Re: RARA-AVIS: Re: Mystery/crime fiction TV series

From: Steve Novak (Cinefrog@comcast.net)
Date: 12 Aug 2009

  • Next message: jacquesdebierue: "RARA-AVIS: Re: Pynchon"

    Excellent... Merci for this .(..and I know I¹m not the Étienne it is intended for...and in any case Steve is only my nickname..)

    The first book I read/scanned quickly some time ago at home of a friend here, very solid ...

    Montois

    On 8/12/09 11:31 AM, "JIM DOHERTY" <jimdohertyjr@yahoo.com> wrote:

    >
    >
    >
    >
    > Etienne,
    >
    > Re your question below:
    >
    > "I'm looking for a well documented guide (or critical analysis), a reference
    > book devote to modern TV series, with emphasis on the crime fiction series.
    > If this exists for the mystery/crime fiction series only, it's even better."
    >
    > Here are three, none of which come up to the present time, but all of which
    > are valuable up to about the '80's.
    >
    > T.V. DETECTIVES (Barnes, 1981) by Richard Meyers
    > An attempt to list, and critically comment on, every single detective series
    > ever broadcast on U.S. television from 1948 through 1981, from DRAGNET to HILL
    > STREET BLUES, from I LED THREE LIVES to MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, from MARTIN
    > KANE-PRIVATE EYE to MAGNUM-P.I. Any attempt to be so completely comprehensive
    > is going to lead to some errors, and Meyers makes his share, but it's a
    > valuable reference resource. An Edgar nominee in the Critical/Biographical
    > category. Meyers was, for many years, the TV critic for THE ARMCHAIR
    > DETECTIVE.
    >
    > THE BEST OF CRIME AND DETECTIVE T.V. (Harmony, 1988) by Max Allan Collins and
    > John Javna.
    > More of a fun book, with lots of photos and graphics, rather than a
    > comprehensive history. It's basically a series of polls of mystery writing
    > colleagues of Collins and Javna of the best detective shows in various
    > sub-genres (best police procedural, best private eye, etc.), with critical
    > comments on those choices by Collins and Javna, and some "honorable mentions"
    > that didn't make the cuts thrown in for a broader perspective. Collins I'm
    > sure you're already familiar with.
    >
    > MURDER ON THE AIR (Mysterious, 1990) by Richard Meyers
    > A follow-up to his earlier book, this is a less comprehensive history, but
    > gives more in-depth portraits of several of the more important writers,
    > producers, etc., who specialized in crime shows, focusing on one or two of
    > their most important series. Hence, there's a chapter about Jack Webb,
    > emphasizing DRAGNET, on Quinn Martin emphasizing BARNABY JONES and CANNON, on
    > Aaron Spelling emphasizing CHARLIE'S ANGELS, on Jack Lord and HAWAII 5-0, on
    > Stephen J. Cannell and Roy Huggins emphasizing THE ROCKFORD FILES, and a
    > chapter that convincingly links up KOJAK, BARNEY MILLER, HILL STREET BLUES,
    > and MIAMI VICE. Again, some errors. Another Crit/Bio Edgar nominee.
    >
    > Hope thgat helps.
    >
    > JIM DOHERTY
    >
    >

    [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 12 Aug 2009 EDT