View Full Version : Campaign to get New Unsolved Shows
Chris Billings 02-21-2004, 10:42 AM I am requesting other Unsolved fans to join me in my campaign to see new episodes of the show made.
Please write Lifetime Televison or the shows producers and tell them. I realize this is a difficult proposition, a long shot. But, who knows, maybe they will will listen.
Unsolved is one of the few television programs I genuinely enjoy. (Golden Girls (or Ghouls) is just not my thing) And these copycat shows like City Confidential on A&E are a bore festival.
Chris
Lifetime Television
2049 Century Park East
Suite 840
Los Angles, CA 90067
Brent88 02-21-2004, 11:12 AM You need to contact both Lifetime AND Cosgrove/Meurer Productions I believe. Cosgrove/Meurer produces the episodes, but if Lifetime won't air them, it's a waste of money.
mark10 03-07-2004, 03:24 AM Hi Chris:
I'm totally with you on this one. How can I get involved, what can we do? I know it's a longshot, but not trying at all is worse. I'll write them. To everyone else interested, write letters in. NO E-MAIL'S, NO PHONE CALLS, NO FAXES!!! Those types of suggestions can be ignored. Physical letters are harder to ignore. Let's do it, and hope for the best everyone!
mark10 04-11-2004, 03:45 AM Hey:
Just to follow up from my last post here. What I did was write two copies of the same letter, one to Lifetime TV, and the other to Cosgrove Meurer Productions. I addressed the original letter to Lifetime, then at the bottom of my letter put "CC: Cosgrove Meurer." This way, neither one of them can tell you to send the letter to the other party :) Whether or not this will be effective is not known, but it doesn't hurt to try. Needless to say, I am a little disappointed that there aren't more people joining the campaign to get new episodes of Unsolved Mysteries back on the air. I mean we are hearing that there are no plans to continue it, but come on people...we have to try harder than just "oh well." Keep the physical letters coming in, mail two copies; one to Lifetime, and the other to Cosgrove Meurer. If these guys can put a crappy show like Secret Lives, or whatever the heck it's called on the air, there definitely is room for Unsolved Mysteries.
Big3sCompanyFan 04-11-2004, 02:31 PM I AGREE!!! WE MUST GET UNSOLVED MYSTERIES BACK ON THE AIR!!!
IT WAS THE MOST INTELLECTUALLY STIMULATING SHOW ON TV!!
mark10 04-11-2004, 05:57 PM Finally, we are getting some life into this much needed category!!! :) I have yet to hear a response from either Lifetime or Cosgrove Meurer, but the moment I do (if ever), I will let everyone know the details. Back in an interview conducted with Robert Stack on June 20, 2002, Stack was asked: How much longer will "Unsolved Mysteries" be on TV for?
His answer was the following: "The show has an amazing life conditioned upon the reaction of the viewers. It's ever youthful, and ever topical. Life itself is strange enough. I get a kick out of it, because it's on the side of good, and it makes all of us, if you believe in democracy, involved in making the country a better place. We're very fond of Lifetime because they are a support group, and a team, and in this profession that comfortable wonderful feeling of doing it together is the greatest." Here is the link: [http://www.lifetimetv.com/community/chat/robertstack_transcript04.html]
Needless to say, I expressed my disappointment to both Lifetime and Cosgrove Meurer for the poor decision of letting Unsolved Mysteries fade away. So much for the Lifetime network being a support group now, huh? At the same time, I feel that Cosgrove Meurer has not done enough to support the show.
Other networks can easily pick this show up if they wanted to, and if Cosgrove Meurer did more to actually try and "sell" the show. I'm not necessarily suggesting any of these networks or hosts, however they are ideas. ABC is pretty desperate to find quality programming in their prime time slots (apart from Monday Night Football). The problem would be in finding a host. A&E could get it, with Bill Curtis as host. TLC, Discovery, and the Space Channel would be other alternatives. Keep in mind that I am not in the television industry, but my idea would be to have it on ABC with Alex Trebek as host. However, remember, this is a campaign to get new shows of Unsolved Mysteries back on the air, and not about future hosts of the show. Let's keep the letters coming in, and hope that we can get an "Update" on the missing "Unsolved Mysteries." ;)
Originally posted by mark10
Keep in mind that I am not in the television industry, but my idea would be to have it on ABC with Alex Trebek as host.
