Stock Crime Drama Characters

The law represents forces of good in crime drama. But they are not all handsome heroes. You'l often notice that the officers of the law are complicated people, with problems and flaws. This makes them more real and helps you to like them, identify with them and want them to succeed.
Here are a few common character types from the right side of the law. You can also call these stock characters.

Hero cop, eg Jack Bauer (24), Aurelio Zen (Zen). Their sole aim is to get justice.

Heroine cop, eg Cagney and Lacey and Brenda Lee Johnson (The Closer)

Anti-hero, eg Vic Mackey (The Shield) and Dexter Morgan (Dexter)

Quirky detectives, eg Robert Goren (Law and Order: Criminal Intent) and Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock)

Bad-tempered but brilliant detectives, eg Andy Sipowicz (NYPD Blue), Peter Boyd (Waking the Dead). They might be bad tempered because they are frustrated at how other people don't understand what they believe to be simple things.

Rookie, eg Andy McNally (Rookie Blue, Ben Sherman (Southland) and John Clark Jr. (NYPD Blue)

Buddy Partners, eg Crockett and Tubbs (Miami Vice)

Grumply, world-weary superior officer, eg Captain Craigen (Law and Order: Special Victims Unit) and Luitenant Bert Samuels (Cagney and Lacey)

Forensic scientists/pathologists/other medical professionals, eg Gil Grissom/Ray Langston (CSI:Crime Scene Investigation), Grayling Russel (Inspector Morse) and Horatio Caine (CSI: Miami)

Psychology experts/consultants/helpers, eg Fitz (Cracker), Patrick Jane (The Mentalist), Dr. Cal Lightman ( Lie to me), Allison DuBois (Medium) and Jessica Fletcher (Murder, She Wrote)
FBI Agents, eg Vivian Johnson (Without a Trace), Don and Charlie Eppes (Numb3rs) and Mulder and Scully (The X-Files)

Lawyers, eg Jack McCoy (Law and Order), Rhonda Pearlman (The Wire) and Jo Mills (Judge John Deed)

Informants, eg Huggy Bear (Starsky and Hutch) and Bubbles (The Wire).

The central figure of the detective is so crucial to some crime dramas, that the show is names after them: we call this the eponymous hero, e.g. Sherlock, Luther, Dexter and Inspector Morse. It may even be a duo we are rooting for, e.g. Dalziel and Pascoe; Dempsey and Makepeace. Other programmes have a wider focus, with many characters shown as equally important and we like to watch them interact with each other: these are called ensemble dramas, e.g. The Bill, Law and Order, The Wire and The Shield.

Theorys

Audience
The Uses and Gratifications Theory:
- Information, Entertainment, Identity and Relationships

Hyperdermic needle theory:
- people could be tricked into copying crimes
- you are injected with the information of the show and believe that it is real

Narrative

Propp:
- character types e.g. hero, princess, villain, donor, dispatcher, helper etc.
-complex relationships but still fit the stereotypes
-derived from studying fairy-tales

Todorov:
- equilibrium    when the crime happens (Normality for police men)
- disruption     false evidence
- resolution     Luther 1 - alice gets away but Luther knows it's her
                      In CSI:Miami, the crime gets solved and the criminal found

Levi Straus:
- binary opposites e.g. law vs criminal, popular vs unpopular

Barthes:
- all narratives have an enigma (puzzle/question which the audience ask themsselves)

TV listing magazine

Sub-genres and hybrids

Sub-genres

A sub-genrenis anoher category within a genre. Crime drama dalls into different categories, depending on the setting, character types and areas of crime represented.

• Police procedural, eg The Bill, NYPD, Southland
• Police detective, eg Inspector Morse,Lewis
• Private detective, eg Shoestring
• Legal, eg Law and Order
• Medical/Forensice, eg CSI
• Military, eg NCIS
• Cosy Mysteries , eg Miss Marples

Hybrids

Crime drama has spawned a wide variety of programmes often mixing with other types of shows. These are called hybrids or crossovers.

Thriller/Action-adventure, eg 24
Hospital/Medical, eg Diagnosis Murder
Horror, eg Dexter
Ghost, eg Medium
Costume drama, eg Agatha Christie's Poirot
Documentary style, eg The Cops
Science Fiction, eg The X-Files
Soap Opera, eg The Bill
Psychological, eg The Mentalist
Comedy, The Thin Blue Line
Musical, eg Cop Rock
Post-modern, eg Twin Peaks.

The wide range of crime drama scan show us many alternative versions of people and ideas. The way they do this is called representation.

Venn Diagram

Enigmas - Roland Barthes Theory

Roland BARTHES is a theorist who looked into narratives (storylines). One conclusion he came to was that all narratives have ENIGMAS. These are puzzles/questions which have to be solved. Typically these are questions that are raised which the audience are encouraged to think about.

