What are the typical character types in a TV Crime Drama?

C Be able to define typical character types from Crime DramasB Be able to apply Propp’s character theory to a Crime DramaA Be able to analyse the representations of these character types

Who is the odd one out? (AND WHY?)

EXT: What links these images? (AND WHY?)

Poirot Luther Miss Marple

05/03/12

Main Character Types:

Officers of Officers of the lawthe law

VictimsVictims

SuspectsSuspects

CriminalsCriminals

Hero, Heroine, Anti-hero cop, Hero, Heroine, Anti-hero cop, grumpy, buddy, quirky, rookie, grumpy, buddy, quirky, rookie,

bad tempered, expertsbad tempered, experts

Luther, Colombo, Cagney & Lacey, Jack Bauer

New victims every episode. New victims every episode. Audience tend to sympathise.Audience tend to sympathise.FlashbacksFlashbacks sometimes used. sometimes used.

CSI uses flashbacks to show us the victims story

SuspectedSuspected of committing the of committing the crime. Wrongly arrested. Treated crime. Wrongly arrested. Treated

badly when innocent.badly when innocent.

Represent the Represent the opposition opposition to to the law. Weak, misguided, stupid the law. Weak, misguided, stupid

or clever. or clever.

Vladamir Propp’s Character Types:

HeroHero

VillainVillain

DispatcherDispatcher

DonorDonor

Who goes on a Who goes on a questquest

Who is Who is againstagainst the hero the hero

Who sets the hero off on their Who sets the hero off on their questquest

Helps the heroHelps the hero

PrincessPrincess What is the What is the prize prize for the hero?for the hero?

1.What is the quest?

2.Who are the clear

character types?

3.What character types

are missing?

EXT: How well does

Propp’s theory apply?

Suggest some reasons

as to how it does or

doesn’t.

Vladamir Propp’s Character Types:

HeroHero

VillainVillain

DispatcherDispatcher

DonorDonor

Dr. Harry Cunningham

?

On the phone

Dr. Nicky Alexander

PrincessPrincess Solving the murderSolving the murder

Officers of Officers of the lawthe law

VictimsVictims

SuspectsSuspects

CriminalsCriminals

Officers of Officers of the lawthe law

Using the template create a character for a TV Crime

Drama

Swap your character with a partner and underneath answer the following

questions:

1) Who is the ‘stock’ character type.2) How have they represented them?

NameDescriptionQuirk / Point of

interest

Consider the following statements about characters in TV Crime drama

Crime drama still portrays a very masculine culture in the police force

TV Crime Drama presents us with unfair representations of gender

Crime drama shows women playing powerful and intelligent characters

Leading detectives in television crime drama are mostly white and

male

Using your DVD covers, notes on character from

the screening and sketches which do you agree with

and why?

Characters and Representation

Homework:

Over the next few weeks you will

Need to research your own case study TV Crime Drama to discuss in the

exam:

By next week you must hand in the first two slides of your case

study

What is TV Crime Drama?

AO1 & AO3