Television Mockumentary: reflexivity, satire and a call to play

Hight, C. (2010). Television Mockumentary: reflexivity, satire and a call to play. Manchester: Manchester University Press.

Abstract: Mockumentary is a key discourse within contemporary culture, a 'call to play' that centres on the appropriation of nonfiction codes and conventions. It has been used by filmmakers and television producers to reenergise genres from horror (The Blair Witch Project), to science fiction (Cloverfield), political drama (Death of a President) and more recently sitcom (The Office). This book argues that the emergence of television mockumentary series signals a key point in the development of mockumentary discourse, and of television comedy as a whole. Mockumentary is now an established part of the spectrum of television styles, with both deep roots in television history and a key part of innovations in the sitcom genre since the 1990s. As television producers have exploited the possibilities for mockumentary programming within the densely layered, intertextual environment of televisual space, they have created richly layered experiences for audiences. This book traces the development of mockumentary series within the broader history of traditions of satire, drama and nonfiction programming, using detailed discussions of popular and innovative television series from Britain, the United States, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. Among the range of mockumentary and comedic television series covered here are The Day Today, The Larry Sanders Show, Tanner '88, Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Daily Show, Trailer Park Boys, and the British and American versions The Office. A unique contribution to debates over the intersection of television satire and the expanding realm of documentary and nonfiction related media, this book is of interest to students of documentary, comedy and those who wish to explore the complexity of television as a medium.