Serious talk show

Characters

• celebrities
• politicians
• association / lobby representatives
• artists (actors, writers, singers, musicians, directors)
• expert
• journalists
• person directly affected by the topic
• one eccentric to lighten the mood (Nina Hagen, Klaus Kinski types)

Elements

• host(s) or interviewer
• chairs, armchairs, sofas on one side, audience on the other
• camera operators
• guests / audience
• decoration

Topics

• current political issues
• release of a book, film, album, tour
• personal topics (illnesses, problems, life-shaping experiences)
• life story of the person, appreciation of their life, anecdotes
• expert information

Speech and behaviour of the guests

• politicians — talkative, evasive, full of empty phrases, agile
• experts — serious, objective
• association / lobby representatives — one-sided, possibly evasive
• artists — subtly plug their (latest) work, talk about their work
• the affected person — not articulate, seems media-inexperienced, stutters, stumbles, comes across uncertain

Typical sequences

• interruptions for video clips, charts, photos, music
• translation when the guest is foreign-speaking
• host's introductory text
• host's closing words
• drinks are poured / consumed
• interview format
• controversies and arguments are usually polite and mostly factual
• audience members are asked
• loud disapproval / agreement from the audience on controversial topics
• host strives for (their own) objectivity
• guest arrives late, only during the broadcast

Turning points

• someone heavily attacked storms out of the studio in agitation
• the affected person loses self-control
• one of the discussants steps out of their typical role (e.g. a politician shares something deeply personal)