History Main / DirtyHarriet

* Lt. Bliss poses as a hooker in ''TheMazeAgency Annual'' story that was a homage to ''TheSpirit''.

* In the reality series ''ArmedAndFamous,'' both female [[InNameOnly celebrities]] (Wrestling/TrishStratus and [=LaToya=] Jackson) went undercover during a prostitution sting. In contrast to typical portrayals, this wasn't played for Fanservice, and both were dressed very casually.

* In the reality series ''ArmedAndFamous,'' both female celebrities (TrishStratus and [=LaToya=] Jackson) went undercover during a prostitution sting. In contrast to typical portrayals, this wasn't played for Fanservice, and both were dress very casually.

* One episode of ''Series/woAndAHalfMen'' has Charlie getting busted by one of these. This clues him in that his sexual life is getting out of hand (not that sleeping with many women is news to him, but in this episode, he was so unhinged that he literally broke his balls after sleeping with six or seven girls in the same day).

* ''ThirdWatch'': Maritza Cruz, the [[SpicyLatina tough-as-nails female cop]] (played by Tia Texada). The very first time we see her, working on a prostitution sting, she's wearing "six inch heels with a postage stamp of polyester stuck up my ass."
* The first episode of ''{{Southland}}'' briefly features a female vice cop undercover as a {{Streetwalker}}.
* ''WhiteCollar'' has FBI agent Diana undercover as a prostitute in an episode of the second season as part of an operation to bring down a [[SleazyPolitician corrupt politician]].
* ''{{Lost}}'' has a ShowWithinAShow called ''Exposé'' about a group of secret agents undercover as strippers.
* One episode of ''TwoAndAHalfMen'' has Charlie getting busted by one of these. This clues him in that his sexual life is getting out of hand (not that sleeping with many women is news to him, but in this episode, he was so unhinged that he literally broke his balls after sleeping with six or seven girls in the same day).

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': Nobby Nobbs. Yes, [[DisguisedInDrag he's a man]], [[IAmNotWeasel or at least male.]] It's complex. [[hottip:*:Extremely complex. For the sake of simplicity, Nobby is one of the few individuals in the world who has to carry around a card saying he's an actual human.]] In fact, Nobby's looks are so astounding that a footnote made sure to point out that although narrative law would normally demand a AttractiveBentGender moment, the trope withered and died in the face of Nobby Nobbs.

* Subverted in one of Stuart Macbride's ''Aberdeen'' detective novels, where the officers posing as streetwalkers are plain and unattractive, because an attractive street-corner prostitute would make people suspicious.

* {{Dexter}}'s sister Deb did this at the start of the first book, when she was working in vice. The tone of the books being much more negative than that of the show, Dexter as narrator spends some time on how incredibly unattractive Deb, a beautiful woman, managed to make herself look in such skimpy clothing. She wasn't trying, either, she just has no fashion sense. By contrast, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debra_Morgan Deb in the show has a perfectly good fashion sense]].

* ''Series/{{Angel}}'': In the original plan for the second episode, Kate Lockley was to be introduced as a police officer infiltrating a prostitution ring. In the [[ExecutiveMeddling version that made it to air]], she was investigating disappearances from (or maybe just hanging out at) a popular singles bar.

* In the 1980's cop show ''Hunter'', Hunter's partner Dee Dee [=McCall=] poses as a street walker all the time (from the very first moment we see her, actually) on the pretext of 'gathering information'. How a police officer is supposed to do this without blowing her cover the first time she refuses to jump into a car with a middle-aged pervert [[FridgeLogic is beyond sense]].

* ''{{Ruse}}'' has a story in which Emma goes undercover as a {{Streetwalker}} to find a JackTheRipper-type killer.

* Played with by ''MassEffect''. One of the early Citadel missions involves a young woman working in Chora's Den, a sleazy, [[BadGuyBar mobster-owned strip club]] in the Wards (The heavily populated, urban sections of the Citdael). She is working at the club [[TheInfiltration to pass on information to the local police]], and she very specifically points out that she only serves drinks on the bar. Of course, she then complains that she could be earning more money by dancing.....

