KONFERENSPRESENTATION:

The Transformation of Knowledge and its Representation in Contemporary Crime Drama

Southwest PCA/ACA 2016

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Television 4: Negotiating Social Issues

Session Chair

Monica Ganas

Occured at

Thursday, February 11, 2016 - 4:45pm - 6:15pm

Room

Boardroom East

Presentation

As the central character in contemporary crime drama has shifted from the forensic scientist

to the consultant, this puts the representation of knowledge in television in a new light.

Basing the analysis in a comparative analysis of traditional crime drama like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and consultant crime dramas such as Elementary or Sherlock, this article investigates

how the representation of knowledge has changed.

From being based on formal science education, towards a situation where knowledge is tied to a specific character thus making it personal and accessible. By using examples from CSI, Elementary and Sherlock, this article suggests that the scientific attitude is replaced by the legitimization of internet as a contemporary source of knowledge, in the series and in the character of Sherlock Holmes himself.

Parallels are then drawn between the modern-day use of internet and how some of the different characters of the consultant crime dramas are seen as metaphors for the World Wide Web.