Genre Research and Analysis

Examples of Shows

• New Tricks
• Doctor Who
• Merlin
• Being Human
• Downton Abbey
• Sherlock
• Torchwood
• Ripper Street
•  A Touch of Cloth
• Black Mirror

Format

These sequences, like those of other British Drama shows run in a series. tHIS is typical of British Drama as it keeps the audience hooked at the end of the season and are waiting for the next season next year. 

These programs are generally broadcast around the weekend and are shown in the evening from 7.00pm to 10.00pm. This is because they are generally aimed at families and so are broadcast when it isn't a school night so that the children will be able to stay up and watch it.

With British Drama there are lots of sub-genres that make up the overall genre. There is mini-series e.g. Sherlock, which only broadcast 2-3 episodes a season, One-offs e.g. a touch of cloth and Black Mirror and serials, e.g. Doctor who, New tricks and Merlin. These therefore have different formats when it comes to unfolding stories. With One Offs the story unfolds over the short series and comes to a conclusion at the end of the series. With serials the story normally overlaps the entire series but with seasons having their own smaller inner plots which have a conclusion at the end of the season.

Appeals

The main appeal of British Drama is to Entertain. This is what most audiences want. It doesn’t really Inform or allow the audience to Personally Identify with the characters. But the confusing and intruiging story lines causes the audience to think it over and use their brains to try and work the clues together before the other characters do and so is entertaining as it is mentally challanging.  




Downton Abbey

in the Downton Abbey opening sequence there are many examples of codes.
one example of  these is 'Symbolic Codes'. one of these is the way that each shot is shown in a different place on the property, e.g. the kitchen, the grounds etc. this tells the audience that the show won't only be from one point of view and will take place in many different places. it also shows different people performing different tasks e.g. the maid walking up the stairs, the master/ butler walking the dog across the grounds and a servant setting the table. this also tells the audience that it will be from the different points of view of many different people and will follow the lives of all of the different classes within the house.
Another 'Symbolic code' is that the faces of the people shown are never visible. this allows the opening sequence to be continually used throughout many years even as characters die or leave. this will bring comfortability to the audience as the will grow used to the opening and will instantly recognise it.
another symbolic code is the appearance of the 'Title Card'. the fact that there is a reflection of the house beneath the solid image gives the impression that, like an iceberg, there is much more than meets the eye and that most of the work within the house takes place beneath the surface. this is the main point of the series as it shows the workings of the cooks, servants and matrons who work within the house aswell as the upper class who live there.
another symbolic code is the fact that in every shot the house is visible. this adds to the idea that

Along with symbolic codes there are technical codes. one of these is that the camera is always moving which signifies to the audience that the plot will also follow this constant flow, never going the audience time to catch their breath. however the pace of the editing is slow, showing that although there will be constant plot there it will move at the pace that everyday life moves.
another technical code is that each shot appears to be a POV shot.

Setting