Are modern TV shows like 'Killing Eve' responsible for the increase in UK crime?
There has been a dramatic increase in the amount of TV and Netflix shows using crime as the foundation for their appeal. From earlier uk crime based shows like 'The Bill' being so popular networks like the BBC clearly caught onto and exploited this creating a trend in crime based television programmes. This has resulted in the birth of modern crime based shows particularly from the BBC specifically, a lot of which also star BAFTA winning actress Jodie Comer, this includes such credits as 'Doctor Foster' and 'Thirteen' dealing with issues of adultery and kidnapping. Since the release of these shows, each more popular than their predecessors, UK crime has increased dramatically.
Out of all of Comer's shows 'Killing Eve' is by far the most popular and has gained much attention from American audiences too, a country notorious for high rates of crime. To suggest Comer is singularly responsible for the rise in crime (particularly homicide, an act her character commits a lot on the show as she plays a female assassin) would be preposterous. Her BAFTA speech wasn't 'EVERYONE KILL, MURDER IS COOL' and i believe it simply due to her astounding and diverse acting abilities that she happens to feature so prominently in the BBC's crime led shows. Nonetheless, intentional or not, the BBC is responsible for exposing UK audiences to a greater quantity of crime and it is also a fact that British crime has risen by 19% in 2019. In the words of the BBC themselves 'The number of homicides-including murder and manslaughter-rose from 649 to 739' and i believe 'Killing Eve' to have played a part in the glamorizing and likely unintentional romanticizing of murder.
I find the correlation established distinctly between the closing scene of 'Killing Eve' season one and the 6% rise in knife crime in the UK in 2018, the year of the shows release. The final scene of the first season sees Sandra Oh's character stabbing Comers in the side of her abdomen and not getting caught, she simply remains stood in the chic Paris apartment. The show's plot revolves around a homosocial bond between these two women; the detective admiring the work, mentality and humour of the female assassin Villanelle so whilst it is importantly taking strides in queer representation with Comer's character being a confident lesbian, it is overshadowed by the adoration of crime we see through Eve's eyes. It also becomes confused if is she is drawn in by the exhilaration of the fast paced life of a renegade or if she is truly figuring out her sexuality. Season two reaffirms the fact the show may be promoting a desensitized approach to crime as we witness Eve care less than before and continue to air her husband which, also plays into the modern concept that the individual chasing their own ambitions away from all emotional attachments, or family units, is necessary for fulfillment. Her faltering humanity stands metaphorical of the criminal personality dominating society when, in a culture of climate emergency actors and screen writers should use their careers to promote the opposite of this; uniting and caring.
There is also another poignant stabbing scene with a knife in a night club which sees the murder of Eve's friend Bill, at the hands of Villanelle, another crime in which she gets away with. This thus sends messages to UK audiences that knife crime is convenient as the weapon is light and as the shows character makes it away unscathed by the British authorities then audiences may convince themselves that they too can achieve this result. But perhaps the show will eventually adopt the form of a poetic Villanelle and end on a circular structure which closes the spike in crime.
The BBC should perhaps issue frequent disclaimer warnings that are by no means attempting to encourage viewers towards a life of crime and make it clear what their messages behind the show are. Is it a satire of the loss of humanity in our contemporary, consumer driven society? hence Villanelle's chic clothes and the humorous script which never shocks characters or draws particularly emotional performances from them. I for one would love to know the intentions behind the internationally popular show.
Out of all of Comer's shows 'Killing Eve' is by far the most popular and has gained much attention from American audiences too, a country notorious for high rates of crime. To suggest Comer is singularly responsible for the rise in crime (particularly homicide, an act her character commits a lot on the show as she plays a female assassin) would be preposterous. Her BAFTA speech wasn't 'EVERYONE KILL, MURDER IS COOL' and i believe it simply due to her astounding and diverse acting abilities that she happens to feature so prominently in the BBC's crime led shows. Nonetheless, intentional or not, the BBC is responsible for exposing UK audiences to a greater quantity of crime and it is also a fact that British crime has risen by 19% in 2019. In the words of the BBC themselves 'The number of homicides-including murder and manslaughter-rose from 649 to 739' and i believe 'Killing Eve' to have played a part in the glamorizing and likely unintentional romanticizing of murder.
I find the correlation established distinctly between the closing scene of 'Killing Eve' season one and the 6% rise in knife crime in the UK in 2018, the year of the shows release. The final scene of the first season sees Sandra Oh's character stabbing Comers in the side of her abdomen and not getting caught, she simply remains stood in the chic Paris apartment. The show's plot revolves around a homosocial bond between these two women; the detective admiring the work, mentality and humour of the female assassin Villanelle so whilst it is importantly taking strides in queer representation with Comer's character being a confident lesbian, it is overshadowed by the adoration of crime we see through Eve's eyes. It also becomes confused if is she is drawn in by the exhilaration of the fast paced life of a renegade or if she is truly figuring out her sexuality. Season two reaffirms the fact the show may be promoting a desensitized approach to crime as we witness Eve care less than before and continue to air her husband which, also plays into the modern concept that the individual chasing their own ambitions away from all emotional attachments, or family units, is necessary for fulfillment. Her faltering humanity stands metaphorical of the criminal personality dominating society when, in a culture of climate emergency actors and screen writers should use their careers to promote the opposite of this; uniting and caring.
There is also another poignant stabbing scene with a knife in a night club which sees the murder of Eve's friend Bill, at the hands of Villanelle, another crime in which she gets away with. This thus sends messages to UK audiences that knife crime is convenient as the weapon is light and as the shows character makes it away unscathed by the British authorities then audiences may convince themselves that they too can achieve this result. But perhaps the show will eventually adopt the form of a poetic Villanelle and end on a circular structure which closes the spike in crime.
The BBC should perhaps issue frequent disclaimer warnings that are by no means attempting to encourage viewers towards a life of crime and make it clear what their messages behind the show are. Is it a satire of the loss of humanity in our contemporary, consumer driven society? hence Villanelle's chic clothes and the humorous script which never shocks characters or draws particularly emotional performances from them. I for one would love to know the intentions behind the internationally popular show.
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