The Specials - Ghost Town: Blog tasks

Reading and questions

Read this excellent analysis from The Conversation website of the impact Ghost Town had both musically and visually. Answer the following questions

1) Why does the writer link the song to cinematic soundtracks and music hall tradition?

It's used in a lot of movies. It's a form of mood music which is a nod to cinematic soundtracks and music hall tradition

2) What subcultures did 2 Tone emerge from in the late 1970s?

Mod and Punk

3) What social contexts are discussed regarding the UK in 1981?

Riots, fights against the police

4) How can we apply cultural critic Mark Fisher’s description of ‘eerie’ to the Ghost Town video?

"The sensation of the eerie occurs either when there is something present where there should be nothing, or there is nothing present when there should be something."

The deprived towns are now run by the people who were rioting, a sort of dystopian future. It;s scary because there is absolutely no control of the establishments whatsoever.

5) Look at the final section (‘Not a dance track’). What does the writer suggest might be the meanings created in the video? Do you agree?

It unifies those skinheads in a cause. A subject of protest and that this song attacks the injustice incited by society at the time.
Now read this BBC website feature on the 30th anniversary of Ghost Town’s release. 

1) How does the article describe the song?

It starts with a siren and those woozy, lurching organ chords. Then comes the haunted, spectral woodwind, punctuated by blaring brass.

Over a sparse reggae bass line, a West Indian vocal mutters warnings of urban decay, unemployment and violence.

2) What does the article say about the social context of the time – what was happening in Britain in 1981?

Britain's streets erupted into rioting almost three weeks later - the day before Ghost Town reached number one in the charts.

3) How did The Specials reflect an increasingly multicultural Britain?

With a mix of black and white members, The Specials, too, encapsulated Britain's burgeoning multiculturalism. The band's 2 Tone record label gave its name to a genre which fused ska, reggae and new wave and, in turn, inspired a crisply attired youth movement.

They used a reggae beat as well as take influences from other cultures.

4) How can we link Paul Gilroy’s theories to The Specials and Ghost Town?

We can apply his Diasporic theory. He says that that black culture is forged through travel and hybridity, a “liquidity of culture”

There is a clear merging of reggae and pop/rock music so and this brought in working class culture.

5) The article discusses how the song sounds like a John Barry composition. Why was John Barry a famous composer and what films did he work on?

John Barry was very well known for the Bond films. He was well known for merging different cultures and sounds together such as Live and Let Die and Die Another Day with carribbean and asian cultures respectively. I particularly like The Man with the Golden Gun for his use of the slide whistle used in the car chase between Scaramanga and Roger Moore.
Close-textual analysis of Ghost Town

Watch the video several times and make bullet-point notes of your close-textual semiotic analysis using the following headings:

1) Mise-en-scene: Setting, Lighting, Colour, Actor/performer placement and movement, Costume and props. How are some of these aspects used to create meanings?

The setting is central London, a part of the country where most of the money is and where people should be employed and happy. Instead it's quiet and althoigh the grand buildings stand, nobody seems to be in them hence the title name 'ghost town'. 

Low key lighting mainky as we go into the Vauxhall's interior, this suggests that this was a dark and uncertain time for the British public.

Actor placement is significant as there is a synergy between black and white people. They are there for the main reaggae element of the song as well as representing the diasporic community. 

Costumes, the white actos are wearing suits which is a juxtaposition to the skinhead movement.

2) Cinematography: Camera shots and camera movement.

There is clear movement which is a convention of a music video. We see mid-close ups of the actor's faces and we see tracking shits of the car driving. At the end we see the mid-shot of the actors on a beach throwing stones as if they were in a protest.

3) Editing: Pace, juxtaposition, timing. 

It's quite a slow build up. First the siren, then the chords cresendo to deliver this quite spooky chord. Not a fast paced video at all. The timing of the shots switching to each change in melody.

Now apply media theory to the video - perhaps by considering whether Ghost Town reinforces or challenges some of the media theories we have studied. Make bullet-point notes on the following:

1) Goodwin’s theory of music video.

