An Introduction to British Media

Due to its increasing and sustained popularity on screen and in books, in recent years, British TV stations have tried to copy the format of ‘Scandi-Noir’ style crime dramas (e.g. Bron (The Bridge), Forbrydelsen (The Killing), Ófærð (Trapped), etc.) in an attempt to re-boot or modernise the genre. These shows typically feature a troubled, ‘loner’, central character with deep personal issues (addiction, family crises, mental health issues), multiple narratives coming together over the duration of the season, ‘red herring’ plotlines which take the narrative into misleading areas, a high functioning sociopathic killer or villain, often operating in a high powered job with a model family (in contrast to the detective’s own difficult personal life) and sinister interference from unseen higher powers in the background. The most successful examples being the BBC’s semi-Welsh language Hinterland or Luther, ITV’s Marcela, Liar or the cold case based series, Unforgotten.

• Due to its increasing and sustained popularity on screen and in books, in recent years, British TV stations have tried to copy the format of ‘Scandi-Noir’ style crime dramas (e.g. Bron (The Bridge), Forbrydelsen (The Killing), Ófærð (Trapped), etc.) in an attempt to re-boot or modernise the genre. These shows typically feature a troubled, ‘loner’, central character with deep personal issues (addiction, family crises, mental health issues), multiple narratives coming together over the duration of the season, ‘red herring’ plotlines which take the narrative into misleading areas, a high functioning sociopathic killer or villain, often operating in a high powered job with a model family (in contrast to the detective’s own difficult personal life) and sinister interference from unseen higher powers in the background. The most successful examples being the BBC’s semi-Welsh language Hinterland or Luther, ITV’s Marcela, Liar or the cold case based series, Unforgotten.

Drama