This unique book explores the social processes which shape fictional representations of police and crime in television dramas. Exploring ten leading British and European police dramas from the last twenty-five years, Colbran, a former scriptwriter, presents a revealing insight into police dramas, informed by media and criminological theory.

Autorentext

Marianne Colbran is a Research Associate at the Centre for Criminology, University of Oxford, UK. Before becoming an academic, she was a scriptwriter and worked as a staff writer on the long running British police show, The Bill, for seven years and on the soap opera, Brookside, for two years.

Inhalt

1. Introduction 2. Research Methods 3. Inside the World of The Bill 4. The Origins of Story Ideas 5. Influences on the Story-line 6. Creating the Story 7. Looking Beyond The Bill 8. The Function and Importance of the Television Police Show in Shaping Public Understanding