- there's a link between the lyrics and the video as they are talking about riots and culture.
- they contain cultural references to reggae
- the video is concept based, if the riots stopped

2) Neale’s genre theory.

The video uses conventions from horror films so the fans have something to relate to

3) Gilroy’s diasporic identity/postcolonial theory.

This reflects its musical genre of ska, a style which could be read politically in the context of a racially divided country. Ska also blends reggae and punk rock which emphasises the cultural ties.

4) Bricolage and pastiche.

A merging of horror in the 80s and the use of mise-en-scene makes references to these films.
Reference to on the road movies which have no real goal or achievment. 

5) Strinati’s definition of postmodernism.

An arthouse video style mixed with a popular music genre is an example of Strinati's definition of Post Modernism.

Common - Letter to the Free blog tasks

Social and cultural context

Read this Billboard interview where Common talks about Letter to the Free, political hip hop and contemporary American society. Use the article and the notes we have made in lessons (also available above) to answer the following questions on the social, cultural and genre contexts for Letter to the Free.

1) What other projects has Common been involved in over recent years?

He has been involved in the making of an album Black America Again. He has also worked closely with John Legend to produce the soundtrack for Selma

2) What is the 13th Amendment of the American Constitution?

Theoretically written to outlaw slavery, the 13th Amendment had the effect of paving the way for local and State law reforms that created loopholes that effectively enabled the continued enslavement of Black Americans through mass imprisonment.

3) What were the Black Codes?

This was a law or a rule in the Southern states that was enforced. It stated that incarcerated black people would be subjected to forced labour for petty crimes.

4) Why do people suggest that the legacy of slavery is still a crucial aspect to American culture 150 years after it was abolished by the 13th Amendment?

It was mainly emancipated slaves that were subjected to the enforcement of the 13th Amendment.

5) Why was Ava DuVernay inspired to make the Netflix documentary 13th?

to highlight the historic legacy of the 13th amendment to the US Constitution.

6) Focusing on genre, what was the most significant time period for the rise in political hip hop?

1980s-90s

7) Common talks about other current artists that have a political or protest element to their music. Who are they? Are there any other hip hop artists that you are aware of that have a strong political element to their work?

"Big Daddy Kane, Mo D, N.W.A had stuff that was saying something too. I don't feel like we have that as a whole in hip-hop, I don't think hip-hop is the place we go to to listen for that voice of a revolution or to say 'this is how we're changing things.' But there are artists that do it, like Kendrick Lamar. I also think that Chance [the Rapper], though he may not speak in black consciousness, he has a consciousness about him, self-awareness and a spirituality." - they are all black rappers who use their music as a platform for political change. 

8) What album is Letter to the Free taken from? What was the critical reception for this album? You'll need to research this - the Wikipedia entry for the album is a good place to start.

It was from the album 'Black America Again' and the critics found it quite moving. 

 "Greg Kot of Chicago Tribune said, "One of the year's most potent protest albums. ... The album sags midway through with a handful of lightweight love songs, but finishes with some of its most emotionally resounding tracks: the "Glory"-like plea for redemption "Rain" with Legend, the celebration of family that is "Little Chicago Boy", and the staggering "Letter to the Free"."

Close-textual analysis and representation

Re-watch the music video several times to complete the following tasks in specific detail:

1) How does the Letter to the Free music video use cinematography to create meanings for the audience? (Camera shots and movement).

Movement at the beginning could symbolise what the people who went to jail saw, with the cells slowly moving. This isn't a fast paced music video, as movement is crucial to a music video, it says that this a serious video which has a message that;s close to Common's heart. 

The mid-log shots make it seem like we are far away from them, suggesting there is a 'gap' to close or that the journey to rectiy black discrimination is long but doable.

2) What is the significance of the constantly moving camera?

Like the discrimination, the movement does't stop, It gives the music video a dynamic feel even through it's a slow moving video.

