Shakespeare and the new discourses of television: quality, aesthetics, and The Hollow Crown

Abstract

This article discusses The Hollow Crown (2012, 2016) adaptations of William Shakespeare’s histories in the light of broader changes that have overtaken television. Contextualising the series in terms of technical, industrial, cultural, and critical transformations, the article highlights the Shakespearean significance of debates in television studies around quality, complexity, and aesthetics. To illustrate this thesis, the article analyses the opening of Richard II (dir. Rupert Goold, 2012), unpacking the ways in which the first 60 seconds merge markers of prestige with a distinctive cinematic style and a dense imagistic and acoustic register in order to achieve narrative intricacy and poetic responsiveness.