Life On Mars

LIFE ON MARS

CRIME DRAMAS

ONE OFF CRIME DRAMAS • Focus on crimes that create the most anxiety in society…murders and serial killers especially. • Distinguished by aspects of law enforcement they focus on…police inspector, team of detectives, psychologist, lawyer.

LONG RUNNING CRIME DRAMAS • A variety of sub plots. • Helps to sustain audience interest. • They get engaged with the relationships between characters… Tyler and Cartwright in Life on Mars.

REPRESENTATION • In Prime Suspect Inspector Tennison sets up representations of gender. • She is a successful detective in a male dominated culture. • The writers include a range of personal narratives alongside the professional narratives. • Often failed relationships so her character takes on the traits of her male counterparts.

LONELY COPPERS • Lewis the most popular TV drama of 2006 is a lonely bereaved figure in the evenings. • The hero in A Touch of Frost (hugely popular with 40% of viewing share in 2006) frequently fails to close the deal on relationships. • These three examples show an attempt of our media institutions to rebrand crime series to compete with American imports.

SPOOKS

• Long running crime drama produced by Kudos for the BBC. • Highly topical in terms of representation in its presentation of the issue of terrorism. • This is ‘MI5 not 9 to 5’ • Going out at 9pm it achieves 10m viewers. • This makes huge revenue from DVD sales, board games, an interactive web site and a mobile phone service.

24 • Many critics see it as competing with 24. • highly stylised editing • Split screens • Constant use of technology • Reflects contemporary intelligence operations • Terrorism in post 9/11 world • Large proportion of product placement.

BINARY OPPOSITION • • • • • •

GOOD v EVIL WEST v ARAB BRITISH v IRAQI ORDINARY LIFE v TERRORIST THREAT BRITISH GOVT v AL QAEDA DECISIONS SANCIONED v UNSANCTIONED ACTIONS

BINARY OPPOSITION • However, this doesn’t necessarily suggest a simplified range of oppositions. • The programme does offer a range of interpretations: • The British/US involvement in Iraq is questioned • Questions whether Western lives are of more value than Iraqi lives • Raises contradictions-the release of a hostage and killing of an Iraqi terrorist while still opposing the war. • This is a complex show.

FIVE KEY BINARIES • CRIME v POLICE • CRIMINALS v THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM • LAWYERS v THE COURTS • SOCIAL WORKERS v POLICE • VICTIMS v POLICE

LIFE ON MARS • Police-centric drama. • Sees the police as flawed. • Police presence in every scene because of the constant presence of Tyler. • Tyler’s constant frustration with and at times utter horror at police methods in the 70s. • Even so he decides to stay in the 70s.

LIFE ON MARS • It is a response to a particularly soulless, slick and corporate police system in the 21st century. • Despite the dubious nature of police tactics and the prevalent miscarriage of justice it is free of political correctness and more honest. • How does all this compare to The Bill?