Procedural drama

A procedural drama or procedural is a cross-genre type of literature, film, or television program that places emphasis on technical detail. A documentary film may also be written in a procedural style to heighten narrative. A popular subgenre is the police procedural. Some dramas include a lab or high-tech conference room where the main characters meet to work out the problem. Television shows usually have an episodic TV format that does not necessarily require the viewer to have seen previous episodes. Each episode typically has a self-contained, stand-alone plot that is introduced, developed, and resolved in one episode. The procedural format is popular around the world. In 2011, the director of a TV consultancy said, "The continuing trend is for procedurals because they use a predictable structure". Due to their stand-alone episodic nature, they are more accessible to new viewers than serials. Self-contained episodes also make it easier for viewers to return to a show if they have missed some episodes. In general, procedural dramas can usually be re-run with little concern for episode order. Procedurals are often criticized for being formulaic. Procedurals are also generally less character-driven than serialized shows; however, some procedurals have more character emphasis than is typical of the format. Some may occasionally feature a storyline stretching over several episodes (often called a story arc).