Complete a written case study of the game focusing on all of these elements, using the information from the video links and websites.

Summarise the key points about S1 ep 1 of Life on Mars in the following areas


Genre ( Life on Mars is a hybrid genre text)


Use of conventions in crime and sci-fi genre ( characters, settings, narrative , iconography etc.) and how they are followed or subverted . Link to Neale's genre theory and how the text is a combination of familiar and different genre elements.

As stated by Neale's genre theory, typically genres follow a set of rules that identify them as part of that genre, often repeating certain aspects to establish their work as a sci-fi or horror show. This is why certain things often overlap with one another in that same genre. In the crime genre, there's always a victim (in this case, the detective's love interest), an experienced detective who seems to lack passion or the drive they once had and a rookie. Usually, as the show progresses, the main character will slowly go back to the best version of themselves. Often the audience knows more than the actual characters as we have information that they don't have, which they'll eventually discover through clues towards the end of the show. Life on Mars perfectly captures the '1970s crime drama' look, making references to old technology and different societal standards, through racial stereotypes, sexist remarks and the way women were treated (gender representation). Life on Mars makes a clear nod to the film 'Back To The Future', as the character Marty Mcfly travels back to the past and notices a sign regarding the construction of the building he resides in (in the future). While in Life on Mars, the main character notices a sign stating the construction of the highway, which is already built in the early 2000s. The show also makes subtle references to the Wizard of Oz, as Sam states he's following the "yellow brick road", which could represent his need to escape this nightmare of his.

Narrative


Barthes enigma codes : what enigmas (mysteries) remain unsolved by the end of the episode? Are any solved?

Is the episode a restricted or unrestricted narrative?

The episode is quite unrestrictive, as the audience knows more than the character through clear inferences and outside knowledge of what's going on. This builds suspense in the story and keeps the audience curious.  

There are clear, unsolved mysteries such as Sam's condition and whether or not he's going to wake up. This isn't fully explained by the show, despite leaving crumbs of the modern era for Sam to pick up. This in turn builds tension and puts the audience on edge as they wait for the next big thing. This is an example of the proairetic code, for example when the television began speaking to Sam as his doctor, it was a clear indicator of something else happening, such as Sam's eventual return to the real world. Sam's condition isn't fully explained and the reasoning behind him going to the 1970s isn't fully explained, this is an example of the Hermeneutic enigma code. Both these enigma codes work together in order to develop tension and put the audience hooked and wanting more.



Representations

How are gender, ethnicity, the police and wider society represented in both the 1970s and modern day narratives of the episode?

The representation of the police in the 1970s seems to be quite corrupt and analog, in the sense that there are clear questionable methods from the DCI, in terms of handling or extracting information from people, and that information itself isn't as easily accessible which is shown when they sort through hundreds of files instead of using a computer, which Sam states. The show makes a reference to the wild west era, as the DCI claims himself as a sheriff of some sort, which explains why he tends to bend the rules a little to punish the guilty. There are clear racial stereotypes such as the bar owner having to keep up a fake persona, despite having a British accent in order to attract more customers who seem to like his fake, "exotic" accent. There is also clear misogyny and lack of female respect in the police department, despite one of the characters being a uni graduate with a psychology degree, they disregard what she has to say and make sexual remarks instead of listening to what she has to say, the DCI is aware of this and tells Sam to get her out of there. This makes the audience think that the DCI isn't so bad. The contrast between the 1970s and the modern day era is so great that Sam is clearly struggling with adapting as he no longer has the technology from the modern era.