Too much crime, too many male detectives?

[anotheoldgit]

http://tinyurl.com/6kde9ok

/// Television is in danger of airing programmes with "too many male detectives" and "too much crime", according to the BBC1 controller, Danny Cohen.///

What does he actually mean since television will still be in danger of airing programmes with "too much crime", even if they substitute male detectives for female detectives, since you can't have one without the other?

Interesting to note however that next Thursday 9.00pm BBC2, the BBC are launching yet another crime series called 'The Shadow Line', which once again employs a male detective.

But this time the detective happens to be black, so I suppose that is OK in the eyes of the 'Political Correct' BBC?

[Gromit]

He means if they have too many crime programmes there won't be enough airtime for more cookery programmes.

They have axes an Italian detective and commissioned a British one in his place, yet you are still not happy because he is a darkie.

[Davethedog]

Gromit brilliant.

I have an idea you have a private detective who's a female (?) member of the EDL and she solves crimes. She has a 100% succsess rate when it come to minorities

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

Couldn't agree more regarding too many cooking programmes.

But I must take you to task regarding your 'darkie' jibe, I wasn't making a direct racial issue over this.

Just as I was also not being sexist by mentioned females, I only wanted to get the political correctness point over.

/// They have axes an Italian detective and commissioned a British one in his place, ///

Not sure where you are coming from here, who are the Italian detective, and the British ones, you are referring to?

[starone]

I like detective stories and I don't care if the detectives are black or white or male or female, I will watch most of them, although I do concede they are a load of rubbish.

[JimT]

He probably just means exactly what he says - there are too many crime-related programmes and male detectives. Without reading any more of his comment, it doesn't sound to me like a political point, any more than it would if I said there are too many property programmes. I think he just means there's an over-reliance on crime dramas, most of which feature male lead detectives, and I'd agree with him. Male crime-fighters, struggling with their own inner demons... give me a break.

If the BBC was as 'PC' as the OP claims, we'd already have our quota of black female detectives and a line of black male ones, which apart from this new one and Luther, we haven't really had, have we?

[david51058]

The ratio of black to white detectives in real life should be reflected in crime drama. Similarly the ratio of black to white criminals should also be reflected the same. This way there can be no argument.

[JimT]

Nah david I think fiction and drama should steer away from that kind of mundane equation. It's a road not worth going down.

[Gromit]

// Not sure where you are coming from here, who are the Italian detective, and the British ones, you are referring to? //

The Italian one is 'Zen', referred to in you link, and the British one is in your question, 'The Shadow Line' starrIng Christopher Eccleston.

[Davethedog]

David what is the ratio then?

[wolf63]

I am female and believe that we should be able to do any job that we are suitable for. This goes for both males and females.

But I like watching TV programmes where there are mainly men for me to watch. I don't want role models or a PC version of the real world when I am watching entertainment.

[Old_Geezer]

Were I, he, I'd be more concerned with too much garbage than with too much crime. I swear I used to find more interesting things to watch when we had 3 channels than I find now with, how many channels is it ? Umpteen ?

And the BBC aren't immune. It's not like I leave all the others to watch them full time.

[anotheoldgit]

wolf63 I agree there is far too much PC woven into TV series now, this is another unwanted import from the USA I'm afraid.

[DaisyNonna]

Such a disappointment. Rufus Sewell is scrummy. I need handsome men in my life.

[rojash]

I remember when there was criticism of "The Bill" (I think, by the Police Federation, or some such) for the way it portrayed police officers. They said they wanted it to more accurately reflect real life. In those days, there used to be one or two crimes per episode, which were usually solved in the same episode, and I remember wondering how popular the series would be if 98% of the crimes remained unsolved.

[exdc]

Why 98% ??