 

Kidnapp and Randsom

• Whats in the wrapping?
• Why is he throwing the wrapping in the lake?
• Why are they holding them people in hostage?
• Who are those people in hostage?
• Where are they going?
• Who is that man at the begining?
• Why are they hugging, whats their relationship?
• Why does he have three phones?
• Why is that man not helping the other person in danger?
• Why do people keep ringing him?
• Why does the person need money?
• What's in the bag?
• Why is that guy staring?
• Why are the army shooting?
• How does he know they are kidnappers?
• Why is the main character helping to hostages?
• Who is Sophie?
• Why is he kidnapping/hostaging all the people on the bus?
• Is he kidnapping or hostaging the people?
• Who is she?
• Why is she hidding her passport?
• Why did she slap her?
• Why did the girl throw there hotel key to the main character?
• Why did the girl give a hotel key and not her passport?

Exam Tips

Here are some useful tips that will be necessary to pass the Media exam in June. They were discussed that the briefing sir attended and the bold parts were the ones which were spoke about the most which would maybe suggest that is what will be included in the exam.

• Take into exam: Coloured pencils, Fine liners and a Ruler
• Will have to pitch a Crime Drama (either characters, settings release) 

                    - DVD Cover
                    - Magazine Cover
                    - Website Design
                    - Storyboard

• You should make sketches and diagrams to help develop your answers where possible.
• Remember to write in role.
• Show passion in answers about Crime Dramas and show that you believe in what you're writing about.
• DON'T GO INTO SURVIVAL MODE WHEN IT COMES TO REVISION!! Relax and be prepared.
• Have depth knowledge of 3 Crime Drama's (Luther, CSI & Sherlock)
• Include independent viewings when answering questions to show you have a wider knowledge of different shows. (variety)
• For A/A* Grades you need to include 2(or more) theories

                    - Uses and Gratification theory:
                      1. Information
                      2. Entertainment
                      3. Personal Identity
                      4. Personal Relationships
                    - Propps (characters) theory
                    - Todorov theory: [structure of Crime Drama's]
                      1. Equilibrium (normality)
                      2. Disruption (problem)
                      3. Resolution
                    - Levi-Straus theory: [narratives]
                      1. Binary Opposites Police vs. Criminals, Good vs. Bad, Turth vs. Lies, Man vs.Woman.
                    - Barthes theory: [enigma]
                      1. ALWAYS a plot/enigma
                      2. Makes audience QUESTION!

• Detailed knowledge of characters.
• Discuss 'vices'.
• Necessary to have a detailed knowledge of settings. (CSI Las Vegas, Miami, New York)
• Set pieces and iconography needs to be well-known about. (see previous blog posts)
• Jargon - words associated with Crime Dramas (see glossary tab)

                     - MO: how a criminal works eg. Serial Killer stabs victims 5 times every time.

• Think logically and put yourself in examiners minds.
• Makes things realistic and possible.
• The pitch must include persuasive, exotic language.
• Rationale: Reasons for things (EXPLAIN)
• Backup all your points with reasons.
• Annotate ALL drawings/storyboards.
• If you were asked to do a TV Mag make sure the sell lines and stories included are relevant to the target audience and genre.
• Write in bullet points and refer to the pre-released material at all times.

Luther as a flawed Anti-Hero

• He brakes into Alice's house.
• He tries to take police matters into his own hands.
• He puts his life at risk. (Ep 2 ending with the gun held to his head)
• The Henry Maddison situation - he could of saved him but let him fall instead.
• Fighting with Zoe's boyfriend.
• His personal life comes before his profession. (Says to Alice that he will not convict her if she stays away from Zoe)
• Relationship with Alice, whom is a potential serial killer.
• Blackmail (Ep 2 when he threatens to make the whole prison hate the dad by exploiting the fact he has child pornography when he really didn't)
• He relates to the Devil quite a few times which could suggest that he has a dark side to him that may be released at any time.

Independent Research Analysis - Criminal Minds

Fellow media student have been discussing about a crime drama which sounds rather interested so I watched an episode to see what all the fuss was about.

Independent Research Analysis - Harper's Island

One night whilst I was browsing the television guide I came across a crime drama called "Harper's Island", I was lucky enough to catch the first episode on the first encounter of the series. It is an american crime drama which is usually shown on CBS, April 9, 2009 - July 11, 2009. It is only a 1 season crime drama which is very annoying as the crime drama was very interesting and unique. The series was shot on Bowen Island. Instead i viewed this series on BBC Three. I watched this series a while back when it was relatively new. As Harpers island is based on  a wedding, so there in a minimal amount of characters. It consists of a background humming type of sound to girl the audience that creepy style effect to the episode which they are about to watch which excites the viewers. The intro illustrates a main character in a scene then that specific scene has a caption to explain who he/she is, then it skips to scene which they are in. The scenes are very fast paced so they let any clues out about the series.