3) Why is the video in black and white?

It's to signify how much Amendment 13 influenced Common and how they are going for a 1960s aesthetic. Also because colour doesn't matter in this video - this being one of the the main crux that Common is trying to highlight. 

4) How is mise-en-scene used to construct meaning for the audience - prison setting, costume, props, lighting, actor placement?

prison setting -the place where many emancipated slaves were taken, reminder of the legacy slavery has left on Black Americans

costumes - indistinguishable, not the main focus of the video

props - music instruments, highlights the influence on Black Americans the past has

lighting - very low key lighting

actor placement - few people are present and are often alone - shows the isolation of the black community.

5) Focusing on the track, what are the key lyrics that suggest the political message of the song?

"Black bodies being lost in the American dream" - 2:18
Jim Crow - 1:40 
"the caged bird sings for freedom" 

This is contrasted by 

"shot me with your ray-gun"
"Prison is a business, America is the company"

This highlights how Common speaks out for all discriminated black americans when he criticises America's ability to serve equality,

6) What is the significance of the floating black square motif? Discuss your own interpretations alongside Common's explanation of it in the Billboard feature linked above.

I think it means that the square could be the place where ethnic minorities, namely black people have had to stay in. The square inhibits anyone from do anything special, which could be a symbol for western oppression as well as the isolation people feel when talking about their heritage.

7) How does the video reference racism, slavery and the oppression of black culture? Make reference to specific shots, scenes or moments in the video.

Jim Crow - 1:40
People not allowed to wear their traditional clothing -- western clothing?
Endless shots of the empty prison cells suggest that the legacy of slavery is never forgotten OR it could mean that this issue has no end.
At the back of the wall in one of the scene, close to 3:10, it says "no excessive noise" - further oppression of black people in American society.
End shot could refer to plantations the slaves worked at?


8) How can Gilroy's idea of black diasporic identity be applied to Common's Letter to the Free?

The lack of understanding where you belong is shown here by Common criticising America's treatment of black people and yet they don;t really find a place where they belong to which is why they strive for political reform.

9) What other theories of race and ethnicity can be applied to this video? E.g. Hall, Rose or Dyson.

Hall's theory of the way of categorising the ways Black Americans are portrayed in the media can be applied here as Common is taking upon the role of 'The Slave Figure': “the faithful fieldhand… attached and devoted to ‘his’ master.” (Hall 1995)

We can also apply Rose's Black Noise theory where she says rap gives audiences an insight into the lives of young, black, urban Americans and also gave them a voice. She has argued that rap has been destroyed by capitalism but Letter to the Free juxtaposes that.

10) What current events in America and worldwide are referenced in the song and video?

Jim Crow law
Police brutality
Trump's racist rallies
Mass incarceration
American Dream - 1920s
Amendment 13
Black Lives Matter

Music Video theory - Childish Gambino blog task

Childish Gambino, the musical stage name of writer and performer Donald Glover, released an incredible critique of American culture and Donald Trump with This Is America in 2018.

The music video is a satirical comment on American culture, racism and gun violence. Racking up 10m views in the first 24 hours, it now stands at over half a billion views and has been dubbed ‘genius’ and ‘a masterpiece’. 

Create a blogpost called 'Music video: theory', watch the video again then answer the questions below:




1) How does the This Is America video meet the key conventions of a music video? Look back at last week's introduction to music video if you're not sure.

It includes movement with the dancers in the background. It has a performance aspect with the dancers. It tackles a lot of issues such as the black people v police problems. He highlights the growing damage of gun-control. 

2) What comment is the video making on American culture, racism and gun violence?

That gun violence is relentless and taking countless lives. American culture has become something of a melting pot of different cultures. Police brutality is an ever-growing issue that is damaging society, particularly black ones.

3) Write an analysis of the video applying the theories we have learned: Gilroy, Hall, Rose and Dyson. Write a short paragraph for each theory.

