C2 TV

 Tuesday 7th January 2025 

TV drama 

L/O: to explore the content and format of the unit 

do now

1). 2

2). 1 hour 30 

3). genre- a category a film goes under 

4).older British women and males - middle class 

5). to inform , educate  and entertain 

component 2

1 hour 30 mins 

60 marks 

section A - TV crime and drama 

section B - music videos 

section A 

question 1 - media language or representations 

question 2 - media industries or audiences or media context 

CRIME DRAMA 

genre: a category a film / music piece can go under e.g action , romance 

sub-genre : a category that is a subdivision of a larger genre e.g martial arts 

hybrid genre: a combination that combines the conventions of two or more genres -  sci-fi action , action adventure

-the responder -

narrative ;

he is a police officer 

setting :

urban areas , 

characters :

male character , father - police officer - wants to do good in life 

mise-en-scene :

use of props such as police cars , destroyed cars/ props 

-happy valley- 

narrative:

setting:

more rural areas , rundown areas 

characters:

woman police officer - protagonist, sarcastic, 

mise-en-scene: 

police outfits, 

-line of duty-

narrative:

starts of with a raiding mission to stop someone gone wrong 

setting :

urban  areas 

characters: 

male protagonist 

mise-en-scene: 

props of guns , walkie talkies , police outfits 

key conventions in TV crime drama :

a fictionalised recreation of real life crime 

a main protagonist who is rather a police of detective and intelligent and normal

iconography of police , guns , dark city streets 

setting of police stations 

suspense and mystery 

low lighting used to create suspense/ tension

diegetic sound 

narrative often starts with some crime that has been committed 

usually an antagonist who is also intelligent and one step ahead 

there are often clues throughout the series to keep us guessing 

a lot of suspense throughout 

a big continuous narrative that goes throughout the program / series 

gritty realistic settings , dirty , dark etc 

hand held camera work to make the audience look like they are there 

the impact of these conventions is that it creates suspension and tension and enigmas ( questions) which keeps the audience guessing engaging them more within the series enforcing that they watch it more and stay up to date . 

Friday 10th January 2025

TV Industry 

do now

1). a combination of conventions between two genres 

2). Luther, the Sweeney 

3). dark lighting 

4).iconography of police 

5).tension and suspense  

online streaming services and development in technology has changes the way we watch the TV and allow audiences to access more channels 

some TV programmes today achieve the status of event television and gain massive audiences 

digital technology has changed how we produce and circulate tv programmes as well as how we consume them 

the wide variety means audiences are spread more thinly than in the past 

audience loyalty to a particular channel has decreased in years 

scheduling 

watershed:the time of the day when television shows that may be unstable for children can be broadcasted

peak time: the time of the day when most people are watching TV 

prime time: the time when the largest number of people are watching TV usually between 7-11 pm in UK usually Saturday night 

public service broadcasting:

according to the OFCOM. " high-quality content made for as wide a range of audiences as possible, and for public benefit rather than purely commercial ends"

the BBC=PSB( funded by license fee)

ITV channel 4,5= commercial public broadcasters ( funded mainly though advertising) available to all who pay the license fee 

OFCOM regulates TV including on demand and catch up services through the broadcasting code 

BBC: 

a public service broadcaster 

funded by the license fee

paid by all uk households with a TV 

the BBC mission is to act in the public interest , serving all audiences by providing impartial high-quality programs which inform educate and entertain 

BBC has nine national TV channels regional tv programmes 

BBC has worldwide broadcasts on the radio,TV and online 

there is BBC America

TV audiences 

before catch up services you could only watch the programme by the time it was broadcasted and have to miss the episode 

therefor tv played an important part in peoples lives then it does now 

now modern audiences today have more flexibility and families don't have to watch tv together as before. 

binge watching - when u continuously watch a series/ show in one sitting. - you can escape and don't have to wait and are more involved in narrative 

