Crime Drama

             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 society. This can be seen when she is in the police station and makes
             reference to churches and other institutions involving the sexual abuse of minors.
             From this, the audience can draw that Parish feels strongly against people taking
             advantage of their position of authority regarding sexual abuse. In Law and Order, the
             common values and attitudes held by viewers are also represented through the
             protagonist. For example, the detectives try to convince the perpetrators wife to tell
             the truth about her husband's whereabouts on the night in question. What this signifies
             is that they are on the victim's side. We, as an audience, are positioned to believe that
             the husband is gui...

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Crime Drama. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 09:55, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/21795.html