Cuffs: Practise question

Why was the pre-watershed scheduling of 8-pm significant in terms of the representation they could offer?

The pre-watershed scheduling of cuffs being on at 8pm is significant in terms of the representation as children won't be watching it past that time so it's more suitable for adults. Due to the homosexuality, nudity, drug use and violence parents might think it's a sensitive to some viewers and children, so the showing on the show could be questionable.

How were the following areas represented in the episode:

• Ethnicity
• Gender
• Sexuality

Cuffs was written and presented in 2015 and represents gender, ethnicity and sexuality in ways that reflect the social political and cultural attitudes of society in the 2010s.

Cuffs shows a positive ethnicity as the main policeman as PC Ryan Draper, is black and that shows that anyone who has the will power and determination could become a policeman. This has shown society and crime drama has come a long way from the 1980s as a black character is a policeman and a hero, not a criminal. However, in the episode there is a narrative of a racist being released from prison and commits a racist hate crime, and kills a indian in a shop. Here the show is making a political message that the UK is still not as tolerant as it should be and it still has racist problems.  

Cuffs shows a gender negative as females are represented as not being able to look after themselves and women mess around during work, also they can't work as well as men. This is shown when DS Jo Moffat is shown as single and lonely. This hasn't changed much from the 1980s as females are still being represented as not being as good at their jobs as men. However, in the episode there is a narrative of two female police officers who witness the shop being broken into, but not being able to do much as they are female and they are 'weak'. This shows that the UK is still sexist and think that men are more suited to work for jobs like policemen unlike women.

Lastly, Cuffs represent sexuality being positive as they are promoting homosexuality as PC Jake Vickers being 'gay and proud'. BUT it shows homosexuality being negative as being weak and easily lead on. This has changed a lot from the 1980s as homosexuality was frowned upon back then, and now homosexuality is a thing people label themselves as being 'proud' . However, in the episode there is a narrative of PC Jake Vickers and the solicitor Simon Reddington of being very close. Jack Vickers was being sexualised by Simon Reddington as he touched his body sexually and put his card on the hem on his pants. This shows that the UK is overcoming homosexuality, but they also are assuming that all gays are very sexual and intimidate with each other.

In conclusion, the crime drama cuffs 

How did the changes practices of institutions and audience impact the success of Cuffs?

• Shifting audience - lack of channel loyalty and identity
• Loss of large mass audience except for 'event tv' - World Cup; Olympics; X-Factor final etc.
• Loss of national audience - niche channel and programming on interest - Sky Witness
• Need for content - imports; outsourcing programming; new formats
• Need for 'stars' and glossy production values.
• Mining of back catalogue - exploits nostalgia - EG: Dad's army
• Remakes of old shows (exploit brand) - EG: Poldark
• Move to TV shows as programme brands for marketing
• Striving to produce 'on-trend' products of competing with popular genre formats 
• Use of trailers and cross-channel programming - BBC2 programmes centred on Strictly; Apprentice/Apprentice: You've Been fired; Channel 4 bake off/Extra Slice etc.
• Use of pre-title hooks to entice/keep viewers
• Serials rather tan series - the ongoing narrative to hook viewers
• Evolution of series towards narrative arcs of serials - recurring narrative strands etc.
• Catch-up TV
• Streaming TV
• Box sets via streaming (Sky, iplayer, Amazon, Netflix)
• External sourcing of products content
• Search for 'Big Thing' - the next Breaking Bad/ Game of Thrones