A Detective Renaissance?

Many of the posts here look at how far the detective genre has been adapted and changed to fit society. We have discussed at length the many travesties of certain "detective" fiction, particularly television representations of detectives. Many are the shows and modern detective novels who violate the sacred Van Dine's rules, but there is a beacon of hope for die-hard detective purists, if only you look close enough. many people consider Sherlock Holmes, and to a lesser extent Auguste Dupin, to be the very paramount of detective fiction. They are renowned for their deductive abilities, keen observations, and even their many frequently dangerous vices. Many of these characteristics have been lost in translation to modern audiences and result in frequently violent, "cop dramas" as discussed earlier, as well as numerous other shows that border more closely with an action/adventure genre than detective fiction. But a few shows have done a very good job of reviving the highly intellectual, non-combatant detective character.

The popular Fox detective drama Bones is a primary example of the return of the borderline misanthropic, calculating detective. Of course Temperance Brennan, the main character of the show, does more thinking and solving over a table full of skeletons than the traditional high backed leather armchair, but she still shows most of the characteristics of Dupin and Holmes. She demonstrates an almost debilitating lack of social skills, a keen intellect, and although most frequently a non-combatant problem solver, is more than capable of springing to action when the need arises. This program also sees the return of the traditional Watsonian sidekick role, in the form of FBI agent Seeley Booth. Booth is by far the best example of a modern Watson-like character. His role is primarily to protect and assist Temperance, frequently keeping her out of trouble and saving her life in many cases.

Another example of the intelligent non-violent detective is The Pretender, a show that aired from 1996-2000 on NBC. The pretender himself, a man name Jarod, was unique in his ability to flawlessly become anyone he chose to be, impersonating everything from attorneys to virologists and officers in the armed services. Jarod was kidnapped as a child by a shady corporation known as The Centre, which used his genius to develop their interests. When in his early 30s, jarod escapes The Centre, running away to discover who he really is. as he tries fervently to hunt down his family, he impersonates many careers while using his genius to solve various crimes and societal wrongs along the way. he is a prime example of the socially challenged loner detective. Due to his captivity in The Centre, he was not aware of many societal norms or conventions, which we see him learn throughout the series. His method of solving crimes usually involves elaborate schemes that only he is privy to, very reminiscent to much of Dupin's work.

What do these shows tell us about the evolution of the detective genre? I believe it shows that no matter the societal norms we are presented with today, we will always enjoy competing against someone who is presented as so blatantly more intelligent than ourselves. We want to outsmart someone known to be smarter than us. I also believe that the recurrence of this type of program marks a small renaissance in detective fiction. These shows incorporate the very best of classical detective fiction in a modern, easy to market package.

Do I think we will suddenly see a resurgence of  classical detective fiction such as the programs outlined above? No. I believe that a return to the old style of detection is impossible with today's audiences. However, a few networks will occasionally bring forth from the musty stacks of time a new character with a very old style. These are the characters we love and remember. These are the characters that keep detection  in the minds of the people. these are the characters that keep Van Dine from rolling in the grave.

Works Cited

Van Dine, S.S. Twenty rules for writing detective stories. September 1928. 12 December 2012 <http://gaslight.mtroyal.ca/vandine.htm>.

Bones. 2005-.  IMDB. 12 December 2012. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460627/.

The Pretender. 1996-2000. IMDB. 12 December 2012. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115320/.

The Modern Legacy of the Caped Crusader

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Few crime-fighting superheroes possess the ferocious physical and financial prowess to live up to the modern-day celebrity status of Bruce Wayne, known to the citizen world as Batman. And, whether or not we consider Batman in his animated comic form or within his more recent cinematic grandeur, we frequently fail to consider him within the realm of the detective genre. Although he may not match the “cold, logical method of problem solving, upper-class background, and emphasis on intense reading for clues” of Auguste Dupin himself, his adventures contain many of the genre’s guidelines detailed by S.S. Van Dine in 1928 (Gaines). And, though some key components of his mysterious superhero figure may also violate what we hold to be true about detective fiction, he still fits the classical mold of one detective seeking to fight organized crime through intentional investigation. Could Bruce Wayne be one the most popular modern figures of detective expression, or is his approach to investigation and crime too far removed from the basis of the genre? Let’s find out. 

