TV Transformations and Transgressive Women : From Prisoner: Cell Block H to Wentworth

«Just like Prisoner and Wentworth, this book is an instant cult classic. Written with love by a collective of expert aca-fans, TV Transformations & Transgressive Women takes us on a fascinating journey through the cultural legacies of Australia’s favourite prison TV dramas. Contributors use a rich palette of methods, from genre analysis to production research, to unpack the significance of these shows. An exemplary textual study, this richly multi-perspectival collection is essential reading for anyone interested in television genres.» (Ramon Lobato, Associate Professor, RMIT University)

«This collection is a wonderful example of how certain TV shows can have tremendous impact, not only in the time of their making, but for several decades, when suddenly there’s the opportunity to travel even further in an on-demand age and meet new audiences, academics and analytical approaches. The chapters offer a wide range of interesting interpretations and discussions, not the least on the way women have been represented on screen then and now. A good read for academics, fans and aca-fans.» (Eva Novrup Redvall, Associate Professor, University of Copenhagen)

A deep dive into iconic 1980s Australian women-in-prison TV drama Prisoner (aka Cell Block H), its contemporary reimagining as Wentworth, and its broader, global industry significance and influence, this book brings together a range of scholarly and industry perspectives, including an interview with actor Shareena Clanton (Wentworth’s Doreen Anderson). Its chapters draw on talks with producers, screenwriters and casting; fan voices from the Wentworth twitterverse; comparisons with Netflix’s Orange is the New Black; queer and LGBTQ approaches; and international production histories and contexts. By charting a path from Prisoner to Wentworth, the book offers a new mapping of TV shifts and transformations through the lens of female transgression, ruminating on the history, currency, industry position and cultural value of women-in-prison series.

The editors of this volume are screen studies and screenwriting scholars with specialist skills in a range of areas and practices, including script development, gender studies and television studies. Radha O’Meara is Lecturer in Screenwriting at the University of Melbourne. Her critical research concentrates on serial storytelling and industrial authorship in contemporary film and television. Tessa Dwyer is Lecturer in Film and Screen Studies, Monash University. Her research focuses on screen media and language difference, and she has published the monograph Speaking in Subtitles (2017). Stayci Taylor is Senior Lecturer, Master of Media, RMIT University. Her research focuses on screenwriting practice, and she has co-edited two books on script development. Craig Batty is Professor and Dean of Research (Creative) at the University of South Australia. He has published fifteen books and many articles on screenwriting and creative practice research.