Seven codes of Realism

1. The Code of Surface Realism - Does the representation look and sound to you like the real world it claims to show?
Dr Foster is a TV drama therefore, some sections of this will be dramatised for the interest of the audience who watch this for entertainment. But the costume, props and setting of the character Gemma is kept very realistic as a married women who is also a mother. Her style of clothing is kept very conventional as well as dull due to the clothing majority of the time being black, grey or navy. This represents her serious nature and also her profession of being a GP, keeping her look quite reserved and sophisticated. Also her make-up and jewellery is kept to a minimum due to her being careless or this could also mean her not having the time as she is too busy with her child and workplace, that she has not given herself some time in doing things majority of women or is seen as the "norm" of society. but within some scenes she is seen as wearing make-up and fixing her hair or wearing heels, this is for her to be shown as trying to look "pretty" as she wants her husband to notice these things about her or when she meets Neil, to present sexuality and trying to make her husband "jealous" by going out.

On the other hand, in August Osage County, Barbara is shown as very careless with the way she looks again as she is a wife and a mother, she does not have time to focus on herself. But Violet is shown as very concerned with her appearance by saying "women need make-up, else they look like a lesbian" and that "women get fat and ugly when they are older", this view is realistic as it is what society do believe, that attraction goes with age. Wearing make-up has become such as globally trend that if a women is seen without it, they are believed to be "ugly" or a "tomboy." This view has influenced her youngest daughter Karen, as she is shown throughout the movie in dresses with an elegant hairstyle, however her look contradicts a lot with Ivy as she is shown in clothing that will be classed as "masculine", which Violet does not like.

2. The Code of Social Realism - Does the representation present social reality ‘like it really is’? Or ‘as it really was’?
Dr Foster is based on a more modern society as she is an independent professional women who is not just a house wife but has a career as well as takes care of the household finance. Other women in the drama too are working and are seen as professionals, this shows how they do not have the stereotypical mindset of women not working especially after marriage, as they need to stay home and cook, clean and childcare. This is a form of reality, as in some areas of society, it is seen as conventional to do so, especially now that society is becoming more open minded and allowing women to be equal to men.

August Osage County is based on a typical minded society, this is because all women within the movie are not professional workers or even have a job, but are shown as housewives. They all have a stereotypical mind of staying home, for Barbara that means taking care of her child and for Violet and Karen they are most interested in their appearance. Again this can be seen as reality as many women in societies wish to just marry and have children, do not want to study or work, this is either their own choice due to their upbringing or it could be a pressure as it is seen as the norm within their society.

In both mediums, although they have contradicting views, as women they do have similarity in values and characteristics. Within the drama, Gemma and Simon show their family and friends that they are a happily married couple and try to cover up, or Gemma is being very strong in not letting her situation out to society. Within the movie, this is what Barbara and her husband are going through as well, they try to show their family that they are still together however are going through separation maybe even divorce. This shows how even though they are struggling within their own households, they still care about society that they will start to question and interfere.

However within August Osage County, if issues arise in a relationship, the men is questioned and is seen as the negative person. But within Dr Foster, Gemma has a fear of this as within her society, this question will be asked to both and more likely to women. Also if their children become deviant, the blame will be on the mother that she has lacked in her upbringing. Regardless of how negative or bad influence the father may be, as they are not the birth giver or seen as staying with the child as much as the mother should.

3. The Genre Code - Is the representation what you’d expect to see and hear in this sort or genre of text? - Does it make you suspend your disbelief?

4. The Narrative Code - Are events likely to happen in this way and in this order?

5. The Code of Psychology and Character Motivation - Does a fictional representation invest greater realism in the psychology of its characters than in the other codes?

6. The Code of Discursive or Ideological Truth - Does a fictional representation construct for its viewers a particularly compelling and persuasive sense of truth?

7. The ‘Counter-Realism’ Code of Institutional Constraint - Are representations shaped by the institutions that produce them in ways that constrain or limit their realism?