2015/03/24

Chronicle Live March 23, 2015: Should TV crime dramas better reflect reality? We speak to retired officers in the North East

Crime dramas enthral but do they accurately reflect policing? Crime reporter Sophie Doughty speaks to retired officers in the North East

Imagine the frustration.

You’ve invested hours of your life in the gripping crime series or novel everyone is raving about, avoided all the spoilers, formed your own theories on whodunnit, and just as you get to the dramatic climax you suddenly say to yourself...’that would never happen in real life’.

From Poirot to Inspector Morse to Broadchurch, crime fiction has cemented itself as one of the nation’s favourite genres by giving viewers and readers a glimpse into the fascinating world of criminal investigation they would otherwise never witness.

Through novels and television we get a front row seat at murder scenes, post mortem examinations and in court rooms. But how important is realism in the fictional depiction of crime and investigations?

Do writers have a responsibility to present an accurate view of policing and the criminal justice system in their work?

Or is expecting entertainment and authenticity asking too much? Should we just suspend our disbelief while enjoying crime dramas as fiction, even though they tackle very serious real life issues.

Retired murder detective Steve Wade, who has investigated more than 50 murders, believes the reality of detective work would not make good television.

“Crime dramas are just that, dramas. Most police work is painstaking hard work with attention to detail. It would be very dull to the viewer if they had to watch how murderers are really caught,” he said. more