Crime Drama (‘Luther’)

Question 1

What is a procedural crime drama

Answer 1

Takes you through all events of solving a crime

Question 2

Typical characters in a crime drama (4 types)

Answer 2

-Officers of the law
-Victims
-Criminals
-Suspects

Question 3

What is a typical crime drama protagonist like?

Answer 3

Often driven but has problems, a dark character who the audience wants to succeed

Question 4

What typical settings are there in crime dramas

Answer 4

-Interview room
-Court room
-Autopsy room
-Squad room at police station
-Crime scene

Question 5

What is vermsilitude

Answer 5

Where audiences can recognise the representations of ‘ordinary’ people in everyday environment

Question 6

Where are crime dramas filmed and what problems can this cause

Answer 6

On location which can be expensive to find and hire

Question 7

What styles of crime drama are there

Answer 7

-Procedural
-Action
-Psychological
-Period

Question 8

What is prime time

Answer 8

Time after dinner where most people watch TV (6pm-10pm)

Question 9

What is the watershed

Answer 9

-Things with more explicit content have to be shown after 9pm so children don’t see it

Question 10

What are episodic crime dramas

Answer 10

Storylines concluded within episodes

Question 11

What are linear crime dramas

Answer 11

Start > middle > end

Question 12

What are non linear crime dramas

Answer 12

Flashbacks or flash forwards (no time continuity)

Question 13

What is a single strand crime drama

Answer 13

Only one storyline

Question 14

What is a multi-stranded crime drama

Answer 14

There may be several different storylines

Question 15

What are the five stages of Todorov’s narrative structure

Answer 15

1. Equilibrium
2. Disruption
3. Recognition
4. Repair
5. Resolution

Question 16

How is Luther presented as a character

Answer 16

-Black male in 21sf century (good rep for ethnicity)
-Uses questionable methods to get results (breaking into Alice’s house)
-Unhealthy obsession with his job, which led to his marriage breaking down so he is a complex and dark character
-Represents mental health and is not afraid to talk about it (scene with sidekick)

Question 17

How does Luther of themes of thriller TV

Answer 17

-Low-key lighting, intensive non-diegetic music and dramatic cross cutting in the pre-title sequence

Question 18

How does Luther offer genre conventions of horror

Answer 18

-Graphic shots such as the dog and the Morgan’s house with blood
-Jump-scares when Alice grabs Zoe

Question 19

How does Luther’s character make the show typical

Answer 19

-His emotional life is explored through a single strand narrative that overarches the series
-He develops a tension with Alice
-The programme is named after him

Question 20

How do camera shots make Luther typical of its genre

Answer 20

-Camera movement such as hand held camera work immersed the audience by showing different viewpoints
-and the birds eye Alice grabbing Zoe outside of her office positions the views at a distance and makes them feel powerless to help

Question 21

How is Luther an inverted narrative

Answer 21

We know straight away who the murderer is but we don’t know whether Luther will catch her

Question 22

How does camerawork present Luther as a character

Answer 22

Often frames him surrounded by empty space signifying the emotional void in his life and a sense of isolation.
Showing he is not completely in control of his life and shows vulnerability
Also shows stereotypical elements of masculinity as he doesn’t show emotion in these scenes

Question 23

How is the character of Alice presented

Answer 23

-She is a femme fatale and the antagonist which is unusual. Her character holds a lot of dramatic power and drives the plot.
-She displays typically masculine traits such as being unemotional, highly intelligent, violent and ruthless
-However she is still stereotypical as she fits with the beauty standard of being skinny and white and uses her femininity to flirt with Luther