Complex TVMain MenuIntroductionVideos for IntroductionComplexity in ContextBeginningsVideos for Chapter 2AuthorshipCharactersComprehensionEvaluationSerial MelodramaOrienting ParatextsTransmedia StorytellingEndsTable of ContentsJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deNew York University Press
Video Gallery
12015-03-12T11:15:38-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de135015structured_gallery1293502015-03-18T13:28:44-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deBelow are all the video clips for Complex TV, arranged in order as they appear in the book. To see the videos with the associated quotations from the book, navigate via the Table of Contents.
12015-03-12T07:44:45-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deBATTLESTAR GALACTICA offers an exemplary narrative special effect.3A striking example of a narrative special effect, with a year's flash forward contained with what appears to be a single shot.plain2015-03-13T12:44:03-07:00Critical Commons2006VideoBattlestar Galactica, "Lay Down Your Burdens" part 2Sci-Fi2015-03-11T22:20:30ZCraig Dietrich2d66800a3e5a1eaee3a9ca2f91f391c8a6893490
12015-03-12T11:32:27-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deTHE WEST WING, "Noël", climaxes with a powerful example of a narrative special effect6The climactic scene in this episode uses interweaving atemporality and a false flashback to create a moment where the operational aesthetic and emotional engagement merge.plain2015-03-13T12:51:54-07:00Critical Commons2000VideoWest Wing, season 2NBC2015-03-12T16:53:02ZCraig Dietrich2d66800a3e5a1eaee3a9ca2f91f391c8a6893490
12015-03-13T09:41:55-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deTWIN PEAKS begins with a languid credit sequence, setting the mood for its celebrated tonal juxtapositions1The lengthy credit sequence focuses our attention before the narrative commences with an ambiguous tone.plain2015-03-13T09:41:55-07:00Critical Commons1990VideoTwin Peaks pilotABC2015-03-13T16:14:28ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-13T12:13:30-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deALIAS begins with a flash forward at a moment of crisis, before winding back to a point of origin1One of the first examples of starting a series via a flash forward, ALIAS establishes its intrinsic norms of high style and narrative enigmas.plain2015-03-13T12:13:30-07:00Critical Commons2001VideoAlias season 1ABC2015-03-13T18:50:30ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-13T13:56:54-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945dePUSHING DAISIES spends its first minutes establishing both a whimsical tone and a complex narrative concept1Using voice-over, visual style, and temporal leaps, PUSHING DAISIES quickly sets itself up as a distinctive series.plain2015-03-13T13:56:54-07:00Critical Commons2007VideoPushing Daisies season 1ABC2015-03-13T20:37:01ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-13T07:56:07-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de24 begins by establishing its norms of temporality and split-screen composition1The opening of 24's pilot quickly establishes its intrinsic norms.plain2015-03-13T07:56:07-07:00Critical Commons2001Video24 season 1Fox2015-03-13T14:32:38ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-11T14:36:15-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deVERONICA MARS series opener starts with an explicit homage to film noir, framing genre expectations.3VERONICA MARS, "Pilot" (UPN, 2004) highlights the mixture of film noir and light-hearted teen dramaplain2015-03-13T12:49:06-07:00Critical Commons2004VideoVeronica Mars, "Pilot" UPN2015-03-11T21:15:42ZCraig Dietrich2d66800a3e5a1eaee3a9ca2f91f391c8a6893490
12015-03-13T12:54:15-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deLOUIE encourages a blur between his character and authorial identity by fictionalizing a real life incident.1Louie CK and Dane Cook address a real conflict via a scripted scene, blurring the line between character and author.plain2015-03-13T12:54:16-07:00Critical Commons2011VideoLouie season 2FX2015-03-13T19:32:47ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-12T11:32:26-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deBREAKING BAD's third season concludes with unintentional ambiguity.1In this final moment of the season, a moment of unintentional ambiguity invites the authorial figure to step in and clarify.plain2015-03-12T11:32:26-07:00Critical Commons2010VideoBreaking Bad, "Full Measure" AMC2015-03-12T17:50:21ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-13T14:22:45-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deDEXTER reveals crucial character