Arabic Script Television Formats between Adaptation and Cultural Identity: A Case Study of The Killing

This paper discusses a comparative qualitative cultural study, using the content analysis approach. It examined the pattern of Script Television Formats (STF) in two versions of the Danish detective series Forbrydelsen, i.e. the Arabic version, named Dangerous Curve, and the American version, The Killing. It aimed to identify the localization of the adapted script versus the source material to accord with the needs of the two contrasting cultural identities, 42.48 hours of programming were viewed, eighty-nine episodes (44 of The Killing and 15 of Dangerous Curve) in total. The study focused exclusively on the elements that are emphasized or altered in the two versions, demonstrating how STFs of American and Arabic versions differ about their cultural identities. Results identified three significant elements displaying differences and similarities: characters, narrative structure, and length of the broadcast series.