Programmes that give insight to thriller
By watching thriller programmes it helped us see the genre 'thriller' in a different light but also to expand our knowledge and to use certain conventions not usually seen in thriller films moreover, to create diveristy.
By Skye Smith
The show ‘River’ is based on Detective Inspector John River, who is haunted by visions of his recently murdered colleague, Detective Sergeant Jackie ‘Stevie’ Stevenson. He continues to search for her killer, however he sees visions of other people who have died, and battles them while taking compulsory psychiatric evaluation, while also investigating into other murders. At the end of every programme, there is a cliffhanger which leaves the audience with a feeling of excitement and suspense, which are the main elements of a thriller. Another technique used is red herrings, which leaves the audience to believe one thing and not expect the unexpected, therefore leaving the audience excited. Furthermore, another technique used is plot twists. Plot twists leave the audience shocked and excited, which are main elements of the thriller genre. Conflict is also used in this programme, normally between River and his visions of dead people. Conflict tends to intrigue the audience as it builds up tension, which is a main element of the thriller genre. The last thriller technique that is used in the show is pathetic fallacy. It is used now and again, to signify bad things are going to happen.
By Skye Smith
By Skye Smith
The show is based on the former government agent and fugitive Raymond `Red' Reddington surrendering to the FBI, making them an offer they can't refuse. On the mysterious condition that he work only with recent Quantico graduate Liz Keen, he agrees to help put away criminals from a list that he compiled, which includes politicians, mobsters, spies and international terrorists - starting with long-thought-dead terrorist Ranko Zamani. As the two pursue their quarry, Red forces the rookie profiler to think like a criminal to see the bigger picture.
This programme uses almost all the thriller narrative techniques in almost every episode. Cliffhangers are used at the end of every episode to further connote what is going to happen in future episodes to come, which leaves the audience wanting to watch more as they’re intrigued. Red herrings are used with the character Raymond Reddington, who always seems to misguide the FBI in order to get something he needs, and normally it is information nobody wants him to have.This creates excitement amongst the audience as Reddington always gets what he wants, and how he does it is what excites the audience. Plot twists are constantly used throughout the series, as Reddington always seems to have a different plan that the audience does not see. This creates elements of suspense and tension amongst the audience, which are main elements of the thriller genre. Plot twists are always used more frequently towards the end of the series, to then leave a cliffhanger for the next series. This has an effect on the audience as they are excited to watch the next series. Conflict is always used as crime is the sub genre of this television series. There is a lot of action throughout every episode as the FBI attempt on catching the ‘blacklisters’, and death sometimes occurs as the result of the action. This is expected by the audience as death, murder and violence fits into the codes and conventions of the thriller genre.
By Skye Smith
By Nya Browne
Bates Motel is an American drama- thriller TV series which is an contemporary prequel based on the Alfred Hitcocks thriller film Psycho. Motel is a thriller because it uses a plethora of codes and coventions such as death and murder which is seen throughout the psycological narrative to bring suspense and tention to the audience. In the first season Norman and his mother Norma buy a motel, soon afterwards Norman's father dies, like any other thriller a death of a relative and in the past, tends to be the reason why characters have psycological or mental problems that also, tends to be very significant to the narrative. The mother then gets raped and Norman and Norma then kill and dump his body this could come across as disturbing which is expected in a psychological thriller. In particular this episode would have finished on a cliffhanger to keep the audience engaged, simiarliy to most thriller films and tv cliffhangers will be used alot. As well as Red herrings to cause confusion, plot twists, conflict. The mis en scene of the Motel connotes mystery is set where it is always gloomy and never sunnny (pathetic fallacy), this connotes a constant negativy and theme to the thriller
By Nya Browne
By Lolita Lind
NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) is more than just an action thriller. With liberal doses of humor, it's a show that focuses on the sometimes complex and always amusing dynamics of a team forced to work together in very stressful situations. The series revolve around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.
This programme uses several different narrative thriller techniques throughout the series, such as cliffhangers, red herrings, plot twists and conflict. Cliffhangers are used at the end of most epsiodes to create a connection between the characters stories and the audience, it is also used to make the episode more interesting and shock the audience and allow them to come back to watch more episodes. Red herrings are used almost every single episode to lead the NCIS team away from catching the real suspects of the crime. Conflict is the main connotation used as there is conflict between the crimescenes when they were occuring and conflict between the team trying to solve the scene as they all have different ideas