Contextual Studies-Crime Drama

The Bill
The Bill is a British Police television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 October 1984 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama,Woodentop, broadcast in August 1983.

Objectives:
Analysis of the crime drama as genre
Codes and conventions of crime drama genre
Some possible critical approaches. 

The Bill is set in a fictional London Police Station 
Longest running UK Crime Drama
Originally 12X60min episodes  
Changed its form in the way it was run- From 1988-2005, became year-round twice weekly serial.
Went from being a classic crime drama series into a soap opera
Peak audiences of 11million viewers in 2005 rivalled Coronation Street.

What is the crime drama genre?  
Evolved from literary detective fiction
In TV, often police procedural sub-genre- 'realistic' investigation of a crime by law enforcement teams. 

A 'whodunnit' (enigma to be solved) 
A 'Howcatchem'

Crime Drama-Television Conventions
Editing: Chase scenes, montage, flashbacks
Single Camera
Camera Movement-either handheld mockumentary style or steadicam, dollies, cranes. 

Episodic Series Format- Typically 60Minutes. Usually self-contained closed narratives. 
Repetition- relies on returning central cast (team) and location (police station). Conflicts in policing methods often intrinsic to the drama. 

Resolution- the very nature of detective/crime genre demands crime is resolved by setting up a mystery. (Film and TV guidelines demanded that 'Crime must not pay'. 

Lighting 
Low key lighting- many crime drams use light-dark contrasts in costume, setting and lighting. e.g.-Use of flashbacks. 

Authenticity- Props, costumes, setting

Crime Genre Archetypes 

'The Rebel' (hero/anti hero)- Detective or senior cop- jailed. Doesn't always play by the rules. Sometimes corrupt. 

'The King' authority figure- commanding officer or station sergeant 

'The innocent' (rookie): Audience surrogate and empathy 

Many crime dramas utilise binary opposition: Light and dark, good and evil, law and order.

Critical Approaches to genre
Realism- British Crime Dramas are often in social realist mode; many popular US crime dramas more escapes and many involve breaking with realist conventions. 

Representation- Gender and diversity; issues of 'political correctness' vs empirical fact. 
 
Psychoanalysis- Genre Characters as Freudian archetypes; criminal pathology (the monster/ the uncanny).; Crossover with horror genre ('return of the repressed')

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