Cracker - Overview & Industry

• Cracker's original success


  • Controversial and hard-hitting storylines
  • Acting (e.g. Robble Coltrane, Barbara Flynn, Christopher Ecclestone)
  • New take on the genre (anti-hero psychologist instead of usual police procedural)
• The episode 'To be somebody' attracted critical praise for its Hillsborough storyline
• The series won many awards including best TV drama and best actor (Robbie Coltrane) three years running (1994, 1995, 1996)
• The series' initial critical acclaim and success was not dependent on digital platforms
• Platforms Cracker was distributed on globally


  • ITV Essentials (Europe only)
  • watch series
  • Amazon Instant
  • YouTube
  • watcheng.com
  • DVD
• Cracker is no longer available via Netflix but is available as an Apple download and to buy on Amazon Prime Video
• The series was rated 11/50 of Empire Magazine's top 50 TV programmes (UK and USA) in 2016
• The critical and audience success of the original programme was mainly due to its content
• Cracker


  Created by Jimmy McGovern
• Cracker


  Produced by Granada Television
• Cracker


  Co-produced by Arts & Entertainments
• Cracker

  Distributed by BRITE
• BRITE, the distribution company for Cracker, was owned by Granada Television
• Granada Television, as a result of owning production and distribution companies, is a Vertical Integrated company
• Cracker is available on VHS as a boxset, enabling modes of consumption
• Overseas, Cracker's international sales are controlled by BRITE
• In 1996, ABC (one of the owners of A&E) commissioned Granada's newly formed Granada Entertainment USA to create a US adaptation of Cracker, called Fitz
• The US adaptation sold well in secondary markets. With A&E buying the 16 existing episodes of the program
• In 2020, Cracker is distributed by ITV network
• Cracker is now available to buy instantly from Amazon
• Cracker is now available on Amazon as a hard cover DVD (as well as digital download)
• Due to the collaboration between BBC and ITV, Cracker is now available to stream through the subscription service BritBox
• Before BritBox, Cracker was available on services such as ITV player, Google Movies and Netflix
• The fact that Cracker is now distributed on Amazon means it can reach an international audience quicker than ever
• ITV owns Global Entertainment, who are the worldwide distributor of ITV
• The fact that Amazon are selling ITV's product (being Cracker) portrays how much quality and selling potential it has
• Cracker is the winner of 25 major industry awards including three Bafta Awards, three Broadcasting Press Guild Awards and a Silver Nymph at the Television Festival of Monte Carlo
• DVD

  Enables the audience to watch the programme whenever they want, unlike in the 1990s when it was broadcast, when audiences would have to wait for the next scheduled episode
• Bonus features on the DVD

  Enable more audience gratification, and interaction
• Streaming (on Britbox)


  Allows people to watch Cracker on demand
• Streaming (on Britbax)


  Allows the institution to pull the programme from being available to watch, thus saving money
• Streaming (on Britbox)


  Does in some cases have time restrictions, for example audiences may only be able to watch within a time frame
• Streaming


  Allows for older audiences to obtain gratification from the text through a sense of nostalgia
• There is a license issue with regards to streaming, as certain companies may only hold licenses for a set time
• Digital formats (such as Google Movies)


  Effective for distributing Cracker as it allows the audience to instantly buy and watch the series
• The downside of digital formats distributing Cracker is that the download can be deleted and audiences can all copy and upload the programme onto other video sites for free (piracy)
• The Internet (post-Cracker) has had the most impact on television
• The Internet


  Allows for more opinion leaders
• Articles and reviews of Cracker available on the internet


  Likely offer insights into the programme instantly, with audiences then being able to interpret the reviews and decide whether or not to purchase the programme (or series)
• Positive reviews


  Provide audiences with reinforced ideologies of Cracker belonging to ITV, and being known as a quality drama (mark of trust as ITV is a public service broadcaster that is commercial)