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In many ways, Bruce Wayne most nearly fits the model of Harlan Page Halsey’s Spencer Vance. Possibly one of the most distinct characteristics of recent developments in the detective fiction genre is the transition between pure intellect and brute force. The classic and stereotypical detectives of early detective literature oftentimes find themselves pondering over cases and evidence while heavily influenced by narcotics, usually the use of cocaine or alcohol. Nowadays, and specifically concerning Batman, the emphasis seems to be more physical with the additional incorporation of valuable resources. Let’s take a look at three important variations that Batman brings to the genre: extreme wealth and how it affects resources, the supernatural, and motive.

           

Essentially, what separates Batman from many other DC and Marvel superheroes is his lack of genuine “superpowers.” Specifically within the most recent Christopher Nolan films, Bruce Wayne’s extreme family wealth mixed with state of the art technological resources provide him with similar abilities, but yet maintain his realist nature as a normal human being. This transitions into our next topic of discussion: the supernatural. I would argue that this does not violate Van Dine’s proposal on the supernatural. His rule states that crimes must not be masked by supernatural means as not to take away from the reader’s ability to solve the crime (Van Dine). No such scenarios exist throughout the Christopher Nolan series. Though such technology may amplify the potential presence of the supernatural, it does not overtly violate Van Dine’s principles.

           

Finally, let’s consider motive.  Sherlock Holmes states, “Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I am in my own proper atmosphere,” which is more or less to say that his motive for the work he does is based on a psychological niche (Thomas). He was born for detection and to exercise his detection abilities. Batman, however, is quite different. The source of the Batman legacy comes from a much darker past, a past filled with the haphazard and tragic murder of his iconic parents. He associates his duty to fight crime with a darker underlying sense of vengeance that must be upheld. To Batman, justice is fundamental. This is another characteristic that separates him from the more classic figures of early detective fiction. Rather than being fed by pure psychological satisfaction, Batman seeks to redeem the lack of justice that fills the streets of Gotham.

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“The Caped Crusader” made his first appearance in DC Comics in November of 1939. Since then, The Batman has been rapidly developing into the modern-day interpretation we now associate with the Christian Bale films. Outside of the detective genre, the most recent Batman films fit into the adventure genre. The combination of state of the art technology, a physical detective figure, and the role of villain provide plenty of opportunities for action-packed film sequences. In fact, the first listed genre of The Dark Knight Rises is action followed by crime and drama. Though the detection element remains, it has lost precedence to the recent adventure and action movement.

 

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Really, the existence of the Christopher Nolan films is evidence enough of the lasting impact of Batman. Not only has Batman made his way into the film industry, but also he has infiltrated marketing strategies of all kinds. Action figures, video games dating back to the Sega Genesis era, and Halloween costumes of all shapes and sizes have filled the entertainment of our more recent generations. But, what is it about Batman that makes the Christopher Nolan film series the most popular and best-selling superhero movies to date? Does Batman possess a unique set of traits specific to the detective genre that make him more appealing to modern audiences? Has the modern cinematic version of “The Caped Crusader” enhanced or skewed the original comic Batman?  

 

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Works Cited

Gaines, John. A History of Detective Fiction: Literary Origins. Fredericksburg, 12 November 2009.

Thomas, Ronald R. Detective Fiction and the Rise of Forensic Science. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Van Dine, S.S. Twenty rules for writing detective stories. September 1928. 4 December 2012 <http://gaslight.mtroyal.ca/vandine.htm>.

(Andrew White's blog, posted by J. Bowers. Pictures forthcoming.)

Inspector Gadget and Children's Detective Fiction

            What comes to mind when you hear the word “detective?”  A man, of course, in a trench coat who seems to regularly smoke tobacco and indulge in alcohol.  A detective is someone who young boys aspire to be like and that the public trusts to solve the most difficult of crimes.  Though these stereotypes are seemingly true for early detective stories, the crime-fighting drunkard is not exactly what parents today would want their children watching. 

Detective literature for children became popular in the late nineteenth century and developed slower than literature written for an adult audience.  This is arguably because the widespread belief of literacy in children, in many places including Europe and the United States, did not arise until the late nineteenth century (Rzepka).  The first published work for children is known to be The Adventures of Oliver Twist, but even before published works, children were exposed to detection through fairy tale stories both written and passed down by word of mouth (Rzepka).   

      

Inspector Gadget began as a television series first airing in 1983.  The original series portrayed Gadget as a detective who could not seem to solve anything by himself.  Most of the success is thanks to his niece, Penny, and her dog.  However, Gadget does not recognize them as helpers in the case, much to the audience’s dismay.  