* In ''LoisAndClark'' she did this as a showgirl to get inside info on a crime ring. She was pretty good at it. Lex Luthor was highly amused when she appeared on stage. Clark fretted a lot.

* In the 1980's cop show ''Hunter'', Hunter's partner Dee Dee [=McCall=] poses as a street walker all the time (from the very first moment we see her, actually) on the pretext of 'gathering information'. How a police officer is supposed to do this without blowing her cover the first time she refuses to jump into a car with a middle-aged pervert [[FridgeLogic is beyond me]].

* In ''MissCongeniality'' the titular character is an FBI agent that infiltrates MissAmerica to find out who's threatening it.

* CIA agent Moira [=McTaggart=] in ''[[Film/XMen X-Men First Class]]''.

* ''{{Hunter}}'': Dee Dee [=McCall=] poses as a street walker all the time in the TV series (from the very first moment we see her, actually) on the pretext of 'gathering information'. How a police officer is supposed to do this without blowing her cover the first time she refuses to jump into a car with a middle-aged pervert [[FridgeLogic is beyond me]].

** When we first meet Deb, she's been assigned to a prostitution sting operation and is desperate to get assigned ''out'' of it. Especially when she ends up helping out at a murder scene... still in her disguise.

* In ''{{Khalnayak}}'' Ganga (MadhuriDixit) goes undercover as a dancer to try to catch Ballu (SanjayDutt) and save her boyfriend's reputation. She gets in waaay over her head, however, when [[LoveMakesYouCrazy Ballu develops feelings for her]].

A Dirty Harriet scenario is when a female law enforcement officer goes undercover in a role only a woman can take, like stripper or prostitute. This allows for the natural tensions of undercover work and of course allows a reason for her to [[FanService wear few clothes]]. There is a good deal of variation in the trope, allowing for non law enforcement characters, non sex work infiltration, and occasionally non females (but still able to pass as one or serving in the role.)

* In ''[[CircleOfMagic Shatterglass]]'', part of Tamora Pierce's ''The Circle Opens'' Quartet, a serial killer stalks the female ''yaskedasi,'' or members of the entertainment class. Quite a few police officers (of both genders, but mostly women) go undercover as ''yaskedasi,'' but this is played straight when someone else comments that the grimly staring few who can't dance, juggle, or sing ''really'' stick out.

* ''ComicBook/BirdsOfPrey'': One of Black Canary's conditions for joining Oracle's operation was that she would never have to impersonate a stripper. (The other was never having to use a computer.)

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* Parodied in ''SouthPark'', when a (male) police detective goes undercover as a (female) streetwalker to bust a prostitution ring... and gets a bit [[IncrediblyLamePun too deep]] [[{{Squick}} into the role]]. To the point of marrying the ([[HoYay also male]]) leader of the ring and only revealing that he's a cop after the honeymoon.

* The pilot episode of ''{{Airwolf}}'' features the F.I.R.M. getting an American agent employed as a belly dancer in Libya. Her cover is blown and she is killed later. They then decide to send in ''another'' belly dancer, who gets kidnapped by the Evil Dr. Moffett, tortured (possibly raped as well -- I wouldn't put it past him) and ends up dying from dehydration in the Sahara.

* On ''[[TwentyOneJumpStreet 21 Jump Street]]'', Judy joined the Jump Street program because it was the only way she'd be able to get any other type of assignment. Of course, this didn't mean that she didn't still get just such an assignment occasionally.

* ''CagneyAndLacey'': In episode 1 of season 1, no less, leading to Lacey's classic [[DeadpanSnarker snark]] as she and Cagney stand on a streetcorner in extravagant hooker outfits:

* In ''FinalFantasy7'' Tifa Lockhart does so to get data from Don Corleo, then Cloud and Aerith do it too to free Tifa.

* ''BirdsOfPrey'': One of Black Canary's conditions for joining Oracle's operation was that she would never have to impersonate a stripper. (The other was never having to use a computer.)