The show takes place on Harper's Island, where John Wakefield went on a killing spree and murdered a number of people before supposedly being killed by the island sheriff, Charlie Mills. One of the victims was the sheriff's wife. After her death, the Sheriff Mills sent their daughter, Abby, to live with family in LA and she hasn't returned since. After 7 years, Abby is finally returning to the island for her best friend Henry's wedding but now the killing starts again and everyone is a suspect. The guests manage to unlock secrets of the island and of Wakefield as the series progresses. (from Wikipedia) The series included a live online chat on a Fan cast Forum each week with the "murder victim" from the Saturday night U.S. broadcast, where questions and comments from viewers trying to solve the mystery are encouraged, as well as providing a behind-the-scenes view from the series. This encourages the views to interact with the series and make them feel closer and more personal to it. This series was rated 7.3/10 with 5,927 votes. Each episodes around about 45 minutes so it doesn't bore the audience. Due to the dramatic scenes when adverts approached I became anxious what will proceed on the island, the blocked out island also gives the series that extra scare!


I began to develop a real love to this crime drama as it was unique and there scare theme was always recurring, even though this series is in the past I know I will come back to it in the future to uncover the forgotten mysteries. Through the 13 episodes at some point someone (or as many as five) were killed off during each episode. This made the audience become alone as in episode 1 there were 30+ guests and at the episode (13) there could have been 10. The episode began to have more and more space for individual characters to roam which made them vulnerable. Each episode was around 45 minutes long which made the audience have the same feel towards the series "Scared". 

Settings

Setting play a huge part of Crime Dramas as a variation of settings suggest different hings to the viewer about how the show will be illustrated.Different locations suggest different moods and feelings towards the series.


Luther:
-Is set in a council estate part of London, this gives the crime drama a darker side, compared to Sherlock as it is more glamorous and is set in a more posh part of London (Baker Street). Luther consits of alleyways which give a sense of unknown, this gives a scary feel to the Luther. Whereas if Luther was set in Baker Street it wouldn't give the same impact, Luthers personality would not mix well with a more glamours background. It will almost feel as if he is out of place. Luther's set is also very close to the River Thames which opens more crimes for the series.

CSI - CSI is set in an area which is seen as sexy and glamorous and this has been enhanced throughout the show by the up to date technology and 'pretty' characters. Having a beautiful setting you can come up with the idea that CSI is a Sombre show to watch. The crimes are usually set in front of loads of people but in some crimes no one notices that a crime is taking place, even though we know its impossible. The mass of people who are involved in the crime gives us more of worried sense, then if it was in the suburbs of New York or London.

Further Independent Research Analysis - Kidnapp and Ransom

I thoroughly enjoyed my first viewing of Kidnapp and Ransom and felt that a further watch would increase my knowledge of an unknown crime drama. Yet again it is still a British television crime drama and it is aired on ITV1.This episode was released on air on Thursday 1st March after the watershed (9pm). As usual I watched this as a catch up on ITV Player as i have been very caught up with coursework these past few days. The episode was just a carries on from the first, but due to the interesting dialogue and different character backgrounds i was hooked. I wanted to find out if the silent intro was a one time offer only, but to my surprise it was a recurring introduction which still amazes me every time due to its unique twist.


The two kidnappers fall out as the less fervent Leela questions the need to execute hostages. The injured Mahavi is released and Flo slips her passport into his pocket to hide her identity. However he is later seen making a phone call and when the kidnappers agree to release all the women and children she is held back... There is still no IMBD rating due to being such a new episode, but the overall rating has been increased by 8 people which illustrates the growing population of views for Kidnap and Ransom. There isn't a dramatic change in the length of the episode as the second episode of the season 2 is only an extra minute (total of 46 minutes).

I know that the episode as a whole is unique and has its very on twist which stuns the auditions in shock. We know everything that's happening in the scene, but the only thing we don't know is what he is going to do next. The episode again was really fast compared to a Sherlock episode which feels never ending, I personally feel that the quicker the episode the more engaged the audience are which then makes the audience more interested. 

Set Pieces

1- What typically happens in the scene?

2- What part does it play in the narrative?

3- What iconography is used?

4- What audience pleasures arise from the scene?

5- What languge may be used- vocab!

 

 

Press Conference

This is where people are informed

about the crimes and then people from the press are able to ask questions based on the murder.

