Ashes to Ashes

Ashes to Ashes (BBC)

How does this police procedural follow the generic conventions and the narrative structure of the crime drama?
Puzzle /enigma murder
Clues. Things under his nails
Unidentified blunt instrument ‘hammer?’ Note in pocket. Envelope
Pre title sequence
RWF – revolutionary workers front suspect
‘circumstances do keep pushing us together’ mother – unsubtle
Code to crack
Pace quickens
Suspense – we know they are listening bug in flask
Incidental music to heighten emotion / tension
Depends on stereotypes and caricatures. Only one hour.
Archetypes – Luigi, Ray Carling
Actually poses the questions will I get back if I solve this ?
Murder solved
Extract – Confession ,
Easily rounded up denouemnet quick
Willing suspension of disbelief

Sub-plot
Alex daughter and death ? in the future
Flashforwards / mother/ daughter / coma
Relationships
Changing roles and attitudes
Strong female characters
How has technology changed the way audiences can watch and interact with the programme ?
Godfather ,
Romance

Binary oppositions (Claude Levi Strauss)
Old police methods / new
Good cop /bad cop
Sensitive / brusque
Communism / fascism
CND / Nuclear
Working class / politicised institutions
Governmet secrecy / democracy
Feminism / Sexism
Crime in 81/ Crime in 2009


Discuss the representations of gender in a chosen episode
Snakeskin boots
The Quattro
Feminists Greenham Common
Gene Hunt sexism
Leather driving gloves
Sexist jokes
Threats and bullying
Extract : women in the police station

Discuss the representation of 1980’s Britain
Home office take the body
Smoking in the office
Luigi – ethnicity
Classic poster of tennis player
Thatcher
Weapons
Long boozy lunches
Gene Hunts longue carabine
Fashion. White leather, new romantics
Extract : Daughters bedroom Jackie, Adam and the Ants,roller skates, tape recorder, Shakin Stevens, Duran Duran, Enola Gay, OMD, Clash, teardrop explodes
As a BBC production refer to the following issues in your analysis ;
Distribution
Exhibition
Production
Marketing and promotion
Regulation issues
BBC remit and code of conduct
Controversies
Global implications
Historical background

Define the audience for the programme
Target audience profile
Positioning an audience
Scheduling
Uses and gratification theory
Debates about spectatorship and audience use of the text
Entertainment
Suspense
Clues
Masculine environment sexist homophobic
Different audiences define them


Humour – what are we laughing at ?
Changing times
Attitudes
Putting Carling into the role of homosexual
Laughing at overt masculinity
More feminised 2009
Use the Media Magazine spring edition to research humour

Can you work out the back story without knowing the previous episodes

Make your own episode based in 1991