Tuesday 14th January 2025

the Sweeney 

do now 

1).  usually solving a crime 

2). Luther and The Sweeney

3).dark lighting 

4).iconography of police 

5). tension and suspense and enigma  

the Sweeney - 1970's 

produced by Euston films - film production of the Thames television ( group that held the ITV broadcast license in the London area)

the Sweeney was primarily filmed in west London which added to the realism 

at the time the program used some new techniques which influenced the way some tv dramas have been produced 

both main actors John Thaw and Dennis waterman became associated with police crime drama , showing the importance and influence of the Sweeney in development of genre 

the show ran for three years and was broadcasted at 9pm on weekday evenings on ITV 

the narrative was structured into three sections - around two add breaks 

the Sweeney was seen as ground breaking and added new elements into the crime genre overall 

the Sweeney includes elements of action and police procedural sub genre 

the Sweeney was base on 'the flying squad' - metropolitan police involved in violent crimes and also involved in a big corruption case in which some of the officers where jailed for taking bribes

notes - 

non diegetic music 

creates suspense and makes the scene dramatic 

diegetic sounds of crashes and running sounds 

Mis en scene - police where wearing suits to emphasise power meanwhile the criminals are in like scruffy outfits 

woman - girlfriends, wives , mothers - stereotypical representation of woman - patriarchy - woman are presented as weak and vulnerable in the Sweeney 

main criminals - symbolised as intelligent , rich , 

action scenes- build up in music 

there was no representation of other ethnicities other then white. 

class structure- working class , upper class , 

Friday 17th January 2025 

do now 

1). west London 

2). 9pm 

3). the time where shows not suitable for children are on 

4). more violence 

5). Regan and carter 

Luther 2010 

produced by the BBC 

written by Neil cross who has previously written shows like spooks 

first series was aired on BBC one 9pm Tuesday 4th may 2010 

also then available on I player 

there have been 5 series and a Netflix movie 

one of the many crimes that is names from the main protagonist , implying that the detective is strong and important . 

there is a few sub-genres within this like mystery/ detective and physiological thriller.

Luther 

- first introduction- made to look like Luther is the bad guy first through the use of the intense chase scenes. 

includes gory scenes to add to the realism including lots of blood and dead people . 

shows the process of being a detective once again creating a much more realistic ideal to the audience 

use of camera movement makes it looks like the audience is moving along with them 

use of city areas and basic offices 

there is a use of pure silence in interrogation scenes to create tension and add to the suspense 

however there is non diegetic  sounds when Luther figures something out to add to a rise in suspense to the audience 

- HOMEWORK- 

how does scheduling impact TV crime drama and audiences 

tv crime is scheduled within later on in the day usually past 9pm due to watershed , usually at that time children won't be watching so more mature content can be broadcasted to an older audience. this time is also usually peak Time within the day when there is a much larger audience so broadcasting it at this scheduled time makes it more popular. also when people most likely are binge watching tv and will be most likely to watch the crime TV drama. due to this scheduling tv crime drama tends to get high numbers of viewers and is quite popular. 

1). an audiences response to crime drama might change overtime due to

2). the benefits of commercial broadcasting is that it promotes things to the audience and allows for breaks incase the audience has to do something , also commercial broadcasting makes a lot of profit and reaches for more advertisement 

Tuesday 21st January 2025

do now- 

1). john 

2). BBC

3).9pm Tuesday

4).psychological thriller 

5).start of with a high tension scene , movement shots , diegetic sound

props character functions

hero: leads the narrative , is usually looking for something

villain: has a conflict with the hero , trying to stop the hero 

the donor: give the hero something , a clue weapon etc 

the princess: usually a prize to the hero , if hero is female there can be a prize but it can be unusual 

the helper: helps the hero complete their quest 

the princess's father: authority figure often rewards the hero for completing their quest 

the false hero: takes credit for the hero's actions and tries to marry the princess 

the dispatcher: early role who sets the story/ quest in motion

Luther - hero ( he is solving the case )

villain ( alice)

princess( zoe)

Luther: Luther would fit into the role of the hero , he is the main protagonist and within the episode is solving the case which fits the description of the hero , he also drives the narrative and is looking for who committed the crime and how 

alice: Alice would suit the description of the villain as she is in conflict with Luther and has committed the crime of killing her parents. she is mainly trying to stop Luther inn many ways like threatening his wife and himself which has qualities of the villain 

Zoe: Zoe would be classified as the princess as she is like a reward for Luther and is threatened from the villain raging the hero more , she is Luther's reward 

Friday 24th January 2025

genre and narrative 

do now 

1). 8

2).princess , helper , false hero 

3). he can also be seen as a false hero sometimes - has obvious flaws and weaknesses 

4). give the hero a clue or something helpful 

5).Justin Ripley 

theory : Steve Neale - genre - repetition and difference 

genre is dominated by the repetition of codes and conventions - they have a 'system of expectations'(things the audience expect to be included)

genres change develop and vary over time 

they borrow from and overlap with one another - this creates a hybrid .      

the Sweeney 

starts of with some sort of crime happening.

police , guns , car chases within the opening sequence. 

