Case study: TV Life on Mars

Life on Mars

Genre

Use of conventions in sci-fi and crime (characters, iconography, settings, narrative, etc) and how they are followed or subverted. Link to Neale's genre theory and how the text is a combination of familiar and different genre elements

The characters are conventions of the crime-genre as there's a detective, a side-kick, boss, villain (a.k.a. criminals), the storylines are influenced by these, with two partners who don't get along working their issues out over the course of the episode. The setting is urban, set in a big city like Manchester to enhance the narrative as there's a bigger scope for crimes. The narrative is overall influenced by sci-fi, as he apparently time-travels, and music and audio codes exemplify this. Nevertheless, the show belongs to a hybrid genre, given the narrative also contains typical crime storylines, Sam is concerned with catching criminals in his work as a detective.

Narrative

Structure: Does the episode follow Todorov's narrative stages?

Todorov's narratology theory claims the pattern of Equilibrium (2006: normal murder case)- Disruption (Maya's disappearance- car crash- 2006 to 1973) - Resolution. Life on Mars loosely complies with the theory as there's a disruption to the normality established at the beginning, once he gets into a car crash. There's no clear resolution however as the episode ends on a cliffhanger. 

Barthes' narrative codes: what enigmas remain unsolved by the end of the episode? Are any solved?

There are various enigmas presented in the episode. Only a few minor ones are resolved (crime) like whether Maya is dead and the first suspect's connection to the killer. Regarding as to whether he's actually time-travelled or he's imagining it there's unclarity; sci-fi influences the enigmas as there are bigger questions posed such as has he changed the future? how did he end up in the past? is it his imagination or is everything real?

Is the episode a restricted or unrestricted narrative?

It is unrestricted narrative as the audience is learning with the protagonist

Representations

How are genre, ethnicity, the police and wider society represented in both the 1970s and modern-day narratives of the episode?

Representations of gender are heavily contrasted with the characters of Annie and Maya. Annie isn't listened to at the start, and is the target of misogynistic jokes. She belongs to the "women's department" demonstrating the different status of people according to gender. Therefore, through the narrative, and the clothing (which sets her apart from the men) the inequality of women in the 1970s is established. Whilst Maya belongs to a more modern era, the fact she's placed as a side-kick and love interest to Sam suggests the status of women.
Representations of ethnicity are established through the character of Nelson. His change from a Jamaican to a British accent when speaking to Sam is underlying the status of minorities in the 1970s when race riots were occurring. It critiques a society who finds stereotypes comfortable.

The police are represented differently in the two eras presented. The more methodological forensic way of the modern-day police is contrasted with the dodgy, apathetic cops of the 1970s. This is aided by iconography like cigarettes, alcohol and gum in the scene that introduces Sam to the old police station, along with close-ups. It links to 1970s cop shows as the cops from the older time favour violent and corrupt, as the narrative codes demonstrate them destroying evidence.

The differences from wider society are evident from the representations of gender, ethnicity, police, etc. Nevertheless, iconography like iPods and cassettes, batches, Jeeps... establishes the 1970s and modern times as binary opposites.

Case study: TV The Bridge

The Bridge

Character archetypes

Investigator- Saga, she complies with the main traits of a crime drama protagonist: good at her job (methodical, committed) yet bad at relationships (apathetic? unfiltered?)

Sidekick- In the episode, the Danish woman, Hanne, follows the archetype of the sidekick. For instance, when Saga is about to show the victim's wife a picture of the crime scene she has to stop her.

Boss- above investigator, so imposing, but  high regard for the investigator

Villain- criminals, suspects, etc

Crime TV tends to use enigma codes (mysteries to be solved by the investigator/ audience). Explain what enigmas are used in the episode and if any are resolved. What questions does the audience have at the end of the episode? 

The main enigma is the actual case and finding who is responsible for the murder of Helle Anker. Various characters are presented as suspects such as the victim's son, a Danish vlogger, etc. This enigma isn't resolved at the end of the episode and such open ending means the audience is left to question. Therefore Barthes' action and enigma codes are actively engaged with; there are further questions raised e.g. will Saga's Danish partner survive? Why does the Danish policeman want to partner with Saga? etc.
Another enigma code is presented through the array of newly- introduced characters as we don't know their backstory or their possible influence in the story.

What is Nordic Noir? Summarise its key elements and texts. 

A sub-genre of crime fiction, often written from a police PoV (character-led) and set in Scandinavian/ Nordic countries. Characterised by a dark mood, as well as complex morality (social issues and Scandi identity)

• Bleak landscapes, dimly-lit aesthetic, slow melancholic pace (Scandinavian climate)
• "realistic, simple and precise... and stripped of unnecessary words"— Direct writing style, without metaphors; often morose detectives/ worn down and far from heroic
• Often a murder mystery linked with several storylines and themes analysing modern society
• Hidden profound social issues themes, national anxieties- shows the hidden underbelly of society which contrasts with the outside image of Sweden/ Denmark as perfect, prosperous and wealthy

Neale's genre theory plays a major role in displaying the conventions of Nordic Noir to the audience so that the elements convey the expectations of the genre to the viewers in order to appeal, they also set the genre so that when conventions are subverted it is clear in what way they are doing so.

The Bridge follows the usual conventions of Nordic Noir within the crime genre, as for instance, the establishing shot not only simply follows the dark aspect of the sub-genre with the dim lighting, but also, according to Barthes' semiotics, hints at the Denmark-Sweden relations through the bridge that connects them. Furthermore, the opening murder scene follows the conventions of stylised murder that characterise the dark sub-genre of Nordic Noir.

Women in the crime genre are often represented as victims, and in the drama, women tend to be represented as overly emotional and family-orientated.
How does this episode of The Bridge follow or subvert the stereotypical representation of women?

This episode of The Bridge subverts the stereotypical representation of women. Significantly, the protagonist is a female investigator, demonstrating women in power, enhanced by her straightforward personality, far from overly emotional. On the other hand, the victim of the crime being investigated is a woman, therefore there's a sense of compliance with the stereotype. There are elements of the family-orientated stereotype, as the victim's wife is represented as family-orientated.
Butler's gender performativity theory supports the depiction of Saga as not empathetic or emotionally-led, as usual with female characters, as she states gender has an element of performance due to gender stereotypes e.g. men- cold women- emotional. Furthermore, The Bridge subverts any kind of sexualisation of the women in this episode and thus, Van Zoonen's feminist theory, as for instance, Saga changes her top at work without being bothered, and the mid-shot without any kind of 'seductive' audio except the dialogue being exchanged, reinforces the fact the scene isn't coded to sexualise her character.

Identify some examples of how the narrative and themes of the episode are highlighted for the audience through technical codes (e.g. lighting, camera shots such as close-ups, use of sounds...)

As usual with Nordic Noir, the bleak lightning and dimly-lit aesthetic suggest the dark mood and narrative of the TV series. 

Sounds are utilised to imply ominousness, for instance when Saga and her Danish partner come to question the victim's son and sinister music starts to play on the background.
Levi- Strauss' binary opposites theory applies to the Saga and her work partners as the importance of work-life balance is brought up, and binary opposition of the prioritisation of work against personal life is indicated through the narrative of Saga staying up the whole night to attempt to uncover the case, as opposed to her co-worker who arrives late because he's been with his wife.