-Stories:they all tell stories and often, but not always end happily
-The stories are told against familiar backdrops e.g. homes, police stations. A lot of these are created in studios or sets. Most drama's also use outside locations too to create particular affects.
-Versimilitude: creating a sense of reality
-Camerawork: particular kinds of shots, voyeristic shot, close ups, medium shots, close ups for emotions
-Stories told through dialogue
-Music that punctuates the actions
-Easily identifiable subgenre e.g. police cars in crime drama's
