Write an analysis of Max’s death paying particular attention to how the issues of gender and death are represented.

All soaps have an emotional storyline, to keep viewers hooked. Hollyoaks used a very emotional storyline of Max Cunningham's death, after marrying Stephanie.

The opening scene of Max’s death is very optimistic; all actors are dressed smartly after attending Max’s and Steph’s wedding. This makes the audience feel optimistic about what’s going to happen in the episode. However, this is soon turned on its head- which is predictable for a typical soap! By starting out so optimistically and then ending with a death shocks the audience, keeping them on the edge of their seat.

Max’s death is represented in a very positive and peaceful way, shown through different aspects of the scene. Firstly, the lighting used is natural and bright; the bright lighting connotes happiness and a sense of peacefulness. The natural lighting makes the scene more believable to viewers, so they’re able to capture the scene and become part of it. A close-up of Max is used after his death- unlike most death scenes Max has very little blood or cuts on him, this is very unrealistic, yet it makes death seem to be peaceful and very clean. The fact that his death seems so clean makes the audience see a much more positive and glamorous side to death.

Stephanie is wearing a big ‘princess dress' with a tiara in the scene, which connotes she’s glamorous and superficial. Her reaction to Max’s death contrasts with OB’s. Steph cries and screams, letting all her emotions out. Whereas Ob deals with it in a much more masculine way, he is reserved with his emotions and hopes that Max is still alive. OB’s moment with Max before he dies is the main focus, it’s a very moving scene between the best friends that are about to be separated. Max, in his last few moments, tells OB that he loves him. OB replies saying 'Don't be gay.', this is OB's way of telling Max that he loves him too. This shows that even in OB's last moments with his best friend, he still manages to joke around. However, it is clear to the audience that deep down OB is hurting and doesn't want to lose his best friend. A close-up of OB is used, at this point, to show that he’s hiding his emotions in front of Max but deep down he's distraught.



The sound of the car crash is used as non-diegetic sound, as Tom’s toy parachute falls from the sky (which symbolises that Max’s life is about to fall away, in a slow and peaceful way). A tracking shot of Max running to save Tom is used, this emphasises the choice that Max is about to make (risking his own life for Tom).

After being hit by the car, Max lays in the middle of the road completely still. The music immediately changes to soft and peaceful; this prepares the audience for the traumatic incident that’s about to occur. Close-up shots are used of both Max and Nile as they are the two significant characters of the scene.

It finishes with the camera spiralling up to the sky to connote that Max is going to heaven. The audience immediately feel reassured that Max is being taken to a ‘better place’.