Darren Lissaman, Head of Media at Ratcliffe College

In this blog post, I’ll be exploring approaches to the BBC television drama, Vigil, when teaching Cambridge OCR GCSE Media Studies. This gripping six-part crime thriller was created by Tom Edge and produced by World Productions – the same independent company that made Line of Duty, Bodyguard, and The Capture. BBC publicity often promoted Vigil as “from the team behind Line of Duty”. 

The series follows DCI Amy Silva as she investigates the suspicious death of Chief Petty Officer Craig Burke aboard the Vanguard-class Trident nuclear submarine HMS Vigil, while also examining the mysterious disappearance of a Scottish fishing trawler. The drama creates intense conflict between Police Scotland and the Royal Navy and security services in a conspiracy that threatens Britain’s nuclear deterrent.

Representation: challenging stereotypes in a traditional institution

Vigil blends stereotypical and anti-stereotypical representations to reflect modern Britain while fulfilling the BBC’s Reithian values and Royal Charter commitment to diversity. 

Lieutenant Commander Mark Prentice, the arrogant and overconfident Executive Officer, embodies an upper-middle or upper-class naval stereotype of privileged military leadership. In Episode 1, he coldly supports confining Burke after the sonar incident and insists that senior officers must supervise all interviews with Amy. 

Rear Admiral Shaw, an older white male in his 50s, fits the traditional image of white males in positions of authority and acts as the dispatcher role in Propp’s character theory as he oversees the Trident fleet. 

Strong female characters challenge stereotypes throughout the series. Petty Officer Tara Kierly, a woman of colour and Warfare Specialist, holds a respected submariner role, which is an anti-stereotypical representation. Surgeon Lieutenant Tiffany Docherty is portrayed as strong and independent, yet shows a caring side when informing Amy of sensitive information. Captain Neil Newsome is a high-ranking Black man as Commanding Officer of HMS Vigil. Casting choices can be seen to reflect the BBC’s commitment to diversity.

The lead character, DCI Amy Silva, is bisexual. She previously saw herself as heterosexual until she fell in love with fellow officer Kirsten Longacre. As the hero, she takes on a traditionally male role, yet Episode 1 highlights her contradictions of strength and vulnerability. Amy is shown as intelligent, authoritative, and highly professional, but she also struggles with anxiety and depression, takes medication, and experiences severe claustrophobia and a fear of water. 

These weaknesses become clear during her helicopter transfer when she is winched down onto the submarine’s deck in obvious discomfort. Her personal trauma is revealed through flashbacks to happier times with a partner and child, which contrast with her current fragile mental state. Despite these vulnerabilities, Amy remains determined to uncover the truth, even when the Navy officers give her the cold shoulder. These representations maintain verisimilitude in a high-stakes military setting while reflecting contemporary attitudes towards equality and inclusion.

Media Language: creating claustrophobia and urgency

Vigil uses technical codes effectively to contrast the settings on land with the oppressive submarine environment and to build suspense. 

In the opening sequence of Episode 1, a Scottish fishing trawler called the Mhairi Finnea (based on the real sinking of the FV Antares in 1990) is dramatically dragged underwater after its nets snag on something powerful below the surface. Fast-paced editing, panicked diegetic dialogue from the crew and rising tense non-diegetic music create immediate urgency and danger. Underwater, the audience sees the dark silhouette of HMS Vigil gliding like a shark, with ambient sonar sounds reinforcing the threat. 

Tight, claustrophobic close-ups dominate once Amy boards the submarine, capturing characters’ emotional strain and making the audience feel trapped, especially during her interviews and moments of suspicion. Expressive tracking shots and quick cuts convey urgency. The helicopter transfer sequence uses a shaky handheld camera and high-angle shots as Amy is winched down onto the sub’s deck, emphasising isolation and peril. 

Documentary-style handheld camera adds realism to moments of crisis, while shot-reverse-shot and continuity editing keep dialogue scenes clear despite the confined space. 

Non-diegetic music builds suspense throughout the episode. Diegetic sounds, including sonar pings, radio broadcasts, sirens, and the constant ambient hum of the submarine, create atmosphere and a powerful sense of danger. The contrast between natural external sea sounds and the synthetic, muffled internal noises heightens unease. 

Navy uniforms are functional and stereotypical, emphasising strict hierarchy rather than individual personality. On land, naturalistic lighting and recognisable Scottish settings contrast sharply with the submarine’s dark, subdued colour palette, artificial synthetic lighting, and limited cold tones. This colour grading clearly separates the two worlds. These choices deliver classic thriller conventions while achieving high levels of verisimilitude.

