Investigating Couples: A Critical Analysis of The Thin Man, The Avengers and The X-Files

by Tom Soter

Male-female detective pairings often exhibit offbeat, dark humor and considerable chemistry as they investigate crimes. They have proven to be both entertaining and alluring on screen and television. This work reveals an evolutionary progression in the depictions of three detective the married pair Nick and Nora Charles of The Thin Man, black-humored special agents John Steed and Emma Peel of The Avengers, and finally the smoldering Mulder and Scully in The X-Files. Ten chapters offer critical analysis, rich with background information and insider observations. Production comments are given throughout. Three appendices (one for each series) offer episode guides with original broadcast dates, credits and brief synopses.

Genres: Nonfiction

247 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2001

About the author

Born and raised with his two brothers in New York City, Tom Soter is a writer, editor, and improv teacher. He has written for Entertainment Weekly, Diversion, Backstage, The New York Observer, Empire, and countless other magazines and newspapers. He was the managing editor of Firehouse magazine from 1978 to 1981, and since 1982, he has been an editor at Habitat magazine, the definitive publication for boards of cooperatives and condominiums in New York City. He has produced 12 books, Bond and Beyond: 007 and Other Special Agents; Investigating Couples: A Critical Analysis of The Thin Man, The Avengers, and The X-Files; Some Thoughts and Some Photos, a memoir; Nick and Tom at the Beach, a children’s story; Overheard on a Bus, Disappearing Act, and Bedbugs, Biondi, and Me, Driving Me Crazy, fourcollections of essays; A Doctor and a Plumber in a Rowboat, a book on improvisation, co-authored with Carol Schindler; The Whole Catastrophe, his father’s memoirs (edited and with additional material written by Tom), The Nick and Tom Pajama Story (editor), Memoirs of a Wandering Warthog (editor), and Look at Them Now, a collection of short stories written by Alan Saly, Tom Sinclair, Christian Doherty, and Soter. His next book will be a collaboration with Sinclair, Saly, and Doherty on a novel called What Evil Lurks in Haley? In 2005, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. He currently produces and performs in the Sunday Night Improv comedy jam, which he has run since 1993, and hehas been teaching improv since 1987. He lives with his partner, Christine, in New York City.

Reviews

[Wendelah1 · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was boring. I learned nothing new about the three series. I checked it out of the library so at least I am only out the time I wasted reading it.