Cuffs And Avengers

Question 1

What type of drama is cuffs

Answer 1

A police procedural drama

Question 2

What type of show was cuffs

Answer 2

A police procedural crime drama

Question 3

What type of show was the avengers

Answer 3

Espionage crime thriller

Question 4

Iconography

Answer 4

the pattern of signs we associate with a particular genre.

Question 5

3 parts of cuffs iconography

Answer 5

Uniform, cars and setting

Question 6

How is a narrative conflict established in the beginning of cuffs

Answer 6

Jake/Dad (key convention of drama), Close up and shot/reverse shot in opening scene

Question 7

What about cuffs suggests a younger target audience

Answer 7

Saturated primary colours, upbeat non diegetic soundtrack

Question 8

What does the cuffs opening scene suggest

Answer 8

Upbeat opening titles identify setting, cut against characters suggesting a linear, multi stranded narrative plus ensemble cast. Split screen identifies setting and character relationships (Soap opera conventions)

Question 9

Example of police procedural jargon in cuffs

Answer 9

“Rookie”

Question 10

Diversity in cuffs

Answer 10

•Diversity – two black Police officers (outside of London)

Question 11

Star marketing in cuffs

Answer 11

•Star marketing – Ashley Walters

Question 12

Mise en scene in cuffs that emphasis procedural police drama

Answer 12

•Mise-en-scene in squad room - bureaucracy anchors procedural aspect – filing cabinet, crisps, desktop

Question 13

Why does cuffs have so many two shots

Answer 13

Several two shots – character relationships, hierarchy

Question 14

Significance of reverse shot of jake and ryan in car park

Answer 14

Underground car park – day to day Policing (vehicle check), Shot/reverse shot Ryan and Jake - conflict

Question 15

Representations in cuffs - jake

Answer 15

Jake represents a diverse gay, male protagonist but as a rookie cop is dominated by his patriarchal Dad, the Chief Superintendent – gender and sexuality

Question 16

Representationsl significance of casting ashley waters

Answer 16

•The secondary persona of Ashley Waters positions audiences (So Solid, Bullet Boy, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, Top Boy…). Like Idris Elba he is a successful, aspirational black actor

Question 17

Representations in cuffs - family

Answer 17

•Stereotypical notions of family challenged – Ryan is a widower with a young family. In the clip he is a dominant alpha male

Question 18

Does cuffs reinforce or challenge stereotypes

Answer 18

Cuffs both reinforces and challenges stereotypes

Question 19

Criticism of cuffs

Answer 19

tried too hard to be diverse on too many levels. Tiger Aspect defence – like a Soap Opera (which it isn’t) they wanted exaggerated characters audiences identify with

Question 20

Significance of ds jo - representations

Answer 20

DS Jo attends scene (female Muslim Police Officer behind Police crime line) – strong female representation, having an affair with Chief Super but lives alone with her dog….