Luther 

starts of with a high action chase scene.

making us think Luther is the bad guy 

adding elements from other genres 

u.s.p - him being the first black detective 

audience makes Luther redeemable to keep the audience on board 

intro- elements of crime with police props 

saw action 

makes audience question his ethics / morals 

editing has improved more to add realism

  

    Luther shows developments compared to the Sweeney , there is more conventions from the thriller genre in Luther compared to the Sweeney - low lighting - non-diegetic noise , dramatic cross cutting 

there is more reference to the horror genre in Luther 

elements of police procedural but with an increased focus on psychology 

the characters are far more complex and developed compared to The Sweeney , particularly female roles. real life developments in forensics are reflected in the show   

filming and camera movements are more developed in Luther. 

stock characters- typical characters you would find in particular genres; a convention of crime drama 

luther is a maverick detective : brilliant detectives , can solve most crime and understand most clues others cant , however thry arent scared to break rules to catch the criminal  also often damaged individuals who struggle in their personal life. 

examples of Luther being a maverick detective:

in the investigation when he figure she's guilty because she doesn't yawn 

analysing the evidence in the house   

breaking into alice's house . 

alice: the psychopathic killer - she pretends to be normal , capable of horrific crimes , enjoy playing mind games with the detective. 

trys to play the victim

threatened zoe and Luther 

mentally plays with Luther 

alice- the femme fatal - a dangerous female character , uses her sexuality to exert power over male characters , a character more often seen in film noir  

backstory : the pre title sequence summarises the previous case and explains why luther is in the ward at the start , also a continuing narrative arc throughout the series 

inverted narrative , we know who the murderer is Luther knows that , we will assume luther will catch her but we dont know how , the duel between the two characters gives us the excitement 

we know she did the crime but there isn't that normal sense of justice just personal satisfaction from Luther .  

different narrative strands , neither the crime or his personal life are neatly resolved during the end of the first episode making us want to watch it more .  

iconic signifiers , camera work and editing used to focus our attention on important clues.                                                                                                                                                  

homework-

no time to die-

1). 

Tuesday 28th January 2025

Luther representation 

do now :

1). codes and conventions 

2). unique selling point 

3). 

4). typical characters you would expect in a movie

5). psychopathic killer , femme fatal, 

representation: the way in which people , places , issues and events are portrayed in the media. 

questions to think about representation:

is it a positive or negative representation

what evidence can i use to support my case

are there aspects which conform to traditional stereotypes in that area 

John Luther:

aggressive - he shows stereotypical signs of aggression usually linked within men

he is also challenging going against rules but doing the right thing 

constructed- he is shown to be intelligent and smart by figuring the case really quickly 

and is shown to be aggressive through 

how does his character subvert stereotypes - Luther is shown to be more emotional going against stereotypes of males he isn't also very mentally strong  

he is an interesting representation of a black male in the twenty first century Britain 

he is a successful senior police detective with a brilliant mind 

he also uses questionable methods to get results 

he is highly committed to his job - almost obsessive 

highly regarded by his fellow officers 

he reflects the contemporary notions of masculinity as he isn't completely control in his life and shows vulnerability 

some stereotypical elements of masculinity shown through some physical force , lack of emotion with other men 

complicated character who experiences anguish and passion and reacts with anger and violence but also pain and sadness 

hegemonic masculinity - in western society the dominant form of masculinity was primarily seen as being - white , heterosexual , largely middle class males. 

these ideals suggested a number of characteristics that men are encouraged to be or use. 

these include violence and aggression , emotional restraint , courage , risk taking , competitiveness , success , athleticism. 

in the opening scene - firstly represented as the bad guy chasing him , he is shown as aggressive and athletic when running and when interrogating he uses an aggressive tone 

middle clip - aggression with physical force , doesn't show any pain , physical strength, risk taking 

last clip ( aggression to Zoe) - he shows violence , aggression in his tone and physical force but challenges it because he shows his emotions openly  

representation of women:

alice- a complex character , both antagonist and femme fatal , she has considerable power and agency as her actions drive the plot  she displays many traits stereotypically associated with masculinity unemotional , highly intelligent , ruthless and violent 

she subverts many female stereotypes.

