The Temporality of (Serialized) Romantic Comedy

Abstract

Romantic comedies have a temporal structure based on suspense that I call temporality of the almost: the micro-narrative structure that repeatedly makes erotic resolution almost happen at several points in the story. This article analyzes how this temporality of constant and continual deferral functions as a retardatory structure posing obstacles apparently in order to keep characters apart, but, in fact, increasing the desire between them, and also between narrative and spectators.