Walt Disney Pictures released Inspector Gadget, the more family friendly action film, in 1999.  This movie was loosely based on the television series, but many of the underlying ideas and crimes remained the same.  However, Penny and her dog were still not given proper recognition for their contributions of capturing Dr. Claw in the movie.  Do you think this exhibits bias against women or children detectives?  Or would this take away from Inspector Gadget being the main character and detective in the movie? 

Inspector Gadget is an idealistic character whose talents soar beyond the typical detective, he is “the greatest hero ever assembled.”  Inspector Gadget teaches children that it is okay to be different and to use these differences to help others.

“Many crime stories including a detective or similar character offer no mystery to be solved, but rather a difficulty to overcome” (Rzepka).  This rings true for Inspector Gadget. .  In the beginning of the movie Inspector Gadget is unsure of how to use his new body parts, but with practice and the help of Penny, he overcomes his struggle and learns how to use them for the betterment of society.  This type of role model is much better for children then the detectives of the past. 

            Adults and children alike enjoy the movie Inspector Gadget, but S.S. Van Dine would be unhappy with a few aspects.  Inspector Gadget finds himself with a love interest, Brenda, and this violates rule number three.  He also is not necessarily the only detective, violating rule number nine (Rzepka).

            Overall, newer detective/spy movies such as Inspector Gadget are much better for children, compared to the old detective fiction.  Parents can be more comfortable allowing their children to indulge in the genre now that producers and writers have made a conscious effort in directing their works toward a younger audience.     

 

 Newer and more wholesome examples of children's detective/spy movies.

If detective stories do not perfectly fit into the mold S.S. Van Dine has put forth, are these automatically poorly written stories?  Are the rules written by S.S. Van Dine relevant in more modern detective fiction, or should they be considered rules of the past?  Should there be exceptions to the rules in the case of children’s detective fiction where parents would not want their children to be exposed to the gruesome nature of “adult” crimes?

Van Dine, S.S.. "Twenty rules for writing detective stories." American Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Dec 2012. <http://gaslight.mtroyal.ca/vandine.htm>.

Rzepka, Charles J. Detective Fiction. Malden, MA: Polity Press, 2005. Print.

Rzepka, Charles J., and Lee Horsley. A Companion To Crime Fiction. Wiley-Blackwell, 2011. Print.

Today's TV Detective Shows

     Detective fiction shows have developed greatly since the first broadcasted detective shows, Man Against Crime and Martin Kane, Private Eye, first aired on television in 1949. From these examples of classic detective sleuths, the detective genre of television shows was born, and has since blossomed into one of the main genres we see today. Cop dramas have become great examples of the detective shows of today, but in recent years, there has also been a shift toward variations of the typical cop drama. Whether audiences yearned for something a bit more exciting and different, or if writers felt the cop drama had gone stale, there has been a fresh take on the detective in recent years. But how has this transition, and all of the developments since the first detective shows, affected the detective fiction genre on television?

     The earliest examples of TV detective shows were classic Private Eyes, but over the past sixty years many new subgenres have made themselves clearly felt. From light-hearted comedy-based shows such as Scooby Doo or the Pink Panther series to legal thrillers such as Law and Order, this genre has grown to encapsulate a wide range of programs since the days of Man Against Crime. This development has led to the creation of more elaborate, complex detective shows with overall plots that vary greatly.

The cast of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit

   
     Among these subgenres, one of the most prevalent example in today's age is the cop drama. Over the years, the cop drama has grown to encompass more than simply the investigative nature of solving crimes. Law and Order and its branches focuses on not only solving the crimes committed and catching the bad guy, a mainstay of what we have seen in this course, but also getting the criminals convicted. Another expansion of the genre has seen science-based crime solving, such as in CSI, become more widely seen in the detective fiction genre on television. These types of shows vary little from S.S. Van Dine's "Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories" as they stick to very realistic plot lines and believable circumstances.

