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The Secrets of Great Mystery and Suspense Fiction

Season 1
Great mystery and suspense writers have created some of the most unforgettable stories in all of literature and they continue to grow in popularity. How did the genre become so prevalent? Why is it a go-to for so many readers around the world? What makes the dark and sometimes grisly themes appealing? Professor David Schmid examines these questions and more in this illuminating course.
201636 episodesTV-PG
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Episodes

  1. S1 E1 - Mystery Fiction’s Secret Formula
    November 10, 2016
    32min
    TV-PG
    Delve into the controversial viewpoints on what the first true mystery novel was, study important components of early mysteries and writers, including Poe, Doyle, and Christie - and why their work continues to influence modern day stories. Then, examine the different types of stories that fall under the mystery and suspense label.#Literature & Learning
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  2. S1 E2 - The Detective Is Born
    November 10, 2016
    33min
    TV-PG
    Usually flawed, quite often brilliant, and sometimes not even aware of their role, the dectective is a staple of the genre. This lecture will scrutinize the many ways the detective has been portrayed across stories and series over time, revealing similarities between a variety of characters that make even the most unique detectives oddly familiar.
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  3. S1 E3 - The Criminal
    November 10, 2016
    34min
    TV-PG
    On the other end of the spectrum from the detective, we find the criminal. Equally important to the success of the story, explore a fascinating cast of notorious characters who have survived through the annals of time. Spend this lecture looking at the cat-and-mouse games that law enforcement and criminals play as you learn just how vital getting this balance right is to the success of the story.
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  4. S1 E4 - The Sidekick
    November 10, 2016
    33min
    TV-PG
    Where would a Sherlock be without a Watson? The story of the sidekick isn’t required in a successful mystery but they remain pivotal and entertaining characters who deserve their own deep dive. Follow the diverse cast that fulfilled the many roles sidekicks play, from the straight man in what could be a very long joke to the secret brilliant mind behind every solved case.
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  5. S1 E5 - Detecting Clues
    November 10, 2016
    33min
    TV-PG
    The clue is so imperative to the successful mystery story that there are few elements more subject to rules and regulations. Yet for all the requirements around how, when, and why to present clues, this narrative element is highly subjective. In this lecture, you’ll learn how clues are used to help, hinder, mislead, and solve mysteries, for both the characters and the audience.
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  6. S1 E6 - Case Closed? The Problem with Solutions
    November 10, 2016
    35min
    TV-PG
    Once you have perfected the components already reviewed - a detective, a criminal, clues, and potentially a sidekick - all that remains is solving the mystery. But as you’ll learn in this lecture, it’s never that simple. Learn what makes for the perfect “big reveal” and why you don’t necessarily need one. See how open-ended mysteries walk the line between frustrating and compelling.
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  7. S1 E7 - The Locked Room
    November 10, 2016
    36min
    TV-PG
    Having reviewed the essential components of a successful mystery, Professor Schmid moves to the various subgenres of mystery and suspense, starting with the locked-room stories popular during the Victorian age. Look at how these puzzle-like stories are often dismissed due to formulaic scenarios that have to abide by a certain set of conventions, but still remain popular today.
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  8. S1 E8 - The Dime Novel
    November 10, 2016
    35min
    TV-PG
    The “dime novels” of the 19th century are often considered cheap, serialized pulp fiction, but proved to be a turning point in the history of suspense fiction. Take a new look at a variety of dime novel publications and delve into how an important characteristic of mystery and suspense fiction originated with these throw-away stories.
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  9. S1 E9 - Murder in Cozy Places
    November 10, 2016
    34min
    TV-PG
    As society changed, and the grim story lines of mystery and suspense more often reflected harsh reality, a new type of novel emerged to keep the audience shaken. Authors began springing shocking situations in what were typically considered “safe” environments: dinner parties, countryside estates, utopian suburban neighborhoods.
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  10. S1 E10 - Return of the Classic Detective
    November 10, 2016
    35min
    TV-PG
    Revisit the role of the detective through the lens of the Golden Age of fiction, including the hard-boiled crime fiction of the early 20th century. Examine how social influences such as prohibition and the mafia impacted this subgenre. Explore how the element of theater and empowering the audience to solve the mysteries made a lasting mark on the role of the protagonist in crime novels.
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  11. S1 E11 - The City Tests the Detective
    November 10, 2016
    32min
    TV-PG
    Professor Schmid reveals how the city is often portrayed as more than merely a backdrop, but rather as a character, as much so as the detective, sidekick, or criminal. Chaos, noise, pollution, crowds, danger, traffic - each of these traits associated with urban areas do more than set a scene: they can have an impact on getting the information vital to solving the case.
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  12. S1 E12 - The Private Eye Opens
    November 10, 2016
    32min
    TV-PG
    Often confused with “the detective,” the private eye is different from the classical version of the detective in terms of motivation, methods, lifestyle, and beliefs, and is the major contribution of American hard-boiled fiction. Comparing a vast selection of stories across history, you’ll isolate the differences between the two crime-solvers and understand the different impacts each had.