information to both the audience and the title character1Through a flashback to a repressed memory, Dexter's origins and psychology become more clear to both viewer and Dexter himself.plain2015-03-13T14:22:45-07:00Critical Commons2006VideoDexter season 1Showtime2015-03-13T21:00:22ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-12T11:32:26-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deBREAKING BAD's "Pilot" opens with a vivid flash forward to introduce us to Walter White4The opening moments of the series work to establish the character of Walter White through costuming, performance, and intertextual cues.plain2015-03-13T12:47:49-07:00Critical Commons2008VideoBreaking Bad, "Pilot" AMC2015-03-12T17:51:47ZCraig Dietrich2d66800a3e5a1eaee3a9ca2f91f391c8a6893490
12015-03-12T11:34:47-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deBREAKING BAD, "Cornered" features an iconic confrontation highlighting character interiority3In one of the program's most memorable scenes, we see the distance between how Walt seems himself and how others see him, forcing us to wonder how we viewers judge his character.plain2015-03-13T12:46:23-07:00Critical Commons2011VideoBreaking Bad, "Cornered" AMC2015-03-12T17:52:31ZCraig Dietrich2d66800a3e5a1eaee3a9ca2f91f391c8a6893490
12015-03-13T13:39:07-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deDEXTER introduces Rudy as the mysterious killer, but his relationship to Dexter only makes sense in retrospect1Upon first viewing, the familial dynamics at play between Dexter and Rudy are not apparent, requiring rewatching to understand Rudy's true motives and emotions.plain2015-03-13T13:39:07-07:00Critical Commons2006VideoDexter season 1Showtime2015-03-13T20:17:31ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-13T13:39:08-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deARRESTED DEVELOPMENT uses voiceover and cutaways to both manage memory and create humor1Few series rely on triggering memories more explicitly than ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, which allows for both convoluted plotting and moments of humor.plain2015-03-13T13:39:08-07:00Critical Commons2004VideoArrested Development season 2Fox2015-03-13T20:07:48ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-15T11:12:38-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deSOPRANOS in 7 Minutes compresses the first five and a half seasons of the series into a brief humorous recap2Before the final half season began, fans created a lighthearted summary of the series that both jogs memories and highlights a humorous tone.plain2015-03-15T11:18:49-07:00Critical Commons2007VideoSopranos in 7 MinutesPaul Gulyas2015-03-15T01:50:48ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-15T11:32:07-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deCURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM episodes include interwoven multiple plotlines and invite the viewer to connect threads and running gags.1Like most episodes, "Vehicular Fellatio" relies on a viewer's conscious cognitive processes to enjoy the humorous interconnected plotting.plain2015-03-15T11:32:07-07:00Critical Commons2009VideoCurb Your Enthusiasm season 7HBO2015-03-15T18:09:27ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-15T20:32:24-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deBREAKING BAD focuses on the psychological and moral complexity of Walt deciding to let Jane die1In its emphasis on character and psychology, we focus on Walt's choice to let Jane die to create a layered sense of interiority.plain2015-03-15T20:32:25-07:00Critical Commons2009VideoBreaking Bad season 2AMC2015-03-16T03:11:32ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-18T07:13:00-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deMAD MEN presents its characters' sexism as both offensive and charming1In scenes like this heartfelt exchange between Roger and Joan, casually sexist insensitivity is treated as uncomfortably earnest at the same time that it is held up for critique.plain2015-03-18T07:13:00-07:00Critical Commons2007VideoMad Men season 1AMC2015-03-18T14:07:28ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-18T07:31:12-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deMARY HARTMAN, MARY HARTMAN fused soap opera aesthetics with an ironic dry wit to create an unexpected sensation in the mid-1970s1One of the most distinctive examples of soap opera's influence outside of daytime, MARY HARTMAN's distinctive tone suggests both parody of soap operas and the useful incorporation of the genre's popular appeal.plain2015-03-18T07:31:12-07:00Critical Commons1976VideoMary Hartman, Mary