This document provides an overview of a lesson on genre theory. It introduces Steve Neale's theory that genres are dominated by repetition but also marked by difference, variation, and change. The lesson asks students to research conventions in television crime dramas, compare shows like Life on Mars to identify repetitions and differences, and explain how Neale's theory applies to the genre through examples. The goal is for students to understand how repetition and difference in television crime drama is important to audiences.

1. Monday 20th November 2017
Genre
LO: To explore the effects of Steve
Neale’s genre theory
Keywords:
Genre; conventions; conform; audience;
similarities; difference; repetition
Highlight these when you use them
Starter Activity:
List the conventions/stereotypes
you would expect to find in a
Television Crime Drama
Crime Drama
Conventions/Stereo
types

2. Today’s Lesson
• Introduce you to Steve Neale’s theory on genre
• Apply this to our Key Text
• Research and compare to other television crime dramas
• Feedback findings

3. Steve Neale (in a nutshell)
• The idea that genres are dominated by repetition, but
also marked by difference, variation and change
– Why do you think this is important to audience?
• The idea that genres change, develop and vary as they
borrow from, and overlap with one another
• Genre is important to institutions because it helps them
market texts

4. TV Crime
Drama
Repetition Difference
Life on Mars
Victim (girlfriend – Mya - being kidnapped)
Detective (Maverick – Sam), Grumpy Chief,
Forensics, Psychological Expert, Rookie,
Criminal, Case being solved at the end of
the episode, clues given
Set in 70’s – basic technology – limited
resources – limited knowledge
Time Travel – cracking cases in both time
periods – his state in present day

5. Feedback
• Summarise your findings
• Identify what conventions are repeated in the genre
• Explain the differences using examples you found

6. Finally
• Have we achieved our learning objective?
LO: To explore the effects of
Steve Neale’s genre theory
• Explain how repetition and difference in television crime
drama is important using examples to illustrate your
points