notes from "Creativity and Genre in TV crime drama"

zeitgeist - the spirit of the times.
             - reason for CSI success
             - follows specific scrip and genre
             - first series proved layout worked for audiences, therefore allowing more success and two spin-of                   shows.
BBC TV shows have also tried to go by zeitgeist. women's rights advanced in 1970, out of this came "Prime suspect".
Prime suspect - series one, the role of oppressed women due to a patriarchal society
                      - series two, racism within the police force especially towards Afro-Caribbean people.

throughout the latter 20th century, crime TV drama shows have persisted to show the police as ideological and perfect. Therefore making viewers comfortable with knowing the police force are protecting them. This changed with "the wire". The wire is an American TV show which shows the police force in a less than flattering lime light.

The Wire:
- shows crime through a political point of view.
- series one shows the drug dealers simply trying to survive and live their life.
- The wire was not shown on some networks due to its general message it was conveying.
- The Wire shows a police captain trying to excuse one of his force for his personal career gain.
- This does the opposite to showing the police force in a heroic nature and personality.

"Hill Street Blues" was produced independently and was a mix of genres, this proved to audiences that companies who are not mainstream are willing to take more risks in order to add artistic flavour to a show rather than do everything for the money they could earn. After Hill Street Blues, "The Sopranos" came along, this was similar to Hill street Blues in terms of mixing genres together. The Sopranos consisted of soap opera and general TV Crime drama with gangsters.

The mix of creativity and genres does not work for all as some programs have been cancelled half way through their run due to low viewing figures.