Landscapes in the frame: exploring the hinterlands of the British procedural drama

In the wake of the much discussed phenomenon of so-called 'Nordic Noir', the significance of landscape in relation to the police procedural has had something of a small-screen renaissance. In this paper, I discuss this with specific reference to recent productions set and filmed in Britain...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:New review of film and television studies 2016-07, Vol.14 (3), p.364-385
Main Author: Roberts, Les
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
crime
Landscape
location
Nordic noir
place
topography
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Summary:In the wake of the much discussed phenomenon of so-called 'Nordic Noir', the significance of landscape in relation to the police procedural has had something of a small-screen renaissance. In this paper, I discuss this with specific reference to recent productions set and filmed in Britain. Broadchurch (ITV, 2013-present) shot in West Dorset, Southcliffe (Channel 4, 2013) filmed in and around Faversham and the North Kent marshes, and Y Gwyll/Hinterland (S4C/BBC, 2013) filmed in and around the Welsh coastal resort of Aberystwyth in Ceredigion, all share something of a 'post-Nordic-noir' family resemblance insofar as landscape and location are themselves presented as central characters, prompting reflection on what these narratives reveal about ideas of place and the role of topography and landscape in the cultural imaginary of the British procedural drama.
ISSN:1740-0309
1740-7923
DOI:10.1080/17400309.2016.1189712