History Main / SecretChaser

* Robert Audley in Lady Audley's Secret goes to extreme lengths to prove the titular character's secret, as he figures out what it is fairly early on.

* One MontyPython sketch took this to extremes by having two women spy on their neighbours with high-tech surveillance equipment.

* Elton Pope from the ''DoctorWho'' episode "Love and Monsters" and Eugene Jones from the ''{{Torchwood}}'' episode "Random Shoes" (after his death, Torchwood end up investigating ''him'').

* Sergeant Doakes from {{Dexter}}.

** Cassidy and Devon in ''PowerRangersDinoThunder'' were like this too (well, Cassidy chased the secret and dragged Devon along with her). They, like their predecessors, had no idea they were going to school with the heroes [[spoiler: until the season finale, where they learn the truth and choose not to reveal it.]]

* Vice Principal Hackett in PhilOfTheFuture.

-->'''''SouthPark''''', episode "The Coon" [[supersecretspoiler:Cartman was actually correct.]]

* In the ''SouthPark'' episode "The Coon", Cartman spends most of the episode trying to find out who Mysterion is. He finally succeeds in having him unmasked when he convinces him that villains would continue to threaten the town unless he revealed himself. But the audience doesn't find out who it was until a later episode. [[spoiler: It was Kenny and he is effectively immortal; waking up the next day after he dies and no one remembers his death.]]

* In the ''SouthPark'' episode "The Coon", Cartman spends most of the episode trying to find out who Mysterion is. He finally succeeds in having him unmasked when he convinces him that villains would continue to threaten the town unless he revealed himself.

* Ivan Bezdomny from ''TheWotch'', an intrepid [[SchoolNewspaperNewshound (school) newspaper reporter]] who's dead set on finding the source of the 'Weirdness' surrounding Tandy Gardens - and, at the moment, seems fairly close to actually pulling it off.

* Every [[{{Animaniacs}} Chicken Boo]] segment contains exactly one character who is aware that the titular character is in fact [[PhraseCatcher A CHICKEN I TELL YOU! A GIANT CHICKEN!]] This guy/gal tends to get ridiculed throughout the episode until Boo's masquerade is stripped away somehow.

* ''OhMyGoddess'': Sayoko noticed how there is something off about Belldandy, and goes to great lengths to uncover her secret. Of course, since Belldandy is a Goddess who CannotTellALie, she simply tells Sayoko the truth. Sayoko never believes her and continues her schemes.

* [=McGee=] from the TV show ''TheIncredibleHulk''.

* ''OhMyGoddess'': Sayoko noticed how there is something off about Belldandy, and goes to great lengths to uncover her secret. Of course, since Belldandy is a Goddess who CannotTellALie, she simply tells Sayoko the truth. Who doesn't believe her and continues her schemes.

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* Dr. Bellows from ''IDreamOfJeannie'' is this to the main characters, always suspecting that Major Nelson, but is never able to prove anything and is always made to look foolish after every attempt.

* Lois Lane in SilverAge ''{{Superman}}'' comics.

If the character himself is not convinced that they are just hallucinating - and some of them are - they become set on getting proof to [[TheyCalledMeMad show everyone else]] that [[TheCuckoolanderWasRight they were right all along]] - only to [[ButtMonkey fail every time]]. Usually they have no idea - or care - about the trouble they are getting themselves into by tresspassing while they follow the protagonist, so typically the hero will need to save them when they get ''too'' involved.

This character is usually a [[{{Muggle}} normal human]] in the victinity from their [[WakeUpGoToSchoolSaveTheWorld civil life]] who has noticed that something is odd or amiss with them - a Nosyneighbor or a SnoopingLittleKid. If the masquerading subject is in school, the NosyNeighbor is quite likely to be a teacher at that school, or a SchoolNewspaperNewsHound. If the show is a WorkCom, it can be a co-worker, often a rival or the subject's immediate manager.

A standard fixture of the FantasticComedy: whenever the series concept requires that an extraordinary person {{Masquerade}} as [[SecretIdentity ordinary]], there is one person around who suspects them, or has already learned about their secret (usually not every little detail, but enough to see them for what they really are). This character is always the OnlySaneMan - ClarkKenting, fortunately, still works for everyone else - making this character [[TheCassandra only look crazy]] if ]]YouHaveToBelieveMe they try to tell others about the protagonist]].

A stock enemy of characters with a SecretIdentity everywhere, but especially in [[WakeUpGoToSchoolSaveTheWorld shows where the character's mundane life is emphasized]].

This character is a [[{{Muggle}} normal human]] from their civil life who has somehow learned about their secret - not every little detail but he still knows them for what they are. They are also the OnlySaneMan - ClarkKenting, fortunately, still works for everyone else - making this character TheCassandra whenever they try to expose the protagonist. Which they will do often. Every episode they show up, in fact. Determined to [[TheyCalledMeMad show everyone else]] that [[TheCuckoolanderWasRight they were right all along]] to the point of being obsessed, they will snoop around the heroes determined to get proof. Of course they have no idea about the trouble they are getting themselves into, so typically the heroes will need to save them when they get ''too'' involved. This character is always the ButtMonkey, failing to prove their point every time and their attempts only serve to [[YouHaveToBelieveMe make them appear even more paranoid and crazy]].

Frequently overlaps with InspectorJavert or the IntrepidReporter.

Contrast/compare SecretKeeper, and compare the SnoopingLittleKid.

* OhMyGoddess has an example. Sayoko noticed how there is something off about Belldandy, and goes to great lenghts to uncover her secret. Of course, since Belldandy is a Goddess who can't lie, she simply tells Sayoko the truth. Who doesn't believe her and continues her schemes.

* Dr. Bellows from IDreamOfJeannie is this to the main characters, always suspecting that Major Nelson, but is never able to prove anything and is always made to look foolish after every attempt.
* PhilOfTheFuture: Vice Principal Hackett is convinced that there is something odd about the Diffys. But he is only half right about them. He believes them to be space aliens, but they are actually from the future.

* [[{{Superman}} Lois Lane]], sometimes. Especially in the LiveActionTV series ''TheAdventuresOfSuperman''.

* Hans Rotwood from ''AmericanDragonJakeLong''. A teacher of the titular hero, he has an interest insupernatural creatures and is set on proving that Jake is one to the world once he has found out.

Frequently overlaps with InspectorJavert or the IntrepidReporter. Contrast/compare Secret Keeper, and compare the SnoopingLittleKid.

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