Topic Guide
What Is Police work?
Police work is a subject covered in depth across 1 podcast episode in our database. Below you'll find key concepts, expert insights, and the top episodes to listen to — all distilled from hours of conversation by leading experts.
Key Concepts in Police work
Camera readiness
Jeff Goldblum uses this term to describe the contemporary phenomenon where people are highly prepared and comfortable being photographed or filmed at any moment. He contrasts it with his lifelong artistic endeavor of 'freeing himself while being photographed,' suggesting modern ubiquity has made his unique art 'obsolete' [00:00].
Minimalism / anti-accumulation
Goldblum describes himself as a strict minimalist, practicing 'anti-accumulation' by consistently disposing of possessions. He contrasts his philosophy with 'packratism,' emphasizing his vigilance against clutter in his home and life [01:01].
Post-traumatic stress syndrome (ptsd) in fiction
In *Raines*, Goldblum's character, a detective, suffers from PTSD after his partner's death, leading to grief, poor self-care, and vivid hallucinations of the deceased. This portrayal showcases how mental health challenges can be integrated into a hard-boiled detective narrative, influencing the protagonist's unique crime-solving methods [04:06].
Noir detective archetype
Goldblum describes his *Raines* character as a 'hard-boiled lone detective with secret wounds,' fitting the classic noir archetype. The show incorporates a 'flavor of noir' into a modern Los Angeles setting, suggesting a blend of classic genre elements with contemporary psychological themes [04:06].
What Experts Say About Police work
- 1.Jeff Goldblum observes that modern society's constant exposure to cameras has made his personal artistic pursuit of freeing himself while being photographed feel "obsolete," as "everybody is so ready to be free, expressive, tell their story" [00:00].
- 2.Goldblum is a committed minimalist, practicing "anti-accumulation" by throwing "everything out," contrasting himself with a relative who suffered from "real packratism" [01:01].
- 3.In his show *Raines*, Goldblum plays a detective suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome, who hallucinates and hears voices of dead victims who 'help' him solve crimes [04:06].
- 4.The hallucinatory premise of *Raines* is inspired by a real police technique where officers are encouraged to imagine a dialogue with victims to solve cases, given that most victims know their killers [05:07].
- 5.Goldblum recounts being nearly arrested for talking to himself on a public street while intensely practicing lines for an acting class, highlighting the immersive and sometimes misunderstood nature of his craft [05:07].
- 6.The show *Raines* blends modern-day Los Angeles detective work with a "flavor of noir," featuring a hard-boiled protagonist with a deeply personal motivation [04:06].