Zoe- a less conventional character for crime drama , she is indicative of the social context of the programme Luther , she is powerful and independent shown through her being a lawyer , she also is the one who ends the relationship with Luther suggesting her strength.however she is still shown as needing Luthers protection from alice and her story involves love and relationships. 

rose : women in authority in a male dominated sector , shows strength by believing in Luther , a working mother 

Friday 31st January 2025 

Luther representation

do now 

1). hegemonic masculinity 

2). stoicism , courage , physical strength 

3). the way in which things are presented in a piece of media 

4). him being alone in scenes 

5). him being a black , emotional detective. 

explain how Luther is a representation of hegemonic masculinity:

in the programme Luther the eponymous hero is represented of hegemonic masculinity, initially , in the opening scene Luther is represented as aggressive and a risk taker this can be seen through the use of  high action chase scenes between Luther and henry. We see Luther taking major risks chasing him through an abandoned building.We can also see this through Luthers aggressive tone when interrogating henry emphasising Luther to have characteristics of hegemonic masculinity as he was willingly letting henry hang there to figure out the crime once again highlighting his risk taking.

furthermore Luther at the climax in the episode we can see hegemonic masculinity through how Luther is stoicism when alice and him encounter one another. Luther is shown to not show any emotion when alice is threatening him making him seem cold and carless  

how far are the characters in Luther typical of the genre?

 

HOMEWORK- 

Luther conforms to the system of expectations of TV crime drama by using codes and conventions such as 

Including vast stereotypes from different genres or characters . For example Luther being the main male character has been presented very uniquely as he is shown to have a vast range of hegemonic masculinity traits such as being aggressive and athletic which is shown throughout the episode.

Tuesday 4th February 2025

industry and audience 

do now- 

1) alice morgan

2). risk taking , aggressive , stoicism 

3). stoicism 

4). rose teller 

5). story named after the main character 

production:

produced by BBC 

shown on BBC1 offers a range of programme types and genres and aims to appeal to a very wide audience 

BBC1 remit: to create a high proportion of original programmes and to reflect the diversity of the UK 

important features of BBC drama include: talk ability , topicality and relevance to audiences , britishness and reflecting the diversity of life in Britain 

2016-17: aimed to exhibit some or all the following high quality , original , challenging , innovative and engaging and it should nurture UK talent . 

distribution:

broadcasted in may 2010 (BBC1 9pm Tuesday)

also available on i player ( catch up)

it was recommissioned following the first series 

in 2012 following the success of the first two series BBC America ( co owned by BBC studios and AMC) started co - producing 

Luther broadcast on BBC America : broadcasts a mixture of US and UK programmes 

BBC America is part of BBC studios ( commercial arm of the BBC not funded by the uk license fee)

crime drama brings in a large part of BBC studios revenue and Luther has been distributed to many parts of Europe , Asia , Africa 

audience appeal :

marketing of the series was important in reaching a range of audiences

a trailer was released on the BBC on the 16th April 2010 

a longer preview was shown at the end of April showing the scene where Luther and Ripley meet 

additional footage and behind the scenes stuff was released on the website giving exclusive insights  

 

website 

it contains features of:

clips 

meet the characters page 

episodes that the audience can watch 

programme appeals 

genre: crime genre is a popular genre and it includes familiar conventions , along with interesting hybridisation and unconventional elements 

star appeal : Idris Elba is well known and popular. he is an attractive and potentially aspirational persona , appealing to both male and female viewers 

narrative: the Morgan murders and the ongoing Madsen case are engaging for the episode and series. a female killer is unusual 

representation: the range of complex male and female characters appeals to different audiences- either to identify with or to be intrigued with. 

