Online
review: HK TV drama - «Sergeant Tabloid»
Released
in: 2013 Hong Kong TVB
(Video: Theme song and trailer of «Sergeant Tabloid»)
Nowadays,
many television dramas in Hong Kong used disciplined services as the major
focus, such as Hong Kong Fire Services Department, Immigration Department and
also commonly used Hong Kong Police Force. In this online review, it separate
three parts to interpret the Hong Kong television drama mainly focus on
policewomen nowadays. Firstly, the stereotypes of
policewoman of Hong
Kong Police Force; secondly, image of characters inside the
drama; and finally, the reasons of changing trend compare with nowadays and
nineties in Hong Kong.
The stereotypes of
policewoman of Hong Kong
Police Force
«Sergeant Tabloid» is a
mainly focus on the career and love of policewomen in Hong Kong nowadays, policewomen
are very difficult to get the true love as well. First of all, «Sergeant Tabloid» shows out the stereotypes of policewoman of Hong
Kong. For their sister love, many of policewomen may group together to discuss
their recent, even families, friends, and love. Majority of them are single, even
some of them fall in love, they also cannot last long, the major reason is men
do not accept their partner is a policewomen, especially in their career and
characteristic. Corner (1995:4) pointed out that “The media are firmly placed
as central and attributed with a high degree of political, social, and cultural
power.” In this drama, it shows out the characteristic of policewomen major powerful,
even they wear a skirt also do not like a woman, the actor inside mentioned
that policewomen cannot become the regular women many times. Policewomen become
to a spinster for
those reasons, it let them more difficult to get the true love.
Image of characters inside the drama
Secondly,
image of characters inside the drama, Madam Kiu is the most typical policewomen
in the eyes of others nowadays; she is an inspector of West Kowloon’s Emergency
Unit, she has her own ability to protect herself, also cold and resolute. Before
10 episodes, Madam Kiu is a strong and independent woman; therefore, she cannot
get any friends, subordinates which obey her, also boyfriend. But after 10
episodes, she open her mind and back to her own, she change to a passive,
friendly and get her friends and boyfriend also. Stereotypes are enforced
representation, television drama mostly shape policewomen as know more how to
protect themselves, higher status and position they got, more successful they
can get. In fact, people not only need to fight for power, but need to fight
for their friends and love.
There
are some mainly reason of people get the stereotype of policewomen. In Hong
Kong Police Force, there is only small ratio of policewomen, people may agree
that police should be a man rather than a woman, because of the training and
position of police, women cannot get any priority, they also need to take many
training courses, to deal with criminals. For the other reason is policewomen
need to hold short hair, commonly, people mostly agree that a basic women
outlook conditions include long hair and body shape because of the media
presented to the public. All of the beauty advertisement, “angels” in
entertainment programs also show that the ideal women image. Therefore,
policewomen get a little difference of typical women so that’s why media
presented their independent image also why public have those thoughts.
The reasons of changing trend compare with
nowadays and nineties in Hong Kong
Thirdly,
the reasons of changing trend compare with Armed Reaction (1998) and recent in Hong
Kong. It was one of the standout television dramas which were predominantly of
women at that time, the strong and independent policewomen characters made the
series popular, and also became increasingly sidelined. Richard Dyer (2000)
further described that “Insisting on the ‘otherness’ of women and men,
otherness of women, men being in patriarchy the human norm to which women are ‘other’”
Compare with nineties Hong Kong, media also did not have many programs, women
commonly could not get the high status compare nowadays, even policewomen. Therefore,
Armed Reaction mainly focuses on the career of policewomen rather than their love,
also the criminals presented were much more bigger than nowadays for just after
Handover to China, Hong Kong media shaped out the disorder society and afraid
of the political issues of public thoughts. At that time, media did not know
the audiences accept it or not, Armed Reaction was the break through
television drama in nineties Hong Kong.
References:
Dyers, R. (2000). The role of stereotypes. In P. Marris & S. Thornham (eds.) Media studies: a reader. (pp.245-251). Washington Square, N.Y.: New York University Press.
Cheung Wing, Tammy
10520443/21047744
As mentioned in your review, the character of Madam Kiu actually experienced dramatic changes in the second half of the series. Does it prove that she fail to disturb/break the typical gender images and power relationship inherited by the society? What kinds of conflicts are involved and how are they being solved (within the drama)?
ReplyDeleteAs mentioned in your review, the character of Madam Kiu actually experienced dramatic changes in the second half of the series. Does it prove that she fail to disturb/break the typical gender images and power relationship inherited by the society? What kinds of conflicts are involved and how are they being solved (within the drama)?