Representation
Crime dramas are often described as being like real life. Often crime dramas deal with themes or issues which are important to us or have had recent coverage in the media. Sometimes programme makers go to great lengths to create a sense of authenticity; police procedures have to be accurate and settings are carefully recreated to seem like the real thing.
Traditionally the police have been represented favourably in crime dramas. However, this has become more complex, as writers try to create more rounded and interesting characters. Crime drama has not been afraid to tackle stories dealing with police corruption or we meet a central character, brilliant at work, whose private life is a total shambles. The institution of the police has been accused of both racism and sexism and this is further issue to consider. Look at the representation of gender. How are women portrayed and what kinds of roles do they have? What are their relationships like with their male colleagues? The woman in the TV Crime Dramas are often second to their male colleagues. There are few female lead cops. How are minority groups represented? Is crime drama guilty of making certain classes of our society responsible for crime? Is this re-enforcing stereotypes?
The theme under television crime drama is a belief system that crime is wrong and that the forces of law and order must be upheld. In this sense they keep the most common view in our society.
Traditionally the police have been represented favourably in crime dramas. However, this has become more complex, as writers try to create more rounded and interesting characters. Crime drama has not been afraid to tackle stories dealing with police corruption or we meet a central character, brilliant at work, whose private life is a total shambles. The institution of the police has been accused of both racism and sexism and this is further issue to consider. Look at the representation of gender. How are women portrayed and what kinds of roles do they have? What are their relationships like with their male colleagues? The woman in the TV Crime Dramas are often second to their male colleagues. There are few female lead cops. How are minority groups represented? Is crime drama guilty of making certain classes of our society responsible for crime? Is this re-enforcing stereotypes?
The theme under television crime drama is a belief system that crime is wrong and that the forces of law and order must be upheld. In this sense they keep the most common view in our society.
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