• Cameras
• Press
• Microphones
• Desks
• Rows of chairs
• Flashes

 

The Laboratory



This specific scene is usually where they bring the evidence they have collected evidence from the crime scene, they analyse the evidence to see if they can gather any clues. It plays a much part in the narrative as the investigators are able to find clues as to who the criminal is. Scientific terms such as "Chromatic" are used which are unknown to everyday people but to scientists those words are everyday words for this, they also use type of language to make themselves look more clever then us. The pleasures that this scene gives are simple crazy, unseen, unlikely, wild and abnormal gadgets which people fall in love with straight away just by seeing them in action, the variation of gadgets and how they work fascinate people.

• Gloves
• Lab coats
• Computers
• Test Tubes

 

Interrogation scene

The crime flashback is usually done to show the crime taking place, and in many occasions it is done with a different suspect to enhance to the audience the range of suspects that may have been part of the crime.

• Dark, as the flashbacks usually show scenes of violence and crime
• Flashback Scenes may cause frightening moments to the audience and it allows them to witness the crime themselves.
• Clarification, gives proof of who, how and where the crime was committed in the narrative.
• Jolty Camera
• Quick Montages

  

Eureka moment

The moment when some important information is uncovered and an investigator may have a moment of intelligence and can figure out who the suspect is.

• In many ocassions this is the moment when the crime will finally be solved or a step away from it being solved.
• This may be a moment when the audience will either find out that they were right or wrong about who the victim was. This makes the audience feel involved and  intelligent if they were right.
• Facial Expressions are usually happy and exciting as the moment everyone has been waiting for has finally arrived.

Initial crime scene

This is where the family of the victims are informed of their death.

• This tends to be sad for the audience and it is usually a silent/quiet scene as the family or relatives are being informed about a not very good and 'happy' thing.
• This could sometimes bring further clues as the family may know someone who could have committed the crime.

   

Crime Scene-

 

This is the scene where the crime has been.

committed and the investigators go to see what has happened. This scene allows evidence to be collected and taken back to the lab so that they may be able to find the perpetrator

• Detective arrives at crime scene
• Police tape
• Evidence Markers
• Cameras

Arrest/Confession

 

Crime flashback

The crime flashback is usually done to show the crime taking place, and in many occasions it is done with a different suspect to enhance to the audience the range of suspects that may have been part of the crime.

• Dark, as the flashbacks usually show scenes of violence and crime
• Flashback Scenes may cause frightening moments to the audience and it allows them to witness the crime themselves.
• Clarification, gives proof of who, how and where the crime was committed in the narrative.
• Jolty Camera
• Quick Montages

Visit to next of kin

This is where the family of the victims are informed of their death.

• This tends to be sad for the audience and it is usually a silent/quiet scene as the family or relatives are being informed about a not very good and 'happy' thing.
• This could sometimes bring further clues as the family may know someone who could have committed the crime.

Autopsy

 

This is where the body of the victim

is investigated to see whether there is any evidence connecting a person with the murder.

• Body Bag.
• Tweasers.
• Lab Coat.
• Table which the body is on.

Independent Research Analysis - Kidnapp and Ransom

I was introduced to a crime drama which goes by the name "Kidnap and Random", it is a British television miniseries, shown on ITV1. The series revolves around the latest cases for expert British hostage negotiator Dominic King, played by Trevor Eve. The first episode aired in January 2011. I viewed an episode of the latest series(2) on ITV iplayer so it is still access able on the the ITV website, to be more specific this episode aired on February 23, 2012. I felt that the beginning sequence to this episode was completely different to what I have ever seen in a crime drama and that element of this specific episode "Wowed" me. There wasn't any special effects as the series is realist, the begining intro is silent and only photos and words of the actors appear, there is a redy colour which is illustrated in the intro, could it link to blood?

In the new series, we join Dominic King in Srinagar, Kashmir negotiating the release of the Mehtas, a British Asian family kidnapped while on holiday visiting their son Mahavir. As the handover is completed, the police arrive and a shoot-out ensues.Dominic gets most of the family to safety but the kidnappers get away with Mahavir. In their panic they board a tourist bus, taking all those on board hostage. As this series is still new there has still been no rating on IMBD but the rating for season 1 was at 6.7/10 with 132, this illustrates the reduced population that Kidnap and Ransom has, especially compared to Luther (132 - 7022). It also could be that I have never actually seen an advert for "Kidnap and Ransom" and that could reduce the viewings dramatically. Each episodes around about 45 minutes so it doesn't bore the audience. Due to the dramatic scenes when adverts approached I became furious as I wanted to see what was going to happen next and I wanted it as soon as possible.

I felt that the episode as a whole was very interesting and unique. Instead of us finding out the killer like CSI we knew who the criminal was but the problem catching him. I felt the episode went really fasted as it is a very fast paced crime drama and gets into the action very quick, even though I know its a 45 minute episode it felt like 20 minutes. I really enjoyed the unique twists that this episode had and due to this I will be watching the new episode and staying tuned to the series as a whole.