For my main character, I wanted to use a female police detective who would solve a murder mystery. This is because I wanted to portray a female protagonist in a strong and unconventional position, particularly for a film set in South Asia, where female police officers are quite rare.
I did a little research into some famous female detective characters from films and TV shows so I could create a profile of my character.
1. Detective Kate Beckett from Castle
Detective Kate Beckett is a main character in the ABC TV show 'Castle'. She is a homicide detective who solves murders with the assistance of a writer named Richard Castle. Kate's character is very methodical and analytical. She has a strong moral compass and often uses her intuition as well as her reasoning to solve crimes. She is portrayed as a strong female character in a male-dominated field. She dresses professionally and stylishly and in one episode we even see a discussion she has with another female detective about how she wears high heels to convey her authority in her workplace. This not only indicates that she is conscious of the fact that she has to work against gender stereotypes but also the fact that she is very intentional in what she does. From the first season onwards she climbs the ranks in her profession steadily, showing that she has ambition and focus.
Another important thing to note about Kate is her backstory. This becomes a focal point in the show, and it is the main reason why Beckett is a cop in the first place. Her mother was murdered and the killer was never found, which explains why an intelligent and relatively wealthy woman would choose to go into an initially low-paying and tedious job. This is a convention often scene in Crime Dramas and Police Procedurals, where detectives are often motivated to solve crimes due to traumatic incidents in their past.
2. Teresa Lisbon from The Mentalist
As such, she is a very strong-minded woman. Similar to Kate, she did not have the best childhood. Her mother died in an accident when she was young and her father then turned to drink and would sometimes even become violent. Teresa had to step up and raise her younger brothers by herself and this is likely to be what moulded her into the determined and independent person she is. Her father died by committing suicide, and it is possible that Teresa chooses to become a detective because she wants to help others in a way that she wasn't able to help her own family.
3. Amy Santiago from Brooklyn 99
Detective Amy Santiago is often perceived as somewhat of a goody two shoes as she is a stickler for the rules and often does her best to gain the favour of her superiors. She is somewhat socially awkward and can sometimes find it hard to interact with her co-workers, however, there is definite character development in this regard as the show progresses.
Amy is very competitive and there are many examples of this such as in the Halloween Heist episodes where she doesn't hesitate to betray her friends and colleagues in order to win the game. Her competitiveness is likely because she grew up in a household with 7 older brothers who all became police officers as well. She became her family's first female police officer and is motivated to prove her success in relation to that of her siblings by working very hard and climbing the ranks of her profession as quickly as possible. She lives alone in a New York apartment that is very clean and organized. She values her work above all else and is willing to sacrifice other aspects of her own personal life for her job which may be one reason why she does not have many romantic interests in the show.
4. Olivia Benson from Law and Order
Captain Olivia Benson is the commanding officer of the Manhattan Special Victims Unit in the show Law and Order. Similar to the previous detectives, Olivia's upbringing provides a definite linkage to the reason why she works for the Special Victims Unit. She grew up in a single-parent household in Manhattan with an alcoholic mother who emotionally abused her. Olivia's birth was a result of her mother's rape and since the Special Victims Unit also focuses on rape victims it is possible that this is why Olivia works in this unit.
She is portrayed as courageous and a great leader who will always support her colleagues and friends. She is level-headed under pressure and completely dedicated to her job. Her relationship status is usually single as she focuses a lot on her job.
