Cuffs episode one.

Narrative:

• Ryan Draper appears on scene at a nudist beach to settle a dispute.
• A fight breaks out which is broken up by Ryan.
• Ryan is hit by one of the instigators.
• Ryan is paired with a new partner: Jake Vickers, the Chief Super's son.
• They arrive at the house of a man who had mental health issues.
• Jake bandages him up and helps him to the hospital.
• They leave him at the hospital alone: first mistake by Ryan.
• Racist is let out of prison and attacks Indian man.
• The mental health guy abducts his daughter due tp a family dispute.
• Ryan lectures Jake for saying Chill.
• Ryan shouts at a child, we learn that he's a father.
• Crazy shoplifter woman is handled poorly by Jake.
• Hint towards homosexual relationship between Jake and solicitor.
• Jo Moffat asks out the Chief Super to dinner, they have an affair and he cheats on his dying wife.
• Newsagents get destroyed. Thieves escape.
• Jake and Ryan enter a car chase after a store robbery.
• Jake reads the wrong road and the police block the wrong road.
• The robbers get away but a child abductor is stopped.
• Unaware of this, the officers let him go before they realise who he is.
• Racist is named, four officers, big raid.
• Ryan and Jake arrest the racist and Jake knocks him out.
• The detective is shouted at by the mother of the abducted child.
• The abductor sends a video to her explaining why he took her.
• It turns out he’s her dad and he wants to spend more time with her.
• The detective watches the video and finds a paper labelled with the hotel he’s in.
• He enters the hotel and finds the man attempting suicide.
• He saves him.
• The child is reunited with her mother and the father is arrested.
• Jake, Ryan, Donna and Carl train in a parking lot.
• While Jake takes a break, another man caches his eye who he recognises.
• The solicitor flirts and gives Jake his card: this represents the stereotype of gay people "sleeping around".

Characters:

• Ryan Draper: a black experienced police officer (represents racial diversity) who has two children.
• Jake Vickers: a homosexual "greenie" who's had no experience. He's the Chief Super's son.
• Jo Moffat: a lonely woman who works at the agency.
• Chief Super Robert Vickers: the head of the department, he cheated on his deathly sick wife with Jo Moffat.
• Detective Inspector Felix Kane: a socially awkward detective whom we learn has a habit of enjoying the red light district.
• Misha Baig: a Muslim woman who works at the force (represents Muslim culture positively).
• Mental health guy (represents mental health).

Setting:

• Story is set in Brighton.
• Known for gay culture.
• police chases around Brighton and highways.

Tone:

• Humorous tone during joke crimes such as beach scene.
• Tension increases during police chases.
• Tone gets sexual when solicitor flirts with Jake.
• Gentle tone: family scene 

Television in the 2010s

LO: research the 2010s (UK) in terms of social, cultural and political climate of the decade; research TV usage in 2015.

Cuffs was released in October 2015.
What were the key events in 2015 that might have influenced a TV series set in the present day?


Politics- after the 2015 election, parliament was primarily conservative with 331/650 seats, labour suffered their worst loss ever at this time since 1987.

Entertainment-

• Instagram and vlogging is popular.
• The rise of Harry Potter and Marvel showed the need for an escape for reality.

Sports-

• Rugby Union 6 Nations starts.
• Cricket World Cup.
• Golf Masters.
• Premier League.
• FA Cup.
• F1.
• Wimbledon tennis.
• Tour de France.
• Athletics World Champs.

Youth Groups-

• the youth stereotypes were chavs and roadmen.
• social media and iPhones.
• Drug culture.
• Knife crime.
• Videogame violence.
• Rap music.

Events-

• Terrorist Paris attack.
• Fuel prices drop  causing inflation rates to fall to 0.5%.
• Obama is still president but Trump is gaining popularity.
• Ireland legalised gay marriage.
• Brexit.
• Afganistan.
• Syria.
• ISIS.
• Korean Nuclear Capacity.

In 2015 the UK general election was incredibly slight. The Conservatives, while having the most votes only just had over half of the seats at parliament with 331 out of 650. Before 2015 the government was a coalition between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. however since the conservatives had a stronger role in parliament in 2015 they were in power and have been ever since. Ever since 9/11 there has been a large scepticism towards muslims, causing a popularity in political parties such as UKIP. All over the world people were protesting about global warming in March and about the airstrikes on Syria which we were causing. There were also protests about student tuition fees and multiple anti-austerity rallies. In November there was also a terrorist attack in Paris which caused a lot of riot.

The key events shaped this era because of the violence and confusion. The wars and political riots caused a rise in the popularity of movies and videogames which let people escape reality. However the wide-shared acceptance of homosexuality allowed for gay marriage to be legalised in this era.

Media products have been created to fit this. For example movie franchises such as Harry Potter and Marvel have become popular due to people's desire to leave reality and the media takes advantage of this in many different ways such as videogames which are created simply because they're more popular now that people want lasting escapes from society.




2015 VS 1965

In 1965, gay marriage was completely suppressed and transgressive therefore in 1965 police dramas there'd be no homosexual characters however in a 2015 police drama there may be as gay marriage was legalised the year before. As well as this there would be a less diverse cast in 1965 and would follow British stereotypes whereas in 2015 the stereotypes would have changed and the acting wouldn't be so posh and traditional. In 1965 there was also a sexual independence for women allowing for women to dress how they choose and have affairs due to the contraceptive pill. However in 2015 there are restrictions for how women can be presented and the 1965 dramas violated this rule by portraying these characters too sexually. The crimes in 2015 would be more serious as there was the threat of terrorism and so more dramatic but the police officers in 1965 were taken less seriously as the crime rates weren't as high or at least they weren't perceived to be high compared to 2015.