audience response

first episode has mixture of reviews but majority positive 

the complex features could generate negative and positive results 

some people could admire Luthers crime solving skills but may dislike the way he does it and his violent responses 

might respond positively to alice and find her intelligent but respond negatively to her femme fatal 

some people might agree that the ending reflects reality but some people might be disappointed by the lack of closure. 

the Sweeney 

characters from the series one where appealing - audiences could relate to them in many ways 

police officers were shown as flawed and human although they still caught the criminals 

(negative representation?)

modern audiences might respond positively to the retro feeling but negatively for the lack of diversity 

audience response:

it was extremely successful 

led to Euston developing more TV dramas and two spin off films 

re runs have been broadcasted several times over the years. 

can be seen to have influenced other police TV dramas. 

Friday 7th February 2025

context

do now 

1).high quality , original , engaging 

2).BBC america 

3).websites , trailers , previews , youtube channels 

4). narrative and star appeal and genre 

5). the lack of diversity. 

changing viewing conditions :

one if the biggest changed in how we watch tv has been the introduction of streaming 

when the Sweeney was on television there was no way to pause or re watch it - you had to be there when it was on.

programmes where shown on the same time once a week.

because of the long gaps between episodes they contained closed narratives - elements of the story wrapped up at the end. 

this meant audiences didn't have to remember week to week what had happened if they missed an episode it wouldn't matter as there would be a new narrative each week 

contemporary viewing conditions:

modern services such as BBC i player , where Luther is shown, allow audiences to watch on demand.

this has now changed the way we watch television , with viewers now able to binge-watch whole series at a time 

digital technology means we can be anywhere to watch these programmes now. 

all of this means we have open narratives now in crime drama. 

parts of the story will unfold at different times and episodes now. 

crime genres today tend to be more complex now with more complex character development compared to the 70's  

contemporary audiences

have a greater knowledge and understanding 

historical context:

1970's- The Sweeney 

less gender equality - reflected in the structure of the police force ( example - entire show only one female police officer who isn't highly ranked) 

Britain at the time was becoming more racially diverse then it had been but racial discrimination was very high at the time and minority ethnic groups where underrepresented in the media ( there was no ethnic people shown only white males and females)

The Sweeney was based on the real 'flying squad' which has been involved in a corruption scandal 

(they tried to frame a guy)

1970's was a period of strikes shortages and economic scandals (. there was a lot of crime in the show)

contemporary context:

1980's: 90 female detective constables and up to 1400 male

2017: 30% of all police officers in England and wales where female

racial equality - Luther is the first black detective and the whole cast is diverse 

London is represented as a cosmopolitan financial city

representation of gender :

The Sweeney - 

it reflects 1970's values in relation to gender ,woman are underrepresented - women in the police force had a different ranking and couldn't have much authority. 

however Luther shows woman to have a lot of authority and power and are shown to have some independence. but also show that they need some male attention and safety and are shown to be emotional 

  

explain how crime dramas reflect the time in which they are made?

crime dramas are effected through the time in which they are made and have clear reflections of it.For example in the 1970's crime drama The Sweeney it is clearly reflected through the narrative where each episode is presented in a closed narrative due to the time and technology of when it was made. Each episode was presented to have the narrative finish by the end of the episode as it had to be shown once a week at the same time meaning people wouldn't have missed a lot of they weren't there  

11/02/24

extract analysis 

do now-

1). sound , camera work , M.E.S , editing 

2).shot types , angles , movement 

3). sounds that the characters can hear 

4).cutting. between two clips happening simultaneously - cross cutting 

5). framing : how a shot is composed , decisions made about where to place a subject into a frame

extract analysis - component two section A you will need to answer questions based on an extract from Luther 

question one will ask you to analyse either media language or representation in an extract 

part a - simple analysis question 

part b - analyse and make a judgement 

technical codes : camera shots , angles , movements , editing 

audio codes : diegetic vs non-diegetic sound , dialogue , music and sound effects 

visual codes :mise-en-scene , framing and composition lighting 

questions to ask or think about when analysing :

what is being communicated?

what has been included?

has anything been deliberately ?

what are we ( the audience) being asked to focus ?

