To what extent do the representations in ‘Capital’ reflect the concerns of modern 21st

century London life? (25) Marks

 
‘Capital’ is a fictional televised mini-series, shown on BBC 1 in 2015. It is based on John
Lanchester’s novel of the same name. Its central story is about the families and residents living
on a south-London street who all receive postcards with the simple message ‘we want what you
have’. The series follows the families social struggles in 21st century London as themes such as
gentrification, islamophobia, asylum seekers and fraud are explored.
  
The television series explores the modern concerns of the expense of London life and its
demanding effects on individuals. This is articulated through some of the central players such as
the Yount family; an upper-middle-class family who worry about their mortgage and living
expenses. The series did inform viewers about the stress people were exposed to in respect of
excessive house prices and mortgages in London suggesting that they were spiralling out of
control. Additionally, issues about money are exaggerated through the use of binary oppositions.
For example, Roger Yount is a banker and represents a materialistic character who only cares
about making more money even though he is evidently well off. This is juxtaposed to Quentina,
an asylum seeker from Zimbabwe who is desperate for work. Other characters look forward to
benefiting from the accumulated wealth or ‘capital’ built up in their properties. The underlying
theme, therefore, suggests that however hard some individuals and families may work, it is
capital they need in order to benefit in the long run. The series, therefore, demonstrates the
economic realities of property ownership within a capitalist society and how people who have
got wealth may be lured towards cultivating capitalist ideologies if they personally benefit.
 
Class and gender privilege are also explored in the mini-series. The film shots inside Roger’s
workplace at the bank for example are dominated by white, middle-class men. There are only a
few women workers and barely any other non-white ethnic groups. Arguably ‘Capital’ is a 'state
of the nation’ portrayal which uses an intertextual reference to Samuel Pepys’s diary which
addresses events relevant to a specific social, economic and political time period.  
 
The show also highlights social issues of terrorism and radicalisation in London life. The Kamal
family are raided by the police over concerns that members of the family were planning terrorist
acts. The Kamal’s are presented in a stereotypical way as they are an Asian family who own a
corner-shop. Perhaps the producers created these stereotypes as useful initial shorthands for the
audience as Medhurst (1995) suggests. The fact that the family are targeted by the police could
suggest institutional racism in the police force. Additionally, the series’ depiction of the police as
an organised law enforcement body enforces the idea that London is tough on crime and are a
powerful force in society. 
 
The series uses regular bird’s-eye views of the city, suggesting its constant expansion as we see
more and more blocks of flats being erected and building cranes fill the skyline. This technique
also suggests that these localised suburban stories being told could apply to any street in London,
the haves and have nots living side by side in London. 
 
Concerns about modern 21st Century London life are captured in the ‘Capital’ mini-series. To
make the stories more impactful the film uses the technique of verisimilitude, shooting realistic
sets in different houses of the residents on Pepys Street. The shots of locations around south and
west London also add to the effect of realism so the audience can identify with familiar street
scenes. According to the uses and gratifications theory, the show allows audiences to experience
personal identity through the sense of realism as they can relate to the different scenarios. The
show also offers entertainment as it is a televised drama where the scenes are exaggerated, and
the audience can escape as they are submerged into other people's lives.