“Vanligtvis jagar vi dom onda, men hon ser inte typiskt ond ut” : En analys av Viaplays Svenska fall och deras framställning av morddömda kvinnor

This study examines how female murder convicts are portrayed in the documentary series Svenska fall through a qualitative content analysis of eleven selected episodes. Based on gender theory and framing theory, the study analyzes how narrative and dramaturgical techniques contribute to either reinforcing or challenging traditional gender stereotypes. The results show that women are often portrayed through contrasts between a social facade of normality and an inner darkness, as well as through a focus on norm deviation. Dramaturgical elements such as loaded language, dramatic music, and graphic images further emphasize their deviant behavior. This study also highlights how the episodes depict the convicts as cold and manipulative, which reinforces societal views of women’s crimes as more sensational than men’s. The conclusions indicate that the series both reproduces and questions gender stereotypes in its portrayal of the crimes.