With all due respect, I really don't see how Alex Trebek (or any game show host for that matter) would fit into a show like Unsolved Mysteries. Besides, he's already too busy hosting Jeopardy.
mark10 04-12-2004, 02:12 AM Kane:
In all do fairness, in case you didn't read my full post: "However, remember, this is a campaign to get new shows of Unsolved Mysteries back on the air, and not about future hosts of the show."
Alex Trebek is merely a suggestion, nothing more. And FYI: Trebek has hosted a crime-like show that lasted briefly in Canada called Heart of Courage, not very well known, but beside the point.
Please contribute something related to this section regarding the campaign to get new epsiodes of Unsolved Mysteries, and not about the host. With all due respect, your post had nothing related to new episodes of Unsolved Mysteries. Thank you. :)
Originally posted by mark10
Kane:
In all do fairness, in case you didn't read my full post: "However, remember, this is a campaign to get new shows of Unsolved Mysteries back on the air, and not about future hosts of the show."
Alex Trebek is merely a suggestion, nothing more. And FYI: Trebek has hosted a crime-like show that lasted briefly in Canada called Heart of Courage, not very well known, but beside the point.
Please contribute something related to this section regarding the campaign to get new epsiodes of Unsolved Mysteries, and not about the host. With all due respect, your post had nothing related to new episodes of Unsolved Mysteries. Thank you. :)
In all fairness, Mark, my previous post was in actuality related to getting new Unsolved Mysteries since it involved host suggestions, and my expressed opinion of your idea. So the comment about it having absolutely nothing to do with getting new UM shows was misleading and pointless. While I respect your host suggestion, I respectfully disagree with it.
Chris Billings 04-12-2004, 02:36 PM Besides Cosgrove and Lifetime, an even bigger media giant maybe key to getting new Unsolved episodes on the air.
Thats right, Disney owns 50% of UM's current home, Lifetime Television. With that kind of voting power, they have tremendous influence over Lifetimes programming.
Maybe its time CEO Michael Eisner and the people at Disney heard from us.
Keep writing and calling,
Chris
Originally posted by Chris Billings
Besides Cosgrove and Lifetime, an even bigger media giant maybe key to getting new Unsolved episodes on the air.
Thats right, Disney owns 50% of UM's current home, Lifetime Television. With that kind of voting power, they have tremendous influence over Lifetimes programming.
Maybe its time CEO Michael Eisner and the people at Disney heard from us.
Keep writing and calling,
Chris
Writing to the company is the best way to go. It cannot be stressed enough times that physical letters carry far more weight than either emails or phone calls. The problem with the latter two methods is that they are easier to disregard and forget (especially since emails can be quickly and easily deleted). A pile of physical letters sent via snail mail are much harder to ignore.
Don't forget another thing: keep your letters both civil and concise. Hostility of any kind (such as insults, accusations, or rudeness) will only work against you.
And if your letter is too long, chances are the reader will get bored, discard it, and not bother to finish reading it. That's why it is extremely important to keep the letter short and to the point. Stick to what is relevant.
I know that I have given these important tips before, but some things can never be stressed too many times.
mark10 04-12-2004, 10:17 PM Kane:
Sorry for the misunderstandings between us. I am glad to hear that you are in favour of bringing new episodes back :) I could not agree with you more regarding writing in physical letters rather than faxes, e-mail, and phone calls. No doubt about it: everyone, write in PHYSICAL LETTERS and do what Kane said. Use polite language, and keep it to one page maximum. If it's too long, whoever gets them may not read them due to whatever reason.
