Den postmoderna Sherlock Holmes : En klassisk detektiv i en konspirationsthriller

Sammanfattning: The aim of this paper is to examine the British television series Sherlock with a genre and narration analysis and to examine how the classic detective genre has developed in terms of narration and to connect it with changes in the contemporary society. The main questions are how the material coincide and differentiate with the original genre the classic detective story as well as the postmodern genre the conspiracy thriller. The methods used are genre and narrative analysis in an attempt to position the narrative of the material within the detective story genres traditional narrative. The analysis is based on functionalist theory about the functions of media texts, genre and narrative theory as well as postmodern theory. The premise is the view on texts as symbolic actions, and the hermeneutic task to disclose that symbolism. The findings of the paper is that Sherlock contain a high amount of intertextuality and join both the classic detective and the conspiracy thriller. The evolution of the genre can be accredited to changes in society’s conflicts and ideals, which in the modern era of the classic detective were questions of class society, a new judicial system and the decline of organized religion and in contemporary society are questions of globalization, infinite networks and conspiracies.