the sweeney

• What is the title of the first episode of The Sweeney?


  The Sweeney: ‘Ringer’
• When was The Sweeney first broadcast?


  January 2nd, 1975
• What genre does The Sweeney belong to?


  Crime drama
• Who created The Sweeney?

  Ian Kennedy Martin
• What was the viewership of the original Armchair Theatre drama that led to The Sweeney's creation?

  Over 7 million viewers
• What does the name "The Sweeney" derive from?


  Cockney rhyming slang for ‘Flying Squad’
• Who played Jack Regan in The Sweeney?


  John Thaw
• Who played George Carter in The Sweeney?

  Dennis Waterman
• What is the focus of The Sweeney's narrative?


  Two members of The Flying Squad investigating crimes
• What are the focus areas in Component 2 of GCSE Media Studies?


  • Media Language
  • Representation
  • Media Industries
  • Audiences
  • Media contexts
• What is the significance of the urban setting in The Sweeney?


  It connotes realism and focuses on the underbelly of urban society
• How does The Sweeney portray its setting in the pre-title sequence?


  It is filmed on a piece of waste land, highlighting real locations
• What does the clothing of characters in The Sweeney signify?

  It establishes a hierarchy among characters
• What technical codes are used in The Sweeney to create realism?


  Shots and editing suggest an attempt to create realism
• What type of editing is primarily used in The Sweeney?

  Continuity editing
• How does the audio in The Sweeney contribute to its realism?

  It uses limited music and emphasizes non-diegetic sound, dialogue, and silence
• What role do accents play in The Sweeney?

  Accents connote hierarchy among characters
• What narrative structure does The Sweeney follow?


  Linear structure with each episode dealing with a new crime
• What are the key conventions of crime dramas as seen in The Sweeney?


  • Narrative based on a crime investigation
  • Binary oppositions (good vs evil, hero vs villain)
  • Recognizable character types (hierarchy)
  • Realistic settings and locations
  • Iconography related to the genre
• Who are the main characters in the hierarchy of The Sweeney?

  Haskins (boss), Regan (detective), Carter (sidekick)
• What does the character Kemble represent in The Sweeney?


  A gangland boss with power over others
• How does Propp's theory apply to The Sweeney?


  Characters influence the narrative through their actions and motives
• What role does Regan play in the narrative according to Propp's theory?


  He is a hero but also an anti-hero due to his flaws
• How are the villains characterized in The Sweeney?


  They are violent, hardened criminals who use intimidation
• What is the role of sidekicks in The Sweeney?


  They advance the narrative and support the main characters
• How does The Sweeney reflect the social context of the 1970s?


  It represents the police and criminals as white heterosexual men
• What are the key themes of masculinity represented in Regan's character?


  • Tough and powerful demeanor
  • Relaxed morals indicated by his attire
  • Lack of care about appearance
  • Stereotype of men in the 1970s
• How does The Sweeney address the changing perception of the police?


  • Reflects societal values of the 1970s
  • Shows police as flawed but ultimately good
  • Introduces grittier elements compared to earlier dramas
• What is the significance of the character Jenny in The Sweeney?


  She represents the damsel in distress and is threatened by gangsters
• What are the principles of genre as applied to The Sweeney?


  • Repetition of common conventions
  • Variation and introduction of new elements
  • Dynamic nature reflecting social change
  • Hybridity and intertextuality with other genres