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  13. S1 E13 - African American Mysteries
    November 10, 2016
    30min
    TV-PG
    Professor Schmid challenges the stereotypical lack of diversity in most mystery and suspense fiction by presenting the contribution that writers from other races and ethnicities have made to the genre. By investigating both black writers and black characters, you'll see how black mystery fiction views crime not just in terms of challenges and solutions, but also in terms of justice.
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  14. S1 E14 - The Femme Fatale
    November 10, 2016
    33min
    TV-PG
    One of the most iconic characters in mystery is that of the femme fatale. Uncover the many iterations of this definitive character and the different approaches writers have used to present the femme fatale, while always staying true to the basic essence of the character. Understand why this role is key and how it has become symbolic of noir and hard boiled classics.
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  15. S1 E15 - The Private Eye Evolves
    November 10, 2016
    30min
    TV-PG
    As the mystery genre adapted to social transformations, the characters themselves evolved. Professor Schmid examines traditional examples of the private eye and compares them to a modern take as illustrated by Lisbeth Salander. Classic private eye characters often have distinct character flaws. Larsson updates this notion with a vengeance, giving Lisbeth almost no likeable qualities.
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  16. S1 E16 - Latino Detectives on the Border
    November 10, 2016
    29min
    TV-PG
    Stepping back to once again take a multicultural look at mystery and suspense, Professor Schmid examines the world of Hispanic writers and characters. Examine over a century of work and authors including Rolando Hinojosa and Héctor Tobar in order to recognize common suspense story elements, and identify various interpretations of mystery subgenres including American hard-boiled crime fiction.
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  17. S1 E17 - The Lady Detective
    November 10, 2016
    32min
    TV-PG
    From complicated clients to lusty love interests, from sprightly sidekick to detail-oriented detectives, women have always played a role in mystery and suspense fiction. Professor Schmid introduces you to female detectives in literature through time and examines how even at the earliest stages, the figure of the female detective assumed a wide variety of types to appeal to different audiences.
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  18. S1 E18 - Violence Waits in the Wings
    November 10, 2016
    30min
    TV-PG
    Much like the setting and the character, the use or lack of violence, and the amount and intensity depicted, can provide more clarity into the mystery you’re trying to solve. And, much like the guidelines about using clues in suspense writing, there are so many exceptions to the rules of using violence that the rules themselves may need to be called into question.
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  19. S1 E19 - Violence Takes Center Stage
    November 10, 2016
    29min
    TV-PG
    Building upon the insights revealed in the previous lecture, you’ll examine mysteries that don’t use any violence and compare them to stories that are borderline gratuitous in the depiction or details of violent acts. You’ll also explore the rise of violence in mysteries, starting with a peak period in the wartime 1940s through to the present and discuss the reasons why.
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  20. S1 E20 - Psychopaths and Mind Hunters
    November 10, 2016
    32min
    TV-PG
    In the last century, with the increased interest and research into how our minds work, the concept of “whydunit” became just as intriguing as the concept of “whodunit.” Once authors began to reverse the traditional methods of mystery by revealing the killer in the early parts of the story, they had to explore new ways to motivate readers to continue to the end.
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  21. S1 E21 - Police as Antagonist
    November 10, 2016
    32min
    TV-PG
    Sometimes cast as helpful, sometimes as a hindrance, the police are typically prominent players in mysteries and suspense novels. Professor Schmid reviews stories where the police are at odds with the protagonist; stories where the detective is ambivalent; stories where the detective and police work together affably; and stories where the detective is (or was) on the actual police force.
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  22. S1 E22 - Police as Protagonist
    November 10, 2016
    29min
    TV-PG
    The shift of the role of police from a passive, outside observer to an active participant and even protagonists, came about with the emergence of the police procedural. Journeying from Maigret to Dragnet, and exploring authors such as Georges Simenon and Chester Himes, you’ll see how the police procedural started as an attempt to introduce realism and resulted in redefining the genre.
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  23. S1 E23 - Native American Mysteries
    November 10, 2016
    29min
    TV-PG
    Professor Schmid uncovers the understudied world of Native American writers and characters. He reveals how the context of Native American settings has changed many of the classic elements you find in a traditional whodunit. You’ll learn why tribal police, jurisdictional limitations, and cultural conflicts all add new levels of complexity and suspense to the standard mystery story.
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  24. S1 E24 - The European Mystery Tradition
    November 10, 2016
    32min
    TV-PG
    Inheriting the legacy of mystery and suspense from American writers, Europe took the genre far more seriously. Travel through France, Germany, Italy, and Spain to see how the genre manages to address location-specific issues and cultures, while maintaining the core elements of a successful mystery and suspense story.
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  25. S1 E25 - Nordic Noir
    November 10, 2016
    30min
    TV-PG
    The last decade has seen Nordic noir enter the American mainstream, though they have been popular in their homeland for half a century. Professor Schmid takes you through this progressive form of mystery and suspense fiction, showing how many examples of Nordic noir provided a socially conscious look at powerful themes such as complicity with the Nazis, racism, misogyny, corruption, and class.
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Subtitles
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Producers
The Great Courses
Cast
David Schmid
Studio
The Great Courses
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