Crime Drama - Themes and Issue
Crime drama has become one of the most popular television genres within our society, taking up almost 20% of prime time. They appeal to their audience by dealing with themes and issues the viewers are aware of through their engagement with news and current affairs. Just as important as the themes and issues it deals with are the values and attitudes presented and the view of the world it offers. The ideologies presented usually reflect those of their target audience. The target audience for crime drama is usually teenagers to adults. Sexual abuse and SARS are current themes and issues in both Australia and America. These are explored in Blue Heelers and Law and Order. When these texts are examined it is clear that the representation of characters and setting, constructed through the use of film language, play an integral role in engaging the audience with the themes and issues.Characters in all television dramas are constructed to reflect different values and attitudes, which are held by different people within society, towards certain issues. This can be seen in Blue Heelers, through the protagonist Jo Parish, who represents the values held by a contemporary female police officer, and the values held by most members of societ
What this signifies is that they are on the victim's side. Setting is vital in crime drama as it puts everything into context, enabling the audience to engage in text. The character of Jeremy challenges the target audience when after he is charged with sexual abuse claims, "it was her fault, she was the one coming onto me," reflecting his lack of remorse and the different ideologies Jeremy holds. It is also a place where the plot is moved along, and new information presented. In Law and Order the viewer is also introduced top the criminals home which is an aprtment in New York city. This representation is completely changed when it appears that another criminal is in fact a doctor, and that the hospital is actually the place where a crime occurs. By setting the scene, the viewrts are better able to relate to the themes and issues occurring as it shows where they are most prevalent. The home appears to be of quite lower class, representing the idea that most criminals come from lower class backgrounds. In Blue Heelers for example, we are introduced to the criminals house via a long shot, the house looks like any ordinary home, this portrays the idea that sexual predators appear to be normal members in society, and that we can never really tell. Blue Heelers and Law and Order construct their characters through the use of visual and audio codes, and because of this representation the audience is able to identify what values and attitudes they hold, in relation to the themes and issues. Themes and issues are what make up the foundation of a crime drama. It helps to create a representation of reality, as it shows many views towards the themes and issues, yet still portrays the idea that the audience's values and attitudes are more significant. In Blue Heelers for example, through the use of visual film language, Jeremy is portrayed as slightly rough, but not too different from other mjembers within society, what this shows the audience is that perpetrators are not always identifiable instantly. It also indirectly presents us with other issues such as the need for more police officers and the lack of funding.
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