmes detective story. We will contrast these works with contemporary serialized (and bingeable) shows such as "Schitt's Creek," "Doctor Who," "Bridgerton," "Never Have I Ever," and "True Detective." We will look closely at the form of the series across media, considering cliffhangers, recurring characters, and marketing. This is a reading-intensive course. Fulfills pre-1900.