I've been a fan of Unsolved Mysteries from October 1988 until today, but I felt the show declined in the later years it was on NBC and CBS. I'm looking for any other opinions on this analysis, both for and against my thoughts.

UM produced good mysteries, frequently or infrequently, from 1987 to 2002, but around the beginning of the sixth season, the show seemed to move away from its earlier focus. It was around this time that the graphics changed (understandable for a show that was entering its sixth season) and the time slot changed from Wednesday at 8 to Friday at 8. One mystery, although a good one (and rather amusing one, as I'll soon discuss), always reminds me of this turning point in the show. It was the (Lake Wales, FL?) Fall 1993 story of the family terrorized by ghosts, which was investigated by paranormal experts on the show. At this point, the show was beginning to look different, and it's evident in this episode. I also think Cosgrove-Meurer Productions had a wicked sense of humor in producing this story, as I can't recall Robert Stack ever saying "poo-pooed" before on UM. Furthermore, at my age of 13 back then, I couldn't figure out why a few snails were sacrificed after salt was poured around the house! But I digress...

Not long after, new types of mysteries came up on the show that seemed to be different than the paranormal/lost love/law-breaking mysteries of earlier. The mystery of women going by a statue at work and getting pregnant seemed just a tad preposterous, or at least not for Unsolved Mysteries. By 1995/1996, I had given up most interest in the show, at which time the graphics changed again. I also recall Keely Shaye-Smith joining the show around this time, which seemed unnecessary. I felt Stack always carried the show and a co-host of any kind wasn't needed.

According to The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, the sixth season was the first season in the history of the show it didn't make the list of the top 25 rated shows on the year. I feel this was a combination of the time change and a different feel in the show. By 2001 when Lifetime began doing new mysteries, the show seemed to regain the flavor of the early 1980s. I enjoy many of the first-run mysteries from 2001 and 2002 that came on Lifetime. Of course, this makes up for the lack of older mysteries airing on Lifetime, but that's another post for another time!

I was just thinking about this as I was going through the Jump the Shark website. If I was to make a submission, I would say that the shark jumped when they changed the original opening and theme in 1995 to that lazy opening that lasted throughout the rest of the NBC run. I don't know if it went on to the CBS run as I never watched the show during that phase. You don't mess with something that makes the show what it is, and most people think of the opening with the original theme and the approaching logo after the disclaimer when reflecting on the show.

Keely Shaye-Smith was another shark jump as she added absolutely nothing to the show. What was the rationale? That they needed an attractive female to draw in male viewers? It didn't work, since less than 2 years after she showed up, NBC dumped the show. I wonder what Robert Stack thought of all that. HE is synonymous with UM and Keely had no hope of changing that.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought Keely Shay-Smith was a poor choice as co-host. Her delivery was horrible and she rarely registered any emotion at all. To me Virginia Madsen was an odd choice (she was on for a few episodes when UM moved to CBS) but at least she actually seemed to have a personality.

Originally posted by rerungirl
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought Keely Shay-Smith was a poor choice as co-host. Her delivery was horrible and she rarely registered any emotion at all. To me Virginia Madsen was an odd choice (she was on for a few episodes when UM moved to CBS) but at least she actually seemed to have a personality.

It is worth noting that Keely Shaye Smith was NEVER a co-host on the show. She was only the show's correspondent, and that job only had her provide updates. The job of a correspondent is secondary to that of either a host or a co-host, so there is a significant difference.