Gilroy - The black-american community has made and accepted their own sort of way of making music. Issues that are pertinent to the American society, particularly the black community, are present in the video. The feelings of safety might not be with the black diaspora. They feel alienated from society as they are labelled as 'american' and then are almost forced to live a false identity.

Hall - Glover is represented as all three of the black characterisations in America. He kills, therefore a Native, he adds comedic elements, the Clown and is also the slave - raps about the oppression of black communities.

Rose: the younger black diasporic communities feel that they can relate and express themselves through rap. It also raises the question if black communities are valued if they can be voiced through music. It speaks out to people but it doesn't really fix any issues. This is shown by the fact that there are only black people in the video.

Dyson - political agendas like Trump's relaxation on gun control are criticised in the video. Dyson states: hip hop music is important because it sheds light on contemporary politics, history and race". We see how Glover critiques the treatment of black people in the modern America and that there is a clear tension between the black community and the law enforcement.

Now read this Guardian feature on This Is America - including the comments below.

4) What are the three interpretations suggested in the article?

He's playing Jim Crow, he's duping us with dance, he's taking on the police

5) What alternative interpretations of the video are offered in the comments 'below the line'? Choose two and explain what the comments are suggesting.

His gunning down of the gospel choir singing the lyric suggests that he’s tired of the pressure to accumulate wealth, to be performatively black, and stay spiritually uplifted in an age of gun violence - we see here how Dyson's theory is being supported and that current political affairs are being expressed.

The video’s choreographer, Sherrie Silver, retweeted a comment, perhaps in agreement, from someone who argued: “Childish Gambino’s dance moves distracted all of us from the craziness that was happening in the background of the video & that’s exactly the point he’s trying to make.” - one of the key aspects of a music video could be trying to lighten the load on Glover's heavy and 'hard to digest' message that the black community is disrespected and he's tired of it.


Media Magazine - This Is America: Music, Politics and Protest

Read This Is America: Music, Politics and Protest in MM65 (p14). You can find this in our Media Magazine archive. Answer the following questions:

1) The article offers an excellent textual analysis of the opening of the video. What are some of the suggested meanings and references the writer discusses? Can you link this analysis to any of the theorists we have studied?

African choir chant - Gilroy, diasporic alienation

"As he turns and starts to dance towards us, his movements become more exaggerated: his body rolls, he grimaces, pops one eye wide open, andstops behind the seated man, who is now hooded and without his guitar. The topless dancer pulls a gun from thin air, aims for the head, and shoots. As the dead body falls, a rumbling hip-hop rhythm kicks in and Glover turns to the camera,casually saying: ‘This is America’." - Hall's representation in the media; BAME indenities are presented as the other to make them valued, in reality this just highlights how bad the inequality is in America.

We can also apply the Dyson theory as we see how America is represented as a damaging and brutish nation as opposed to a wealthy land of opportunities.

2) What does the writer suggest are the main political themes in the video - and why is the message unclear?

the video references the 19th-century ‘Jim Crow’ character that popularized negative ideas about African Americans) seem to contradict the empowering black music. This irony pervades the entire video, as Glover goes on to dance with schoolchildren while crowds riot around him and grin before gunning down a church choir.

3) What meanings and suggestions does the writer highlight in Beyonce's video for Formation?

Beyoncé’s ‘Formation’ made headlines for its ‘unapologetic blackness’, leading to Saturday Night Live’s sketch ‘The Day Beyoncé Turned Black’, which parodied the confused reactions the song provoked in white people.

4) What is notable about Glover's comedy drama TV show Atlanta? 

It's a show that's created for black people by black people.

5) What examples does the writer provide of hip hop as a political genre? What theorist can we link this to?

‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’
‘Fuck tha Police’
Enemy’s ‘Fight the Power’
‘Hell You Talmbout’ 

We can link this to Dyson as he says "hip hop sheds light on contemporary politics, history and race"

Music Video introduction blog task

This week's work requires Media Factsheet #69: Music Video. You'll need to log in to Google using your Greenford Google account to access this. Read the factsheet and answer the following 10 questions:

1) What is the purpose of a music video?