there was birds eye view looking down at henry making him look inferior 

cross cutting : between the house and Luther chasing henry to emphasise the tension and drastic 

extreme close up / shot reverse : to create tension and suspense 

14/02/25

extract analysis : media language 

do now - 

1).camera work , sound , editing , MES 

2).movement 

3).sounds only the audience can hear 

4).having the camera at the persons eye line usually to show expression 

5). camera shot is at an angle 

they used a lot of shot reverse shot when in the interrogation 

Luther is more relaxed and calm but alice seems to be colder and more blunt 

in the middle of the station the scenes are more quicker with non diegetic sound

25/02/25

extract analysis 

do now 

1). medium long shot

2).movement 

3). M.E.S

4). during conversations or interrogations 

5). a shot that is taken from an angle 

camera - Luther is in the centre of the frame suggesting he is important , its a medium long shot showing the office space 

setting - office space with props like paper , computers - Zoe has her own office space showing her importance. - urban setting , high status company 

clothing - Luther is shown to wear smart but casual attires suggesting he shows presentation 

setting - it is important as it helps create the mood and tone for the programme 

questions to ask yourself :

what does the setting connote?

what props have been included- why?

what do the costumes and body language connote about the characters?

how are the characters positioned? what does this suggest about their relationship? 

explore how mise-en-scene creates meaning in this clip?

- shots of the hallway and rooms suggest Luther is in a ward 

- close ups of Luthers face with an emotionless expression suggest he is in a thought 

- Luthers attire is comfy and casual suggesting he isn't working but is a patient there 

- it is shown that Luther is in there for help through connotations 

- the setting is very empty looking and clean 

- lighting is dark 

- there is little furniture suggesting he is in a visiting room 

- playing chess - suggests Luther is smart and intelligent.

- the blinds on the windows cover the light and look like bars 

 

gender :

male - aggressive - mark and Luther start fighting each other , stereotypical views on males , hegemonic masculinity characteristics presented 

female- vulnerable , emotional , seeks male protection 

ethnicity : 

there is a range on ethnicity's - primarily white police man try to stop Luther - stereotypes on racism in that area 

its a bit of both - shows white people trying to stop the situation targeting a black individual 

but it shows a variety of races and it has presented Luther to be of higher power as the police immediately back away due to him being in higher ranking 

28/02/25

extract analysis: exam style question 

do now 

1)stereotypes, is it a positive or negative representation 

2).costume , prop , setting 

3). two times 

4). two 

5). 3 paragraphs 

exam question practice 

1a) how costume creates meaning in this extract 

1b). how typical of the genre are locations used in this extract 

stereotypes in costume:the costumes are shown to be professional, links to their importance and status, alice has a hat pin, the males are in suits , Zoe is shows to be a high status female by wearing a very professional attire , alice is wearing a disguise when confronting Zoe  

anti-stereotypes: rose is shown to be in more masculine clothing to present her character - she stands out from the other female characters 

positive: its positive as it shows them to have status and presents them as professional hardworking characters 

negative :

location: urban setting - more common in crime drama as there is more crime and locations in the urban settings . police station - links to the crime aspect on where cases are managed and are more typical in crime genres 

1A). 

costume has been used to create a variety of meanings in many ways throughout the extract.For  example we see a theme of professional costume being used to represent the characters status.In the extract Zoe is seen to be wearing a very smart and presentable costume connoting that she is of high status and is very respected and hardworking as it is suggesting she has a very good job and treats it in a professional manner , also having stereotypical connotations of women in the sense that she is caring of her looks.Meanwhile in the extract it is evident that Luther on the other hand is wearing a suit but doesn't treat it with much care in the sense that it is more messy and he has buttons undone giving the connotations that Luther is more comfort orientated giving stereotypical connotations of men and how he would just prefer to have comfort over style. 

