delasalleA2media15: Texts 4 Common - Introduction

Learning objectives:

To study Common - a 2014 TV special, with consideration given to generic issues, signifiers, conventions and iconography.

Key words: Genre. Plot. Joint enterprise. JENGbA

Introduction:

Common is a 2014 BBC One 90-minute made-for-television drama, written by Jimmy McGovern, directed by David Blair and starring Michelle Fairley, Nico Mirallegro and Michael Gambon. It seeks to question some of the issues and challenges raised by England's common purpose legal doctrine.

Plot summary

Jimmy McGovern's drama stars Nico Mirallegro as guileless 17 year old Johnjo O'Shea, who goes from innocent bystander to accessory to premeditated murder after giving a few friends a lift.

Background:

The drama focuses on England's controversial joint enterprise doctrine. It is set in North West England, and was filmed in Southport (although the town is never mentioned).First shown on 6 July 2014, the drama examines the issues surrounding a case in which the defendants were charged with murder involving joint enterprise or common purpose.
McGovern was inspired by the real life case of 16-year-old Jordan Cunliffe, sentenced under this law for a minimum term of 12 years for the murder of Garry Newlove, despite Cunliffe not actively taking part in the attack.

'Common' trailer:

'Common' writer Jimmy McGovern:

Panorama documentary:

Task 1: Familiarise with Joint Enterprise.

Watch the three clips above then look at reaction to Jimmy McGovern's Common. You can examine comments on the you tube clips and critical reception as introduced below.

Write a paragraph on the different points of view about Joint Enterprise as highlighted by the drama.

Describe Joint Venture in a line or two.
Consider arguments for and against the law.
10 minutes - bullet points are fine. Orange books.

Useful links:

Joint Enterprise

Is Joint Enterprise a 'lazy' law?

Critical reception

The Daily Telegraph gave it 4/5 stars, calling it "profoundly engaging", with Nico Mirallegro, "giving a fine performance of coiled vulnerability". According to The Guardian, "When Jimmy McGovern gets off his soapbox this is a brutal and devastating drama", "bleak, powerful drama thick with political intent, which occasionally robs it of its quality", and "the knockout performance belongs to Susan Lynch, who plays the victim's mother".

The Daily Mirror noted that "Common was unrelentingly depressing. It's about real tragedy, where no character you invest in wins". And "McGovern's a genius wordsmith, an engaging social commentator who deftly avoids being throat-ramming with his message, but he also understands people – as sure as he can paint the most evil potential of mankind, he equally draws out the good."

The Daily Mail was more critical in its review, "the BBC spent licence fee money on commissioning a 90-minute drama railing against what lawyers describe as a 'powerful' and useful piece of legislation designed to stop criminals getting away with it by blaming each other." They also noted that the law had been used to good effect in the murder of Stephen Lawrence case as well as that of Malakai McKenzie.

GENRE

Common includes codes and conventions relating to TV crime drama such as angry policemen, shocked suspect, interview rooms, police trying to find the criminal, close up camera shots on reaction, serious music, low key lighting and generally, law and order versus crime.

The title sequence is typical of the crime/drama genre in that it sets the scene, highlights the characters, gives pace and sets up audience expectations.

Task 2:

Watch the first 15 minutes of Common, identify the following and how the narrative has been conveyed through the use of the following technical codes, who do we feel sympathy with? How is this achieved?