HartmanSyndicated2015-03-18T14:25:32ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-16T12:51:56-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deLOST uses the storytelling devices of science fiction time travel in service of romantic melodrama1In the acclaimed episode "The Constant," character melodrama trumps other genre tropes.plain2015-03-16T12:51:56-07:00Critical Commons2008VideoLost season 4ABC2015-03-16T19:48:00ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-16T12:36:12-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deTHE GOOD WIFE interweaves legal and romantic plotlines through atemporally complex editing1This scene foregrounds melodrama and romance, even while working through a legal procedural plotline and employing complex temporalityplain2015-03-16T12:36:12-07:00Critical Commons2013VideoThe Good Wife season 4CBS2015-03-16T19:34:43ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-16T07:26:48-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deLOST presented many maps in the series, but the so-called blast door map was one of the most iconic for fans1The blast door map became an obsession for forensic fans, collectively decoding it to uncover mysteries and clues.plain2015-03-16T07:26:49-07:00Critical Commons2006VideoLost season 2ABC2015-03-16T14:02:51ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-16T07:42:27-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deBATTLESTAR GALACTICA created an unintentional YouTube sensation through an ironic juxtaposition with an inappropriate commercial2An example of a spreadable video emerging accidentally from complex television, this clip fits with the more sensational aspects of online cultureplain2015-03-16T07:44:35-07:00Critical Commons2009VideoBattlestar Galactica season 4Sci-Fi2015-03-16T14:21:33ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-16T08:18:29-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deLOST revealed many answers to lingering mysteries via the transmedia ARG The Lost Experience1The so-called Sri Lanka video was published as part of The Lost Experience, revealing many of the program's enigmas for a fraction of its fanbase.plain2015-03-16T08:18:29-07:00Critical Commons2006VideoThe Lost ExperienceABC2015-03-16T15:18:00ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-16T08:33:01-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deBREAKING BAD's online video "Team S.C.I.E.N.C.E." offers a "what if?" approach to transmedia1Rather than extending canonical story material, this online video playfully posits hypothetical possibilities for Jesse's own creative imagination.plain2015-03-16T08:33:01-07:00Critical Commons2010VideoBreaking Bad online videoAMC2015-03-16T15:31:37ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-17T14:30:20-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deLOST's final moments emphasize emotional closure and meta-storytelling, the hallmark of many series finales1Rather than focusing on providing conclusive answers, LOST's ending highlights character arcs and connections, much to the chagrin of some fans but to the delight of others.plain2015-03-17T14:30:20-07:00Critical Commons2010VideoLost season 6ABC2015-03-17T21:16:07ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-16T09:31:24-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deTHE SOPRANOS ended with a legendarily ambiguous scene1Few scenes have been as analyzed and debated as the final sequence of THE SOPRANOS, centered around both Tony's fate and David Chase's intentions.plain2015-03-16T09:31:24-07:00Critical Commons2007VideoThe Sopranos season 6HBO2015-03-16T16:16:33ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-17T13:43:27-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deHOMELAND's first season finale starts with this jarring opening, raising political questions that depend on its serial contexts1How viewers interpret the politics of this sequence shifts depending on how much of the series they have previously scene, and how future replays in the second season reframe its meaning.plain2015-03-17T13:43:28-07:00Critical Commons2011VideoHomeland season 1Showtime2015-03-17T20:41:01ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de
12015-03-17T13:53:08-07:00Jason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945deBREAKING BAD comes to its emotional peak in its third to last episode, with Walt berating Skyler with multilayered meanings1Few scenes are as harrowing as this phone call from "Ozymandias," as Walt's words both work to save Skyler and express the misogynist rhetoric that some fans latched onto.plain2015-03-17T13:53:08-07:00Critical Commons2013VideoBreaking Bad season 5AMC2015-03-15T22:24:42ZJason Mittell06e96b1b57c0e09d70492af49d984ee2f68945de