CONVENTIONS OF A COMPLETE NARRATIVE

A couple wake up and go downstairs to breakfast. They do not realise they are being watched by terrorists. A terrorist catches the lady of the couple and keep her in a room with one of her colleagues threatening to kill her whilst another terrorist is taking care of the male of the couple - ordering him to do exactly what they tell him to do. He somehow gets onto the good side of the terrorist and manages to find out where his girlfriend is. He rescues her just before they set her on fire.

-Todorovs classic narrative theory . equilibrium, disruption, equilibrium/ Beginning, middle, end.
Equilibrium - The couple making coffee
Disruption - The girl getting kidnapped
Equilibrium - The boyfriend getting her back again

Levi-Strauss's binary opposites such as good and evil. The couple are the good characters of the serial and the terrorists represent the evil.

Most stories end happily to fulfill audience expectations and desires. If the main character is killed in the series this may lead to viewers switching away. Some stories however, end with a cliffhanger. This creates enigma and gives the audience a reason to watch the next series.

In 'Spooks' the episode starts with a couple going downstairs for breakfast. This is a standard way of beginning a narrative so that the audience don't get too confused and can follow what is happening. They can establish the mood of the episode. Starting with an equilibirum often makes the disruption even more disturbing as it brings out the contrasts.
The audience automatically side with the good characters as they can relate to them more, and emptathise with their feelings.

Other binary opposites could be the two couples. The male and female terrorist against the male and female couple. and also between the norm and the disruption, which can also be seen as the norm being good and the disruption as being bad.

Single Drama/film: Margeret
This drama usually uses Todorov's narrative structure, equilibrium ; disruption ; equilibrium during every episode/film and would contain many binary opposites throughout.

Two nighter: Trial & Retribution
This also uses Todorov's theory; equilibrium ; disruption ; equilibrium and is usually with a cliffhanger at the end of the first episode to make the audience want to watch the next episode. Most binary opposites would be made clear in the first episode.

Soap: Eastenders
The audience are usually introduced to the character when there is a disruption, and the end equilibrium, if there is one as a lot of storylines don't end happily, does not happen till a lot later on, taking many episodes to resolve. The binary are always present with more being introduced as different characters join/leave.

Serial: Bleak House
The series ends with either an equilibrium or a cliffhanger.

Anthology Series: Skins
This type of series uses the narrative pattern equilibrium ; disruption ; equilibrium mostly in each episode but also with an underlying storyline across the series which eventually gets resolved in the last episode. The binary opposites are introduced in the first episode but more may be introduced in later episodes when even more characters are introduced.

Long – form Series Drama: Lost
There is usually an underlying narrative which carries on throughout the series, also with different narratives in single episodes which can take about two or three episodes to resolve.

Long – Form Series Drama with Some Narrative Experimentation: 24
With this form of drama the narrative pattern it spread across the series, with the the disruption being resolved at the end. There are also smaller disruptions throughout the series which can get resolved in an episode or over a few. The binary opposites tend to be introduced at the beginning and may be introduced throughout.