To sell products and the song which features in the music video. 

2) How has the digital age changed the production and distribution of music videos?

They have become more easily accessible and can get a lot more coverage as social media is free. Production is a lot quicker and therefore more music videos are being made.

3) Which three major record labels are behind VEVO? What is VEVO and why was it created?

Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Abu Dhabi Music Group. It is supposed to be a joint initiative to create YouTube music videos for the UK. They make their money from advertising and royalties.

4) What are the key conventions of a music video?

Movement, a narrative, the artist/s and sometimes intertextuality. 

5) How can narrative be used in music video? Give an example of a music video that uses a narrative.

Narrative can be used to tell a story that is close to the artists heart or just a gripping story to couple the music well.

In Avicii's Levels, we see how a typical office worker gets admitted to a hospital with an infectious disease (not COVID-19) and then when he wakes up he has infected all the hospital workers with a dancing virus. Strange but good.

6) What examples are provided in the factsheet for intertextuality in music videos?

Blink 182 - All the small things 
Christina Aguilera - Genie in a bottle

7) Why do audiences enjoy intertextual references in media products?

It could provide nostalgia from their past, they could find a personal relationship with them or see them reflected with that intertextuality.

8) Read the music video example analysis on page 3 of the factsheet. Select a music video of your own choice and write your own analysis using the following headings:

Music Video  - please don't ask how I found this...

• Conventions (movement/narrative/artist)

There is movement everywhere, with a narrative about these fans who are so dedicated to an athlete, they've made a music video about him. The video features the artists in quite orange clothing. The use of go-karts enhances the movement as well as the pounding, fast beat which is very prominent.

• Intertextuality

It refers to a driver of course and then wearing the team apparel makes it more obvious that they are in TOTAL support of. They also use the Dutch flag. 

• Representation

This video represents the Dutch as quite passionate and loyal to their local fanbase. They also represent how F1 fans support their fans through the form of music. The video only features men which could pose the question, do women have enough say in sport fanbases?

• Audience

They are making this to please F1 fans and the audience also feel a sense of nostalgia when they see the f1 cars and logos. Dutch people can see themselves reflected in this as they see their flag. 

• Institution

They are singing about a sport, so there aren't really any conventions. The artists are wearing merch, not theirs but have linked their iTunes song in the description. 

9) Watch the video for Ice Cube's It Was A Good Day (1993). How did this video set the conventions for later hip-hop music videos?


It has a tracking shot, which is featured in most hip-hop videos. It has cars, death, money and a narrative. The police at the end also show that there is a hint of crime here too. Movement is also very prominent here with the narrative this follows. 

Final question - your own opinion

10) How important do you think music videos are in the marketing and promotion of music artists in 2018? Are music videos essential to a band or artist's success?

I think music videos are a great way to interact with fans as it gives them a chance to consume and purchase their products. Videos are a good way to promote merch as well because it would be seen by their fans.  I think music videos are a good way to make a breakthrough in the music industry as they can feature dances or famous characters. Music videos like PSY's Gangnam Style have that famous dance which is only famous because there was a video. Videos give a chance to let the fans see the artists creativity.

TV: End of unit index

1) Introduction to TV Drama

2) Capital: Case study and analysis

3) Capital: Marxism and Hegemony

4) Deutschland 83: Case study and analysis

5) Deutschland 83: Postmodernism

6) Industries: The rise of foreign-language TV dramas

7) Industries: The impact of new/digital media on television

8) Assessment: 750-word exam question

TV: Assessment

Question 1
“Realism is a vital component of television drama”. To what extent does an analysis of your television close-study products support this view? [25 marks]

Reaslim is, according to litnotes.com, 'when an audience is able to recognise and identify with a media text so that connections can be made with their personal lives'. Our close-study products also incorporate some interesting aspects of realism that are there for either historical accuracy or to have a certain effect on the audience. Capital, a show produced by the BBC which is a major PSB in the media landscape, portrays a balanced view of both left and right-wing views. Capital also evokes an argument about whether PSBs like the BBC are actively constructing our perception of society and asks if we are being kept in line by an elite-all powerful group. On the other hand, Deutschland 83, a costume drama about the Able Archer crisis during the Cold War, manages to be gripping to an audience despite it being a foreign-language drama and it also needs to be historically accurate as it's documenting a real-life event albeit featuring a fictionalised storyline between characters.

