Superhero TV– Analyzing the Narrative Techniques of the CW’s the Flash (2014 - Present) & the Netflix Original Program Daredevil (2015 - 2018)

Abstract

Shaped by contemporary television industry distribution practices and the phenomenon of binge-viewing culture, Netflix introduced its version of narrative storytelling via original drama series that rival traditional linear broadcast network series narratives. This thesis project is a textual analysis that evaluates the separate narrative strategies of two different, but very similar, superhero television drama series that appear on two different distribution platforms. In this thesis, I analyze and compare the Netflix original series Daredevil (2015 – 2018) to The CW series The Flash (2014 – present) to find out if they share any narrative similarities or differences with linear TV series using narrative strategies like recapping, cliffhangers, and connected franchise tie-ins. I posit that the Daredevil and The Flash series both use franchise crossovers as a way to serve comic book fans and comic book movie fans. I argue that Daredevil uses recaps through dialogue as a narrative strategy while The Flash focuses a lot on recap sequences. Lastly, cliffhangers are used as a narrative strategy at the end of both series. The Flash includes situational cliffhangers and many informational cliffhangers. Daredevil relies on situational cliffhangers.