History Main / EagleEyeDetection

* In ''ThePelicanBrief'' ([[TheFilmOfTheBook based on the novel of the same name]]), the titular document was formed due to Darby Shaw's (played by JuliaRoberts) investigations based on a theory she came up with regarding the assassination of two Supreme Court judges. To form the brief, she researched the dead judges' case records and kept an eye open for any traits the two men may have had in common.

* Used to investigate the Jack the Ripper killings in ''FromHell''.

* Frequently happens in the ''LawAndOrder'' series, especially [[Series/LawAndOrder the first incarnation]].

* {{Batman}} employs this in his investigation of criminals, doing background research and analyzing clues to get information on the case at hand.

* During the ''SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "The Late Mr. Kent," Clark had to use his investigative reporter skills to collect enough evidence to exonerate an innocent man on death row.

* Could be considered an in-universe example in LANoire, where [[TheHero L.A.P.D. Detective Cole Phelps]] is known within the department for being a better-than-average detective, ostensibly because of this ability.

* There's also ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' and its tie-in movies. Played especially strongly in ''BatmanMaskOfThePhantasm''.

* There's also ''BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' and its tie-in movies. Played especially strongly in ''BatmanMaskOfThePhantasm''.

* In ''The Pelican Brief'' ([[TheFilmOfTheBook based on the novel of the same name]]), the titular document was formed due to Darby Shaw's (played by JuliaRoberts) investigations based on a theory she came up with regarding the assassination of two Supreme Court judges. To form the brief, she researched the dead judges' case records and kept an eye open for any traits the two men may have had in common.
* In ''SleepyHollow'', this is Ichabod Crane's preferred method of solving the mysterious murders in the titular village. He uses revolutionary (for the time period) methods of investigation, including autopsies of dead bodies, and [[HollywoodAtheist scoffs]] at the supernatural explanations the residents come up with (due to his own HarmfulToMinors childhood memories of his SinisterMinister father). [[spoiler:The supernatural explanations turn out to be true.]]

* ''HotFuzz'': Nicholas Angel uses this to come up with a very wordy but otherwise plausible theory about the [[strike:murders]] accidents taking place in Sandford, centering around (he thinks) a lucrative property deal. [[spoiler:Turns out the murders are for a much more mundane reason - keeping up [[SeriousBusiness Sandford's level of perfection]].]]

* In ''NationalTreasure'', it becomes an important skill for the protagonists to advance through the plot.

May be related to AwesomenessByAnalysis, but in this case the sleuth does not necessarily have to be of genius-level intellect; he/she just needs to be able to pay keen attention to detail and to be able to sift critical information away from irrelevant or unimportant information. It is usually TaughtByExperience, and subverts YourEyesCanDeceiveYou if the detective knows to look past what is on the surface and seek out the facts, and ''only'' the facts. For this trope, DidNotDoTheResearch is not a viable option, or else the investigator will come across as incompetent.

* [[AgathaChristie Agatha Christie's]] character HerculePoirot may be the UrExample, or a candidate thereof.

* ''WithoutATrace'': Investigations in each episode depend on this.

* ''{{CSI}}'' and its various incarnations, with the detective work taking place mostly in the crime lab.

* ''{{NCIS}}'' had this in its first incarnation, mostly inside the forensics lab or the autopsy room.

* A necessary skill in ''{{Clue}}''.

[[quoteright:298:[[{{CSI}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/CSI_test_8505.JPG]]]]
[[caption-width-right:298:Grissom and Catherine demonstrate how it's done.]]

* Frequently happens in the ''LawAndOrder'' series, especially the first incarnation.

* Plays a role in Detective Spooner's murder investigation in ''IRobot''.

* On the fun side, this plays a role in murder mystery-themed parties.

* There's also ''BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' and its tie-in movies. Played especially strongly in ''MaskOfThePhantasm''.

* In SleepyHollow, this is Ichabod Crane's preferred method of solving the mysterious murders in the titular village. He uses revolutionary (for the time period) methods of investigation, including autopsies of dead bodies, and [[HollywoodAtheist scoffs]] at the supernatural explanations the residents come up with (due to his own HarmfulToMinors childhood memories of his SinisterMinister father). [[spoiler:The supernatural explanations turn out to be true.]]
* Used to investigate the Jack the Ripper killings in FromHell.
* HotFuzz: Nicholas Angel uses this to come up with a very wordy but otherwise plausible theory about the [[strike:murders]] accidents taking place in Sandford, centering around (he thinks) a lucrative property deal. [[spoiler:Turns out the murders are for a much more mundane reason - keeping up [[SeriousBusiness Sandford's level of perfection]].]]
* Plays a role in Detective Spooner's murder investigation in IRobot.
* In NationalTreasure, it becomes an important skill for the protagonists to advance through the plot.

* Frequently happens in the LawAndOrder series, especially the first incarnation.
* {{CSI}} and its various incarnations, with the detective work taking place mostly in the crime lab.
* Happens in every episode of MurderSheWrote, with each mystery solved by Jessica Fletcher outlining a visual clue that was shown earlier in the episode, and a clip of said visual clue playing back for exposition.
* Featured during the investigative portions of TheGoodWife.

* Shown often in TheCloser.
* WithoutATrace: Investigations in each episode depend on this.

* A necessary tool in the PhoenixWrightAceAttorney series.
* The EagleEyeMysteries series, [[TropeNamer as noted above.]]

* A necessary skill in {{Clue}}.

* In TheFlash, during the "Death of Iris Allen" story arc, Barry discovered that the supposed murderer, Clive Yorkin, may ''not'' in fact have been responsible for Iris's death, and so he did some crime scene investigating, including examination of security camera footage. Turns out it was [[EvilCounterpart Professor Zoom]] who killed Iris at super-speed while going fast enough to be virtually invisible to recording security cameras and thus frame Yorkin for the deed. (Then it turned out Iris was NotQuiteDead.)

* Plays a role in TheHardyBoys and NancyDrew mysteries.

* During the JusticeLeagueUnlimited episode "Flash and Substance," [[TheFlash Wally West]] is seen in his crime scene lab running tests on a bloodstained shoe, which was cleaned off with dish-washing soap. He informs his supervisor that his investigations have revealed that the soap is the same type as the brand that was found in the murder victim's kitchen.
* Much earlier, during the SupermanTheAnimatedSeries episode "The Late Mr. Kent," Clark had to use his investigative reporter skills to collect enough evidence to exonerate an innocent man on death row.
* There's also BatmanTheAnimatedSeries and its tie-in movies. Played especially strongly in MaskOfThePhantasm.

* The entire point of ''{{Psych}}'' is that the main character has been trained to do that since childhood.

* The entire point of ''ThePsych'' is that the main character has been trained to do that since childhood.

Not related to EagleEye, the 2008 movie.

The trope name comes from the 1993-94 PC game series EagleEyeMysteries, a detective-themed EdutainmentGame series; in particular, the second game had a feature where the glowing boxes that usually denoted witnesses or clues could be turned off, forcing the player to be that much more observant of the scenery in looking for clues. The series itself also required the player to select the best clues that told the facts, proved or disproved witness statements, and generally painted a plausible picture of what happened and why.

* The EagleEyeMysteries series, as noted above.

* The ''RetrievalArtist'' series of sci-fi detective novels has Noelle DeRicci, a detective with the Armstrong lunar police force, whose ability at decipering crime scenes compares favorably with that of any TV CSI. Pity that she's often the OnlySaneWoman on the scene.