Capital explores some interesting aspects of realism where we don't really realise that we may be being forced to agree with the inner workings of a capitalist society, according to Gramsci's hegemony theory. The BBC is a publicly owned PSB where the public pay a licence fee of £154.50 to access their multitude of channels and other media platforms. The BBC has been subject to a lot of criticism as they have been known to twist meanings to their own agenda, to fit their remit. This suggests that an elite rich controls the production of shows like Capital so their idea of 'realism' may be skewed due to their beliefs. Capital reinforces both left and right-wing ideologies, despite the BBCs neutral stance, via Roger who represents the upper-middle class and owns a rather luxurious house and additional luxuries including a hot room and a summer house. This shows a sense of realism as many people living in London and who work in Canary Wharf would be able to sustain a grand life like Roger's. However, realism is probably more accurately represented through people like the Kamal family and Quentina as they are the working class/less celebrated members of society who in reality work harder. The producers of Capital expertly depict the rather tragic life of Quentina who is an asylum seeker from Zimbabwe working illegally as a traffic warden to barely make ends meet. In addition to Quentina's struggle in the UK, she also gets abused by her 'boss' who is most likely a human trafficker. More left-wing ideologies are exerted via the Kamal family who, in one scene, live and eat in peace. They have regular family meals with an almost entirely happy atmosphere. This accurate representation of the working class raises the question if Capital is leaning towards left-wing ideas as they arguably fetischise the working class. So realism in Capital is a vital component when it comes to representing the different parts of society. Petunia's appearance as an empty pensioner who only has her home, further shows how accurate the realism is in Capital as this reinforces the dire situation for OAPs that is taking place across the UK. Capital also does a great job capturing the situation the UK was in the 2007-08 economical crisis. This state-of-the-nation drama perfectly shows how the staggering house prices brutally affected the London population. The economic crisis only highlighted just how much of a divide there was between the working and upper class which is represented through Roger vs Quentina.

Deutschland 83 however is a completely different ballgame when it comes to realism. Unlike Capital not that many people remember and have experienced the communist regime in East Germany throughout the 1980s. The 2007 economic crisis was worldwide but Able Archer is less known to those who were alive during the Cold War. The Cuban Missile crisis of 1963 was a more prominent issue so Able Archer wasn't seen as really dangerous. Despite its popularity, the producers of the show, Walter Presents and UFA Fiction, still had to make sure that every detail was as historically accurate as it could be. Due to the Able Archer files and documents being released for public viewing in 2013, the producers of D83 used copies of these documents in the briefcase scene where Martin takes pictures of the real documents used in the Able Archer reports. The briefcase scene is also an example of intertextuality as this has a spy movie feel to it, a cliche almost. This is a clear example of pastiche, which is where products that refer to a specific time period, person or event are imitated or used. This is portrayed in the opening sequence of D83 as there is archived footage as well as bricolage and hyperreality as shown by the text on the screen when introducing a new location in the 8-part drama. Intertextuality is an area where the producers of the show didn't skimp on. When Martin is taken to Bonn, many products are referred to such as Puma and Der Spiegel, a West German newspaper. Nostalgia is also a key player in the realism effect D83 has on its viewers. Songs like 99 Luftballons, an example of Pastiche as it uses footage from Nena's concert in Hungary 1983, and Sweet Dreams, coupled with 80s-esque font on brands and colours, act as an audience pleasure which accurately represents the time period the drama is set in. The supermarket scene also features an excellent mid shot with Martin amongst shelved packed full of stuff, the arrangement of the colours are a nod to the Andy Warhol Tin art which enhances D83's postmodern aspect. As this is also a costume drama, the costumes that everyone wears have to be accurate to that specific time period. In the West we see more colour and variety in clothing and general props whereas in the East, more drab and muted colours are present - making the Eastern half of Germany seem deprived of any joy. D83 does an excellent job in representing the differences between life in the East as opposed to the West. This also, much like Capital, fetischises the working-class as it pritrays the East as much more happier with their lives despite the general conditions being quite bad. In the West, many of the people at the garden party are far apart and some are quite unfriendly, such as Yvonne and Alex fighting even though they're siblings. So for a drama that has to portray a historical event that isn't that widely known, I'd say that Deutschland 83 ticks a lot of boxes for realism. Another Postmodern element to D83 is that, during the introduction to Martin, Shakespeare is referred to. This is an example of intertextuality and reinforces Strinati's theory that Postmodernism features a breakdown between high and low class culture. But can they really recreate the events leading up to Able Archer without a few mistakes in historical representation? I think they aren't 100% accurate but it still doesn't take away from the fact that realism is a major if not the most important aspect that the producers considered whilst making D83. 

