Is TV Burning Out Crime Fiction?

[Benjamin Sobieck]

Sweet mother of Lucifer, every time I turn around there's another googly-eyed detective with an eccentric habit solving an increasingly ludicrous crime before the hour is up. Is it a law that every network must have a crime drama with a detective who sees ghosts/uses obscure mentalism/possesses some manner of irritating OCD/exhales a lot in dimly lit areas for at least 15% of the show?

Crime shows on TV are as ubiquitous as Billy Mays after midnight. As with every trend, there has to be backlash at some point. Could that tide break on the heads of novelists, too? Will crime fiction in the book world also go the way of the late King of Shouting Until You Buy Something?

[Donna Moore]

We had a new crime drama series start in the UK last night - Sherlock - which is written by Stephen Moffatt (who also writessome of the Dr Who episodes) and Mark Gatiss. It brings Sherlock Holmes wonderfully up to date and was a lot of fun.

[I. J. Parker]

Hate Dr. Who and hate Sherlock Holmes. So nothing there for me, alas.

[JackBludis]

TV has been burning out all fiction since shortly after its inception, why should it stop now. It's possible that the electronic revolution will bring people back to reading, even if they are reading on little thingies instead of books and magazines.

[Geraldine Evans]

And none of them is mine!*!*

[JackBludis]

There's are many good crime shows on TV. If people ever get back to reading--and ironically, Kindle and the like might just bring them back--crime books will be big.