19 October 2012 - Obama's Favourite 'The Wire'

Obama’s favourite – The wire http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2008/jul/19/television.wire

5 Reason's why Omar (The Wire) is an interesting character?

• He's mean, funny, cooler and braver than any character even seen on TV
• He's a challenging character and he has quite a high determination in what he does
• He challenges the stereotype of a 'Gangster' as his character is in fact a homosexual
• He's clever in his use of words (on other words he's manipulative)
• He has a moral code in which he ALWAYS follows (only steals from drug dealers)

Crime Drama usually includes 3 types of Characters:

• The ones that solve the crime
• The ones that commit the crime
• The victims

Character types and Stock Characters (Crime Drama, eg. Sherlock)

• The grumpy detective
• The sidekick
• The troubled police officer
• The crooked police officer
• The brilliant genius

Media Theory

Vladimir Propp analysed character types and came up with a list:

• Hero - Who goes on the quest
• Villain - Who's against the Hero
• Dispatcher - Helps the Hero off on their quest
• Donor - Helps the Hero
• Princess - Prize for the Hero

Analysing Characters in these Video Clips:

The Crime Solvers

• Can have the program named after them (eponymous)
• Can work in pairs where they are equal 
• Can have a lead player and a sidekick
• Can be an ensemble drama (where are team of crime solvers work together to solve the crime)

Criminals/Victims

Criminals:

• Often transient characters: They only appear in one episode or one series as they get caught in the end
• Different criminals in different episodes (usually)

Victims:

• Also transient characters: Only appear once as they could either 'move on' or die
• Always different victims in each episode

Lead, Pair or Ensemble

Lead:

• Sherlock
• The Wire
• Morse
• Monk

Pair:

• Starsky and Hutch
• Scott and Bailey
• Rosemary and Thyme
• The X Files
• 24

Ensemble:

• The Wire
• The Bill
• CSI: Miami
• Law and Order

Theory Alert: Binary Oppositions

• Good VS Evil
• Heroes VS Villains
• Victims VS Criminals
• Criminals VS Law
• Police Officers VS Criminals
• Truth VS Lies
• The Law VS Crime
• Bad Police Officers VS Good
• Innocent VS Guilty

Law and Order - Binary Oppositions:

• Victims VS Criminals
• Law VS Criminals
• Police VS Criminals
• Truth VS Lies
• Innocent VS Guilty
• Prosecutors VS Criminals