The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo

The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo was a youth-oriented action mystery television series that ran on the Nickelodeon TV channel between 1996 and 1999. Starring Irene Ng as the title character, the series revolves around the adventures of a young teenage girl who lives with her innkeeper grandfather and workes as a non-sworn intern at the local police department where she helpes out with odds and ends around the office. Occasionally an intriguing case comes to Woo's attention, prompting her to apply her unique insight and enlist the help of her friends to solve it. Her supervisors, do not appreciate her help, as she is only a teenager. Many of the stories keep the audience guessing until the truth is ultimately explained. Stylistically, Shelby Woo is very similar to another Viacom product, Murder, She Wrote. In the latter, however, the protagonist, Jessica Fletcher, has a more cordial relationship with law enforcement since the police appreciate her help.

Nickelodeon abruptly cancelled Shelby Woo at the height of its popularity in 1999, ostensibly when Ms. Ng entered college to pursue an education in medicine.