The cast of CSI

     From the cop drama, a number of interesting shows began to dive deeper and become a bit more creative in attacking the detective show on TV. While the aforementioned shows focused on your typical cop just doing his job, shows such as Monk and Grimm have made various changes that have progressed the genre. These shows both focus on a main character who possesses a special characteristic which aids how the program is perceived and viewed. Monk focuses on a former police officer who has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and uses his supreme attention to detail, despite his numerous phobias, to solve crimes the police cannot solve themselves. This show dives more into the inner workings of the detective's life than in other examples of the detective on screen, and is as much a story about his life as it is about crime. Another example of a variation of the detective comes in Grimm, which focuses on a detective who discovers he can see creatures called "wessen" and through his crime investigation keeps them under control. This show clearly fails Van Dine's rule stating that "crime must be solved by strictly naturalistic means," but puts a fresh spin on the detective and creates an intriguing overall plot regarding his realization. Both of these shows have detectives largely different from the sleuths of yesteryear, diving far deeper into characters than Harlan Halsey's Spencer Vance in The Dock Rats of New York, or many of the other detectives we've looked at so far.

Adrian Monk showcasing his quirky methods for crime solving

     The real question here is whether deviations from the detective genre on television still represent the sleuth well in the modern era. Is there any place in true detective fiction for supernatural shows or character based shows, or should the detective on TV being focused more on the crime?



Works Cited
"Detective Programs." The Museum of Broadcast Communications. N.p.. Web. 26 Nov 2012.               <http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=detectivepro>. 

 Halsey, Harlan. The Dock Rats of New York. 10. 2004. Web.                             <http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext04/dckrt10.txt>.


Van Dine, S.S. "Twenty Rules for Detective Writing." American Magazine. 1928: n. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. <http://gaslight.mtroyal.ca/vandine.htm>.

Nancy Drew and Interactive Mysteries

Since her first appearance in 1930, Nancy Drew has served as a cultural icon for several generations of women. For the first time, detective fiction not only featured a female in a starring role, but one who was intelligent, respected, independent, and a kickass detective. Nancy’s legacy lives on and was made accessible to a younger generation in the development of the Nancy Drew computer games by Her Interactive in 1998. The games each follow a typical detective mystery plot: the game begins with a crime, allows the player to interview suspects and discover and collect clues, and ends with a “parlor scene” where the culprit explains his or her motive and usually attempts an escape, leading to one final dramatic puzzle or chase scene. The games are unique because the gamer is playing the role of Nancy Drew. Some scenes are automated by the game, but for the most part the gamer is independent and solves the mystery entirely on one’s own as the lead detective on the case. This creates the interesting hybrid: truly interactive detective fiction.

The first Nancy Drew novel, which introduced readers to detective fiction's first strong female sleuth.

Her Interactive, founded in 1995, was the first US gaming company to target young girls as a market for interactive computer technology. The company created an opportunity for girls to participate in an area heavily saturated by violent, male-minded games. Therefore, it is only fitting that Her Interactive employed Nancy Drew as their first heroine. The use of such a well-known female icon appealed both to young girls looking for a role model and their mothers who had grown up with the books, and created a strong foundation for an empowered female character in a video game. The mystery element allowed the games to avoid the bloodbath styles of existing action games and create a complex and involved storyline.

Collecting clues and receiving menacing messages allow the player to truly feel as if they are the detective solving the crime.

Her Interactive’s president, Megan Gaiser, stated in an interview: “‘Nancy Drew is a powerful role model—she’s brilliant, intrepid and successful…our games don’t use gender stereotypes to appeal to girls. Instead, they rely on the intrigue of a good mystery, and a smart, gutsy heroine’” (Jong). This formula has led to extreme success: the Nancy Drew series now encompasses twenty-seven games, earned the company thirty-five “Best Software” awards, and sold over ten million copies worldwide. The artistic style of the game and its features have evolved over time—such as the addition of a cell phone rather than a notepad to keep a record of Nancy’s clues—but each game revolves around the development of an intricate and exciting mystery.

 Though some of the plotlines echo the original Nancy Drew novels, most games invent an entirely new mystery and those that are inspired by the books will never have the same ending or culprit as the original. This guarantees that the player will always be responsible for solving the mystery. The games therefore test Charles Rzepka’s theories about the formula of detective fiction. The gamer is embodying both the detective and the author of the story so a rivalry obviously cannot exist between them, which Rzepka calls the “specific appeal of the narrative of detection as a reading experience” (Rzepka 14). Because the games are interactive, the relationship between author and reader is essentially nonexistent. The thrill of the games, however, lies in this deletion: the gamer can be fully immersed in the root of any detective story, the rivalry between criminal and detective. An interactive mystery game, especially with such a strong and relatable heroine, allows the player a deeper connection with the story and truly invokes the “game” element that makes detective fiction so popular.

Players interview suspects and select Nancy's lines to steer the conversation, enhancing the autonomous and interactive aspect of solving the mystery. 

