1990s Crime Drama- genre codes and conventions

Overview of 1990s Crime Drama

1990s Crime Drama is a subgenre of television drama that revolves around crimes, their detection, criminals and the procedural law enforcement and legal aspects tied to these.

Genre Codes and Conventions in 1990s Crime Drama

Storyline: Crime and criminal activities lie at the heart of the narrative. The stories typically involve solving crimes, revealing the criminal, or showcasing criminal protagonists’ life.
Characters: Central characters include detectives, criminals, victims and lawyers. Often, the lead characters have a complex, layered personality adding depth to the storyline.
Setting: The setting usually revolves around crime scenes, police stations, courts, or the locations of criminal activities. Locations are often grim or gritty, underlining the challenging nature of the characters’ roles and experiences.
Mood and Atmosphere: Crime dramas from the 1990s often have a suspenseful, tense, and dark mood. This is reinforced by the use of specific lighting, music, and sound effects.
Narrative Structure: These dramas follow a linear narrative in many instances, beginning with the occurrence of a crime, followed by investigation, and concluding with justice served.
Visual and Aural Codes: The use of low-key lighting, shadows, and night-time settings emphasise suspense and uncertainty. Sharp sound effects and suspenseful music are characteristic of the genre, heightening tension and intrigue.

Features Unique to 1990s Crime Drama

The 1990s saw the burgeoning of neo-noir aesthetics within the crime drama genre; dark moody visuals paired with stark lighting became more frequent.
Many shows touched upon societal issues within the setting, such as poverty, gang culture, or political corruption.
The 1990s introduced a fair amount of female lead detectives, encouraging more diversity within the genre.
The decade was also known for the amount of serialised crime drama, where the story unfolded over multiple episodes or even seasons - a shift from the self-contained ‘case of the week’ structure.

By understanding these genre codes and conventions, one can appreciate the structure, content, and stylistic choices prevalent in the 1990s Crime Drama. It enables a deeper comprehension of the television landscape during this period, influenced by changing societal perspectives and evolving artistic methodologies.