Chris, you certainly have done your research. I did not know that Disney owned 50% of Lifetime. If there is no success going this route, writing in to Disney may be our next option, but what Kane is suggesting is fine, write to the company. Finally, this section is picking up momentum, and I'm happy to see that there are people out there who want to see the show come back. The challenge now is to convince the tv execs to do it. Keep it coming everyone, and feel free to contribute to this section. The more people we have, the better. :)
MysterySolver 04-13-2004, 05:15 PM The decision to not create any new Unsolved Mysteries was made by Lifetime. Cosgrove-Meurer did not decide to discontinue the series. Please do not write them as it is not within their control to bring the series back; it has to be requested by a network.
Thank you!
Originally posted by mark10
Kane:
Sorry for the misunderstandings between us. I am glad to hear that you are in favour of bringing new episodes back :)
It's okay, Mark10. And I can assure you that your apology is accepted. :)
On the topic of what MysterySolver just noted, it makes sense. It is obvious that, in general, a TV production company would not produce new episodes of a show unless some station has the willingness to air them. As someone briefly pointed out in another post not too long ago, if no one is willing to air new episodes of a TV show, then filming them is a waste of money. (I know it sounds blunt, but that's the reality of the television business.)
If you want to see new episodes of UM, write to Lifetime at:
Lifetime Televison
2049 Century Park East
Suite 840
Los Angeles, CA 90067
I should probably remind everyone be prepared for the long haul. It might end up being that type of situation where slow and steady wins the race.
mark10 05-08-2004, 01:30 AM Well guys, I just want to thank everyone who took the time to write to Lifetime, as well as Cosgrove Meurer in the hopes of resurrecting the series. Unfortunately, no network feels that the series is worth saving, an opinion that I don't necessarily agree with, and I'm sure, many other people don't either. I can only hope that the series is on hiatus, and does make a return sometime down the road.
As far as Lifetime goes, I hope Robert Stack's spirit haunts Lifetime so that they never succeed in anything they do. Perhaps another better network will pick up the series in the future. Remember, Unsolved Mysteries was on a two-year hiatus before it came back...could it happen again? "Stories without ending, stories where you may hold the one clue, join me next time for another edition of Unsolved Mysteries." Almost a year to the day Robert Stack passed away, and Lifetime cancels the show. A great display of gratitude by a network that Stack was quoted as saying is a "support group." With no more Friends, Frasier, Sex and the City, I wonder...:)
I don't think Lifetime will ever bring back UM. Maybe its time to give up with that crappy station already.
One station I think might show a glimmer of interest in UM would be Fox.
Anyone ever see their shortlived take on UM called Million Dollar Mysteries? That show might have been something had it not have such a phoney backbone.
There were only 2 myesteries where the reward was $1,000,000. Then they offer a reward for someone to come foward with evidence of Noah's Ark or the "plot" that killed Princes Diana, assuming it was more than an accident.
Let's not forget the "scary" and "mysterious" voice over that was done during the entire show.
Molly Bish, Jill Behrman, and Amy Bradley were all shown on there BEFORE they were shown on UM. As was that mother from Texas that is on deatth row for murdering her two sons. Oh yeah, so was the story of that airline worker Susan something. Sorry I forgot her name.
Anyway, I think Fox could bring Um back to life in a good way. All they need to do is follow the footsteps of UM so far and put it at a good time. Friday nights at 8. Or Monday at 9. Yeah!
Originally posted by Zero
I don't think Lifetime will ever bring back UM. Maybe its time to give up with that crappy station already.
One station I think might show a glimmer of interest in UM would be Fox.
In theory, Fox could consider the series, given the fact that it airs America's Most Wanted, and once aired Million Dollar Mysteries. Personally, however, I'm not very optimistic that a non-cable network will acquire the series. So my guess is that another cable channel would be a better bet, one that is devoted to cultural programming (like A&E).
Your idea is appreciated, though.
:)
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