Another way costume has been used in this extract to create meaning would be the use of anti-stereotypical costume within characters.In the extract rose , Luthers boss is shown to be wearing more masculine attire in the police station differentiating her from the other female characters within the series.She is wearing a low shirt with a vest over the top presenting her in a more masculine manner which goes against the usual feminine look. And with this costume and job rose has it gives her a sense of power and authority to the audience and everyone overall making her stand out to the audience as a unique character in the sense that she doesn't need to look feminine or have any female characteristics to be respected or have a high status role. 

on the other hand another way costume can create meaning is through the fact alice wears a disguise while confronting rose outside her work place. Alice is in a black wig with an almost blue jacket covering her characteristics so she doesn't get recognised creating a sense that she is a smart and sneaky character to the audience and  a very evil but intelligent character. Alice is also seen to be using a hat pin while holding it against Zoe's ear which creates a sense or creativity in her character but overall gives the audience meaning that she is different and a challenge to Luther.

1B). 

The urban location used in Luther is very common within the crime genre overall, as it gives a sense in that a lot of crime tends to happen within the big city areas to the audience and allows for more areas to be shown or clips such as car chases , interrogations or birds eye view of the big city.And it is overall just very popular in many crime genres as it gives the connotations of wealth ,  over population and importance so it is often used as it allows for more things to be shown and suggests that crimes affect a big area. Another location shown in this extract would be the police station shown when Luther is talking to rose, this location is also highly common in crime genres as it is where they work and shows the audience the realities of work life in crime and allows the audience to see the work process and can create tension overall with the intense scenes shown. 

the big city urban areas are common as well as it

- unfinished -

MISSED HOMEWORK- 

1)

how Luther supports reales genre theory :

Luther conforms to the system of expectations as it incorporates elements of American police procedural and film noir through cinematography. it also presents Alice as the femme fatal. it includes genre hybridisation showing elements of many other genres overall.it also is shown to include intertextuality to help engage with the audience more 

 - I'm not really sure on this miss - 

MISSED HOMEWORK 

2)

how far the characters in Luther typical of this genre:

genres change all the time but using Steve Neale's theory it states genres all contain instances of repetition and differences and that differences is essential to the economy of the genre.

Luther :

Luther is a typical of the crime drama as he is shown to be an intelligent character/ detective which is usually shown within crime dramas and are stereotypical characteristics for the main character. He is also shown to be a risk taker and decides to take lead in many situations which is shown to be quite common within crime and this genre overall when presenting detectives. he is strong wears typical formal clothes and has very stereotypical characteristics for the genre of crime.

Alice:

Alice is a typical villain but femme fatal character of this genre part from the fact she shows a lot more intelligence than others.But she shows the stereotypical villa by committing an evil crime and tourmenting the detective afterwards.she is shown to also use her gender as an opportunity to mess with the characters and seems involved with love making her a femme fatal.

Zoe:

 Zoe is a typical character for the genre but she shows more modern characteristics. she is vulnerable in moments and can be described as the "princess" in which Luther has to save . she seems to need male protection throughout episode one and isn't the strongest emotionally as she is always seen to be very extra with emotions. these are typical characteristics in crime for the females.

to conclude I would say Zoe is the most typical of the genre as you tend to see vulnerable female characters in many crime shows that tend ti be saved or protected by the detective as they are rather friends with them or have a romantic connection to the character.

HOMEWORK - LUTHER 

explore costumes:

in Luther we can see costumes explore many different connotations, for example In Luther his boss rose teller is shown to be wearing more masculine attire with usual vest tops and a button down underneath with some sort of formal trousers.Overall these give the connotations of hierarchy and power as she is already in a powerful job and is shown to be more dominant is masculine attire. it can also suggest that she is different and unique as she is set apart from the other female characters in Luther within the way she dresses. 

another character that creates connotations with the way they dress is Luther. He is shown to be wearing formal attire throughout the series but adds his own lazy spin to it wether that be subtle hints like unbuttoned shirts or wearing jeans. This gives the connotations that Luther does things differently but does mean business overall and still approaches situations with responsibility. But can also suggest he is comfort over presentation overall making him stand out from the other male characters in the series as majority of them seem to wear formal attire. 

the character John Luther is slightly typical to the genre as you tend to see characters like him subtly throughout crime shows for example Sherlock Holmes but in crime it is more serious overall and now and then characters tend to bend the rules. but most male detectives don't tend to show emotion as much a Luther does setting him aside from the regular stereotypes in crime genre. Luther is also a black individual which you do not see often for the crime genre as it is typically white leads setting him aside and making him unique. overall he goes against stereotypes but his characteristics are slightly seen within the crime genre