In the Era of Fragmentation: How Does the Rise of Micro-Short Dramas Reshape the Narrative Structure, Narrative Content, and Audience of Traditional Long Dramas?

The rise of micro-short dramas is changing the way audiences access and watch film and television content. This study explores how the development of micro-short dramas has reshaped traditional long dramas and in what aspects this change is mainly reflected. The research adopts a comparative analysis of Chinese TV drama cases and combines relevant studies on the narrative rhythm, platform dissemination, and audience viewing behaviour of micro-short dramas. By comparison, it is found that micro-short dramas mainly influence long dramas in three aspects: narrative structure, narrative content, and audience. In terms of narrative, micro-short dramas usually adopt shorter episode durations, faster plot development, earlier conflict settings, and more direct emotional feedback, which also puts pressure on long dramas to increase their narrative pace. In terms of the audience, fragmented viewing and short-video consumption are becoming increasingly common, but viewers still tend to watch long dramas to experience character development, emotional accumulation, and more complete stories. These findings indicate that micro-short dramas are not simply replacing long dramas, but rather have formed a relationship of competition, influence, and coexistence with them. This research helps to understand how the fragmented media environment changes the narrative and viewing methods of film and television, and can also provide practical references for film and television creators, production companies, and platforms to understand the needs of contemporary audiences.