Contexts: Cold War echoes and contemporary debates

Vigil was broadcast in 2021 and draws on Cold War submarine tensions as well as real contemporary debates about the UK’s Trident nuclear deterrent, with many calling for its reform or abolition. The villain’s eventual Russian connections add geopolitical relevance. 

In Episode 1, Burke reports unusual sonar readings and insists the submarine should surface to help the trawler, only to be confined by his superiors. Later, Captain Newsome admits to Amy that the trawler was pulled under by another vessel and describes it as “the single most frightening development in submarine warfare.” As a public service broadcaster, the BBC explores these ethical and political issues in an entertaining format while observing watershed guidelines with its post-9pm Sunday slot.

Social and cultural contexts

Vigil strongly reflects contemporary attitudes towards gender equality and diversity in traditionally male-dominated institutions such as the police and the armed forces. Amy Silva is portrayed as intelligent, authoritative, and professional, which challenges older stereotypes that often showed female characters as weaker or in subordinate roles. Her central position as the investigating hero suggests that women are equally capable of holding leadership roles in high-pressure situations. 

The inclusion of diverse characters, such as Newsome as captain and Kierly as a respected specialist, mirrors contemporary cultural expectations for the media to represent modern Britain and allows audiences to feel included. This approach aligns closely with the BBC’s public service remit. The narrative is also shaped by real-world anxieties around national security, Russia and nuclear weapons, which makes the drama feel relevant to viewers.

Audience: uses and gratifications

Vigil targets a broad adult audience with a 15+ guidance rating due to its themes, language, and intensity. Viewers can gain personal identity by identifying with the lead character Amy Silva and the strong female role models in the series. 

Vigil also meets the audience need of surveillance by giving information which allows them to learn about naval operations, police procedures, and nuclear politics. The crime-thriller conspiracy, personal relationships, and claustrophobic drama provide strong entertainment value. 

In addition, viewers could engage in social interaction through online or offline discussion of theories, such as whether Burke was murdered or the wider implications of the Trident issue.

Industry: BBC, World Productions and PSB remit

Vigil was made by World Productions, which is part of ITV Studios, and distributed by the BBC. As a public service broadcaster product, the series had to be distinctive and high-quality while reflecting British values and diversity. Licence-fee funding enabled the creation of ambitious elements such as detailed submarine sets and a large cast. 

Scheduling the series on BBC One at a prime time – 9pm on Sundays – helped maximise its reach while meeting the BBC’s public service responsibilities. The series achieved strong viewing figures, with Episode 1 reaching 10.2 million viewers in seven days and 13.4 million after 28 days, making it the BBC’s most-watched new drama of 2021. 

Internationally, it has been sold to over 175 territories worldwide by ITV Studios, including Peacock in the US, Bell Media in Canada, and Arte in France and Germany. This success shows how UK television drama can generate revenue and compete globally with streaming services. 

Vigil represented a significant financial investment for the BBC. Although the exact budget has not been publicly released, high-end BBC dramas with complex sets and location filming typically cost between £1.2 million and £2 million per episode. The creation of a large-scale replica of the interior of a Vanguard-class submarine, combined with helicopter sequences, underwater effects, and on-location filming, placed Vigil toward the upper end of this range. 

Licence-fee funding enabled World Productions to deliver these ambitious elements even while production was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This level of investment demonstrates how the BBC’s public service remit supports distinctive, high-quality drama that can compete with more expensive international streaming productions.

Narrative theories in action

The episode follows Todorov’s narrative structure. It starts with equilibrium in the form of routine naval patrol and police work, which is then disrupted by the trawler sinking and Burke’s death. This leads to Amy’s quest for resolution, building to a climax. 

In terms of Propp’s character types, Amy Silva functions as the Hero/Heroine. Shaw acts as the Dispatcher, while the Navy officers include potential False Hero or Villain figures. Helpers and obstacles drive the plot forward through the characters’ decisions, such as when Newsome and Prentice close ranks against Amy’s investigation.

Why Vigil matters for OCR GCSE Media Studies

Vigil (Series 1, Episode 1) is an excellent case study to accompany the set episode of The Avengers, “The Gravediggers” from 1965. It is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

It clearly shows how media language constructs meaning, how representations reflect and challenge society, and how industry contexts and social/cultural contexts shape the final product. 

Vigil proves that a tense submarine thriller can both entertain audiences and inform them about real issues – precisely what public service broadcasting should do.

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About the author

As Head of Media at Ratcliffe College in Leicestershire, Darren has taught and managed diverse media courses for over 20 years. He is passionate about all forms of visual storytelling, ranging from Wes Anderson films and gritty Nordic noir to trashy TV. When he is not in the classroom, you can usually find him supporting Leicester City FC, watching cricket, or out in the garden with his pruning shears.