“An evil has been committed.” Complexity and the educational contribution of the American Vandal television series, between mockumentary, satire and meta-language

Abstract

In the last few years the new television series was considered as an important subject in the field of both Television and Media Studies, which have highlighted its complexity considered as a key concept emphasizing not only on a narrative basis but also on the basis of audience reception. Taking into account those aspects and also considering the current context of media convergence, this essay intends to propose the analysis of the American tv series American Vandal — broadcast by Netflix between 2017 and 2018 — considered as a representative and innovative product within the so-called “complex television”. The TV series, which takes place in a school setting, revolves around the world of teenagers but stands out from the majority of other contemporary teen dramas because of its original style and insights which make American Vandal a very interesting and topical product.