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Is there a name for this type of crime show?

posted 12 years ago by Whatsifsowhatsit
9 replies | jump to latest

There seem to be a bunch of series out there that have a police department investigating crimes - often times, murders - with help from an unexpected source, an outside contractor. Some examples:

In Bones, you have a forensic anthropologist (okay, that's not that unexpected a source).
In Castle, it's a writer. (If I'm correct - I haven't seen this one yet.)
In Intelligence, it's a guy with access to the information network with a chip in his brain.
In Medium, it's a medium.
In Numb3rs, it's a mathematician.
In Perception, it's a hallucinating neuroscientist professor.
In Unforgettable, it's a person with something like photographic memory.

I was wondering if there was some name by which to refer collectively to shows of this type. I find them interesting, and would like to find other, similar shows.

Thanks in advance.

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My vote history: http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=13037287

[–] wapsigrams-284-382596 12 years ago

Not really an answer for you but Unforgettable is awsome. The sad part they canceled it.

[–] Whatsifsowhatsit 12 years ago

Oh, that's a shame, it looked like it was still going on the IMDb page for it. But anyway, I'm looking into it now. It certainly does sound awesome.

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My vote history: http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=13037287

[–] Spider360 12 years ago

Wait a minute."Unforgettable" WAS cancelled.But due to enormous fan outcry CBS has decided to bring it back.It will be a Summer replacement next year.And yes,it is a great show.Well worth your time to check out.

Any connection between your reality and mine is purely coincidental

[–] Whatsifsowhatsit 12 years ago

Oh, that's good news! I've seen a few episodes of it now, and I like it a lot. Thanks for the info.

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My vote history: http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=13037287

[–] wapsigrams-284-382596 12 years ago

Awsome I did not know that thanks for the info.

[–] sagaylo 12 years ago

How about "Flatfoot Outsourcing?"

[–] opark_77 12 years ago

The Firewall and Iceberg podcast discussed this type of show recently when reviewing Elementary; saying that the crime fighting expert character archetype of today originates with the original Sherlock Holmes books. They had no clever term to sum it up though sorry. Expert procedurals?

Others that spring to mind:
In The Mentalist, you have a mentalist.
In The Finder, you have an expert of some kind. (haven't seen this one)
In Sherlock, you have ace investigator Sherlock Holmes.
In Elementary, you have ace investigator Sherlock Holmes.

I write about tv on wikia:
community.wikia.com/wiki/User:Opark_77

[–] lovedagame 11 years ago

If you haven't seen "Luther" I would highly recommend it. Plus he gets help from a unexpected source.