Knowledge about law comes from a variety of sources, including fictional films and television shows. There has been a long debate about what these influences look like. Do they end up damaging the reputation of lawyers, courts or the police? For dramaturgical reasons, legal representations in popular culture contrast “justice figures” with “injustice figures” (N. Rafter). But it's usually the case that the former have the upper hand. However, the audience is not encouraged to have blind trust; rather, fictional formats support a classically liberal view of the law: things can go wrong and therefore constitutional guarantees are needed. This is the most general message that film and television send about law.
In addition, the large amount of US products presents this particular legal system to the audience. Misunderstandings can therefore arise. The interest that viewers show in legal representations is also crucial: those who have negative direct experiences may choose films and programs that are critical of the judiciary, the law, police, or lawyers, and reject those with a positive message. Depictions based on historical events tend to present a disturbing view. Ultimately, the cases remained in consciousness because they did not appear to be solved convincingly. Another extremely critical subgenre is military court dramas, which usually show how the rights of individuals are sacrificed for political goals.