The Nancy Drew games are unique because they have impacted two separate and varied areas: feminism and detective fiction. The character of Nancy Drew has inspired generations of powerful women, from Hillary Clinton to Oprah Winfrey to first female Supreme Court Judge Sandra Day O’Conner. She represented the idea that women could be successful in a man’s world through determination and spunk (Woolston). Through Her Interactive’s games, Nancy can inspire a whole new generation of women. As far as developing the genre of detective fiction, the games go a step further from the novels and create the possibility of interactive detection for the reader or player. This enhances the player’s experience and adds a new and exciting element of autonomy to the “game” of detective fiction. Gaiser refers to this element as “interactive literature” in a 2006 interview: “‘The games we create tell a cultural story and this medium, like all mediums, will impact our generation and future generations’” (Jacobs).

Works Cited:

Jacobs, Jay S. "Megan Gaiser: The Case of the Pioneering Game Company." PopEntertainment, 2006.

Jong, Philip. "Megan Gaiser, Carolyn Bickford, Sheri Hargus: Her Interactive.” Adventure Classic Gaming. (2000).

Rzepka, Charles J. Detective Fiction. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2005.

Woolston, Jennifer. "Nancy Drew's Body: The Case Of The Autonomous Female Sleuth." Studies In The Novel 42.1/2 (2010): 173-184. 

Scooby-Doo as Detective Fiction

Scooby-Doo as Detective Fiction

Reece Parkinson

                Of the cartoons and shows we grew up with, few have been as long standing and had as much of a cultural impact as the Scooby-Doo series.  It is particularly relevant to the themes in our course, however, because it represents the genre in its purest, simplest form, packaged so that it can be enjoyed by adults and children alike.  The basic format is always the same: the gang comes across a mystery, usually involving a criminal with supernatural elements.  Possible suspects are met early on, and further investigation leads to the discovery of several clues.  After a short chase scene the villain is captured and unmasked, revealing a minor character we met early on.  Everyone is shocked except Vilma, who explains the clues we encountered throughout the story and the villain’s motives for terrorizing the locals.  The storyline varies from episode to episode, but this format is held constant through the great majority of the series.

The first Episode of Scooby-Doo aired in 1969, and it definitely bears the mark of the times. Celebrity guest appearances were common, with voicings from many high profile celebrities such as Dick Van Dyke and the Harlem Globetrotters.  Scooby-Doo also bears many similarities to the Encyclopedia Brown series, which appeared shortly before in 1963. Both are works of detective fiction aimed at youth, where the format of the intellectual battle between the reader and fictional detective play a prominent role. The series has expanded and evolved over the years, leading to a live action film and numerous animated films, changing and reflecting the times as it developed.

                Perhaps the most important characteristic of detective fiction is that it involves a contest between the reader and the detective to see who can solve the crime first. S.S. Van Dine lays the groundwork for the rules of this contest in his article “Twenty rules for writing detective stories,” and the Scooby-Doo series abides by nearly all of them.  Van Dine argues that detective works must give the reader “equal opportunity with the detective for solving the mystery”(1), that the crime must be solved “strictly by naturalistic means”(1), and that the culprit must always have played a “more or less prominent role”(1) in the story, all of which can be said of the Scooby-Doo series.

One notable difference between the Scooby-Doo series and conventional detective fiction is that there isn’t one single detective who is clearly the most important.  As a TV show, it isn’t narrated from the point of view of any one character, and the entire team can be shown on equal footing, functioning as a unit to solve a crime.  Some characters, like Shaggy and Scooby, have more comedic roles, and other characters, like Vilma, are more involved in the actual solving of the crime.  However, they all contribute to the solving of the crime, and all function together as the “detective” in the series.

                It’s hard to ignore the lasting impact the Scooby-Doo series has had over the years.  It helped introduce America’s youth to the detective genre, helped further the detective genre beyond the written word, and has managed to stay relevant for over half a century.

The intro scene from the original show

A poster for the live action film from 2002

The cast from the original show

The gang and the Mystery Van in the newer version of the TV series, What's New Scooby-Doo?

Works Cited

"Encyclopedia Brown." Encyclopedia Brown. Princeton.edu, n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2012.

                <http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Encyclopedia_Brown.html>.

"Scooby-Doo." Scooby-Doo. Princeton.edu, n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2012.

            <http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Scooby-Doo.html>.

Van Dine, S. S. "Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories." The American Magazine Sept. 1928: n. pag.

                Web.