1. 05/03/12
What are the typical character types in a TV Crime Drama?
C Be able to define typical character types from Crime Dramas
B Be able to apply Propp’s character theory to a Crime Drama
A Be able to analyse the representations of these character types
Poirot Luther Miss Marple
Who is the odd one out? (AND WHY?)
EXT: What links these images? (AND WHY?)

2. Main Character Types:
Hero, Heroine, Anti-hero cop,
Officers of
grumpy, buddy, quirky, rookie,
the law
bad tempered, experts
Luther, Colombo, Cagney & Lacey, Jack Bauer
New victims every episode.
Victims Audience tend to sympathise.
Flashbacks sometimes used.
CSI uses flashbacks to show us the victims story
Suspected of committing the
Suspects crime. Wrongly arrested. Treated
badly when innocent.
Represent the opposition to the
Criminals law. Weak, misguided, stupid or
clever.

3. Vladamir Propp’s Character Types:
Hero Who goes on a quest
Villain Who is against the hero
1.What is the quest?
Dispatcher Who sets the hero off on their 2.Who are the clear
quest character types?
3.What character types
are missing?
Donor Helps the hero
EXT: How well does
Propp’s theory apply?
Suggest some reasons
Princess What is the prize for the hero? as to how it does or
doesn’t.

4. Vladamir Propp’s Character Types:
Officers of
Hero Dr. Harry Cunningham
the law
Suspects
Villain ?
Criminals
Dispatcher On the phone
Donor Dr. Nicky Alexander Officers of
the law
Princess Solving the murder Victims

5. 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.
Name 2) How have they
r e p r e s e n t e d them?
Description
Quirk / Point of interest

7. Consider the following statements about
c h a r a c t e r s in TV Crime drama
TV Crime Drama presents us with unfair
representations of gender
Using your DVD covers,
notes on character from
Crime drama still portrays a very masculine culture in
the screening and
the police force
sketches which do you
agree with and why?
Crime drama shows women playing powerful and
intelligent characters
Leading detectives in television crime drama are
mostly white and male

8. 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

9. What is TV Crime Drama?
AO1 & AO3