When comparing D83 with Capital, some points can be used from both Marxism and Postmodernism to show just how much each show values realism. In D83, we see how the Able Archer documents and some of the press reels were from the American Government. This is a clear example of Jamesons idea of historical deafness as he argues that the mediasation of history meant that we only understand historical events through their media representation. The documents and speeches made by Reagan emphasise that history is written by the winners and that this may have then included some bias that may have tainted the believability of D83's use of realism. In Capital, the choice of the story lines pushes a social realist agenda as it realistically represents social problems. The identity tensions in the Kamal family and the terrible living conditions in which the Polish builders live, highlight Capital's social realist view on the world. This is why many think that this show is controversial as it explores and criticizes both sides of the political and social spectrum. D83 also illustrates that, like the Marxist theories suggest in Capital, East Germany is an example of an elite, single-class group that controls society. D83 also features some Ostalgie (not sure if this fits in?) which the sense of nostalgia about East German aspects of life such as Trabants and the food they had. This is another example of how D83 has represented East Germany well. Through Tischbier and Lenora's motivation concern for the safety of the DDR we see how the DDR cared more for its inhabitants communally, unlike Capital. An interesting point is that D83 is produced by an Western society which in return makes the idea of Communism seem weak and inferior. Capital uses pastiche to refer to the 2007 crisis and rising house prices as well as selective representation because Capital makes it seem that London is a carbon copy of what the rest of the UK is like - which is the opposite as London is another world compared to the rest of the UK. Capital also opposes Strinati's fifth point about Postmodernism where he states "there is a decline of meta narratives or grand narrative". This is shown by Quentina and how she finds her 'family' in the Church, which is proof that grand narratives still exist in a postmodern world, even though there isn't much about Capital that's postmodern.

To summarise, I wholeheartedly agree with this statement and would say that, to an extent, realism is what makes or breaks a show. Because the producers of Capital want to emphasise that they are not attacking the idea of capitalism despite the drama taking place just after a huge financial crash. Valid representations of Capital's cast add to the value of realism. Quentina is represented as hardworking but doesn't get paid for how hard she works whereas people like Roger get infuriated at the fact that his bonus is JUST £30,000 to which he replies "what good is 30k to anyone?". Capital does a great job to pinpoint societal issues that were present in 2007 London and are still relevant today. Deutschland 83 is set in a very tense era for the Western world and precisely depicts how East and West Germany reacted to the Able Archer incident through various aspects using mise-en-scene, the colours present in both sides, the way West Germans reject traditional German culture and opt for a Westernised lifestyle and with props like the documents and setting, such as Bonn and Kleinmachnow. So I think that realism is a VERY important part of television drama, as without it, there isn't really much to grip audiences or to make it a meaningful media product.

(this was very long and I think I need a lie down after writing this)