Forensic Science as Entertainment

The Beginning…Crime stories in literature

• 1. The Bible and the Apocrypha both contain non-fiction stories of crimes and subsequent investigations. For example, Cain commits the first murder when he kills his brother Abel.

• 2. Between 1590 and 1610 William Shakespeare wrote many plays that included murder and treason For example, Desdemona is smothered by her jealous husband in Othello.

The Beginning…Crime stories in literature

• 3. Edgar Allan Poe is considered the inventor of detective fiction. Poe’s detective, C. Auguste Dupin, first appeared in The Murder in the Rue Morgue (1841).

• 4. In 1912, Freeman wrote the first inverted detective story. An inverted story reveals the killer and his methods at the beginning of the story. This rest of the story discusses how the detective solves the case.

The Beginning…Crime stories in literature

• 5. In 1887, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote A Study in Scarlet. This story introduced the character Sherlock Holmes.

• 6. The Golden Age of Detective Fiction established the “whodunit” novel. The Golden Age was prominent in the 1920’s and 1930’s, but is still written today.

• 7. DC Comics began to publish detective comic books in 1937. Batman appeared in issue #27.

The Evolution of Criminal Investigation as Entertainment

Literary characters evolved into radio celebrities

• Detective fiction began in radio in 1929

• CBS radio broadcast True Detective Magazine

• 1930’s- The Shadow, Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan and Ellery Queen were the favorites.

4 Categories of Detective Fiction

• Radio brought detective fiction into everyone’s home. Soon 4 categories of detective fiction were established. The categories were…

The Categories Were…

• 1. Amateur detective

• 2. Private Investigator

• 3. Police Detective

• 4. Forensic Specialist

Radio Characters make their debut on Television in the 1950’s

• This was the era of the “hard-boiled” private investigator such as Martin Kane and Peter Gunn.

• Wary executives continued to broadcast the characters on radio shows to increase viewership on television.

• Dragnet which starred Sgt. Joe Friday debuted in 1951 and is credited with improving the public opinion of police officers.

• Perry Mason debuted in 1957 and became the longest running lawyer show to date.

1960’s Crime Television

• This was a difficult era to define.• Car 54, Where are you? was the first police

sitcom.• The Fugitive was the first show based on a true

story.• I Spy brought spies into the realm while creating

the first African-American television hero (Bill Cosby).

• Ironsides showcased the first physically handicapped detective.

1970’s Crime Television

• This decade had the largest group of enduring mystery characters.

• It is considered the most realistic era for crime shows.

• Columbo was a bumbling detective that always wore a raincoat.

• Kojak was a quirky detective that always had a lollipop and asked, “Who’s loves you baby?”

• Quincy, M.E. was the first to showcase the morgue and the job of medical examiner.

1980’s Crime Television

• Women detectives were introduced in the 1980’s.

• Many of the shows began to focus on looks and glamour. These shows included Magnum P.I., Charlie’s Angels and Miami Vice.

• The more realistic shows included: Hill Street Blues and Matlock.

• Murder, She Wrote became one of the longest running crime and highest ranked series. The show ran for nine consecutive years.

1990’s Crime Television

• This was the decade of cult hits such as Twin Peaks and Picket Fences. Many shows in the 1990’s lasted only one season.

• The 1990’s also had three of the finest crime series of all time:

1. NYPD Blues2. Homicide: Life on the Streets3. Law & Order which holds the title as the longest

running crime series on television. The final episode was aired on May 24, 2010. The show lasted for 20 years.

2000’s Crime Television

• CSI debuted in October of 2000 and started a new fascination with criminal investigation.

• However, CSI was almost canceled before it ever began. Disney pulled it’s financing right before the show debuted and it was the last show that CBS decided to add to the 2000 season lineup.

• Within one year, CSI was the highest ranked drama on television and is still one of the most popular and lucrative shows on television.

What are the next generation of crime shows???