TV Drama Texts for Analysis

Dixon of Dock Green - 1955-1976

Dixon of Dock Green was a benchmark to measure "realism" of police series such as Z-Cars and The Bill that came later on. The series was set in a police station in the East End of London and focused on uniformed police  doing routine tasks and dealing with low-level crime. Unlike later police series, Dixon of Dock Green focused less on crime and policing and more on family-like nature of life in the station with Dixon being a warm, paternal person, this was the central focus where crime was little more than petty.

The 60's and 70's brought more realistic police series,Dixon of Dock Green became increasingly unrealistic, a rosy view of the police that grew out of touch with the times. Yet stories were supposedly based on fact, and Dixon was an accurate reflection of what goes on in an ordinary police station.

Textual Analysis

Firstly what can be noticed with the group of people, including Dixon and other officers is that they are all smiling and look like they are enjoying themselves. What that can show is the togetherness of the community and the officers at the time, another connotation also seeming to be that if they are here being jolly with civilian looking people there isn't much dangerous crime around. 

From what the two officers are wearing in the still, is the 'old-fashioned' traditional 'Bobby' uniform which back at that time was designed similarly to a military uniform but with a black colouration. Similar to army uniform is the stripes representing the rank of the officer. The civilian man represents his role as well as the women of the time with being in a suit and the women being in a dress.

Something important to observe is the female police officer because as known throughout the nineteenth century there was much discrimination against women in the workplace, but with the women officer being involved, dressing the same and also looking happy it shows that there is no divide in the workplace and women are just as equal as men.

Again with this image you see Dixon dressed as the typical representation of a 'Bobby' police officer with an innocent young child and a dog.

What seems very significant to this image is that with Dixon down on one knee and petting the young girl's dog it reveals the care for the community the officer has and that he likes to make sure that everyone is safe and well. It gives the view that the police are in with the community and doing there best to make sure it stays a happy and safe place.