1. Joe Cooper
Generic Conventions in TV Dramas
Bad Education
Series 1, Episode 1
Bad Education is a school-based TV drama (sitcom) shown on Tuesdays at 10:30 on BBC3. The show
revolves around the career of young Mr Wickers (Jack Whitehall), and his misfortune. The use of the
relationships between the students and teachers makes the program very entertaining but also
unique in the fact that talent and maturity is represented in the characters personality and not their
age. The program heavily uses stereotypes to create comical effect. A second series has recently
started due to its huge popularity among its young target audience.
Camera
The first minute of the clip we see mainly long shots and medium close ups of the main character to
establish his personality and stature within the school. Mr Wickers walks into a room and is sick, to
create comical effect a eye line match is used to show us that he has in fact been sick in front of a
class of children. The clip follows simple generic conventions of TV drama by using many medium
close-ups of the characters and occasionally is unconventional to create comedy.
Editing
Editing is used straight away in this clip as a series of jump cuts are used when Mr Wickers is getting
out of the car, this is used to create the thought that he is struggling and may not be in the best of
conditions. All other editing is simple cuts which sticks very much so to genres conventions.
Sound
The introduction to the clip uses non-diagetic music and added sounds to create more effect such as
the school bell going off to indicate that the character is entering a school. Diagetic use of students
voices over one another shows havoc between the children, use of slow non-diagetic music
contrasts with the tired and hungover feeling of the teacher Mr Wickers. Diagetic music created by
the actors such as the Deputy Head teacher slamming the door to wake the teacher this contrast
between the two characters is very typical in TV Dramas.

2. Joe Cooper
Mise-en-Scene
Acting is key in a sitcom, a good actor creates laughs and Jack Whitehall does this very well. We see
Mr Wickers dressed and messy clothes wearing a hoodie representing him stereotypically as a
teenager, when his hood is taken off we see a man, the use of the hood creates comical mystery and
surprise when it is taken off. This use of stereotypes to fool the audience is typical in sitcoms
specifically. The school being used as the main setting is very typical in TV Drams and is used in
programs such as Waterloo Rd.