Hey,
Im new to these boards so excuse my ignorance but I wanted to know what the chances of UM returning with a new host were. Nobody could replace Rob Stack but I still want to see updates and new cases. I have seen the last series about 3 times over and its time for some new cases.

I had an idea that they could just never show Rob Stack and have someone with a similar voice to his do a voice over for the new cases. But I think a completely new host is a better idea.

So, does anyone have any idea whether anything will happen. I anxiously await the shows return.

Yes they do need a new Unsolved Mysteries. They could always use the last segment where Robert Stack says for every mystery there is some one who holds the final clue perhaps it could be you.To many Lost Loves and Criminals can be walking around and people could see them and not know it. As for the host ,different real life policemen and policewomen could take turns hosting.

What chance do you give the show of ever returning?

Seeing the networks in America dumped it I wouldnt give it more than a 1% chance now. So sad. :(

Yeah, and in the meantime we are saturated with reality shows that are an embarrassment to the human race. :rolleyes:

I dont mind some reality shows but nothing beats Unsolved!

At this point, I doubt the show will be brought back, but I'll cast another vote for Richard Belzer as host. He's established a good reputation playing law enforcement dudes and his dry style has a lot in common with Stack's. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if he modeled some of his acting on Stack's. Now all we gotta do is figure out how he's supposed to fit taping Unsolved into his already busy schedule doing episodes of Law and Order: Loitering.

What is Law & Order: Loitering?

Is it to do with people standing in a public place too long and being prosecuted for it! :P

I do agree, they need an actor with a dry style. I cant think of anyone who could fill Stack's position at the moment but then again, I dont know enough actors.

Is there anyway I could write to the producers and ask them if they are planning on doing anymore Unsolved series?

Ever since they started having Law and Order: Special Victims' Unit, I figure it's reductio ad absurdum time so I've been saying things like Law and Order: Traffic Violations , Law and Order: Jaywalking and so on.

As far as I know the address to write to about Unsolved coming back is still as follows:

Cosgrove-Meurer Productions
4303 W Verdugo Ave
Burbank, California 91505 USA
Tel: 818 843 5600
Fax: 818 843 8585

Oh, so there isnt actually a new Law and Order coming. Then how is Belzer busy? Still, Law and Order SVU is the best of the three and you stole the idea from the Simpsons. In the Simpsons they watched Law & Order: Elevator Inspectors Unit in an episode.

mmm, living in Australia it would be damn annoying to write a letter all the way to the states. They need a better website where you can e-mail an admin. I think I will make them a new website and send it to them on a disc. See what happens. hehe

:( :( :( :(
I don't see why or how they could stop the show.
Think of how many lost loves are out there. Also
hom many evil people are getting away with things.
People see them and not know and they would if
they saw them on Unsolved Mysteries.

Well dude, whether you can see it or not they have stopped the show. No one knows of any new series that have been planned and its been over three years since the last series ended.

Originally posted by TRBB
What chance do you give the show of ever returning?

Seeing the networks in America dumped it I wouldnt give it more than a 1% chance now. So sad. :(

Well, the chances of it coming back with a new host in the immediate future are extremely remote. But I don't rule out the possibility that it could someday return with a new host.

If you ask the show's producers now as to whether they'll bring it back, they'll probably say no. But if you ask them five or ten years from now, maybe they'll have a different answer. But only time will tell.

In any case, if you haven't heard any news about the show's future by now, it is highly probable that there are no plans to bring it back in production with a new host anytime soon. Just so that there's no misunderstanding here, I'm not saying that it couldn't come back at some point in the future; I'm just saying that it's not in the foreseeable future. :(

Originally posted by Bluejay
As far as I know the address to write to about Unsolved coming back is still as follows:

Cosgrove-Meurer Productions
4303 W Verdugo Ave
Burbank, California 91505 USA
Tel: 818 843 5600
Fax: 818 843 8585

Don't bother writing to the company. Even if they get flooded with letters in support of UM, they don't want to waste time and money making new episodes unless a network is willing to commit to the show. Therefore, you must write to Lifetime instead (or to another network and ask them to acquire the show).

I would for sure watch it if they would bring it back.I still watch the reruns on lifetime.

Dude, everyone here watches then re-runs on Lifetime but thats not gonna make the show come back. As Kane correctly said above, its gonna take a network acquiring the show before they make new episodes again.

I don't mean to bump up such an old thread, but I was wondering what would happen if the new DVD sets sell strongly? any slight chance of a rivival with someone new?

That is more or less what I am hoping for.

I don't mean to bump up such an old thread, but I was wondering what would happen if the new DVD sets sell strongly? any slight chance of a rivival with someone new?

Even if the DVDs sold extremely well, there is no guaranteee that it would persuade a network to revive the show. Sure, it happened with Family Guy, but don't expect the same miracle to happen with many other defunct shows. In general, once a show has ceased production, it's defunct for sure. But if the show were to come back with new episodes, Lifetime (or some other network) would have to want it to happen.

Even if the DVDs sold extremely well, there is no guaranteee that it would persuade a network to revive the show. Sure, it happened with Family Guy, but don't expect the same miracle to happen with many other defunct shows. In general, once a show has ceased production, it's defunct for sure. But if the show were to come back with new episodes, Lifetime (or some other network) would have to want it to happen.

my two favorite shows have been Family guy and UM for a long time

I guess I got spoiled when FG came back :o :D :(

It would be nice to see Unsolved Mysteries come back with a new host, but I'm sure most would agree with me when I say that Robert Stack is not replaceable. He was born to be the host. He is a legend in my eyes. I hope someday when I pass into the afterlife I get a chance to meet him.

Maybe they could sort of take the same concept (murders, fugitives, and even supernatural stuff- as to not directly rival America's Most Wanted, another show I love) and do new episodes. :)

Probably not call it "Unsolved Mysteries", not w/an imitator of R. Stack (rip- I was upset when I learned he passed away) but maybe w/a male and female duo of hosts? Not cheesy hosts like some of the reality shows, but maybe w/someone like Mariska Hargitay (sp?)- the daughter of Jayne Mansfield, a celeb who did die in some mysterious consequences- and a male w/ some law enforcement credentials.

I guess that in a couple of yrs the glut of reality shows will die down (don't get me wrong, I watch some of them and it is here to stay, a bit like Daytime soaps are, but I did miss "regular" programming.). Thankfully since one or two seasons great written "regular" prime time shows on network tv is getting better, so there could be hope, if lots of people write production houses and/or network tv and other cable channels. There are a lot more channel and network options than when UM debuted in 1987...So yup, that could be the ticket. There has to be a demand though, and it has to target the coveted age 25 to 55 advertising $$.

If they do that show they could have a type of a deal w/UM and take some of the oldsegments and show updates on it. And of course, new segments would be filmed.

I have a feeling that it is feasable. The host(s) should be over 35, and the woman (if there is a woman host or co-host) should be older than 35 and, while good looking like most tv-hosts/actors are, not looking like she could pass for 18 yrs old.
And no "MTV" oriented production values all the time, the shaky cam thing gets on my nerves, although at times it is effective.

Yeah, and in the meantime we are saturated with reality shows that are an embarrassment to the human race. :rolleyes:

I hear that. Why are things like Joe, Millionare, American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, and countless other comparisons(some of which are in production and will be released soon I'm sure...) so great. Are they even reality? I can't help but wonder if they are actually determined in advance and made to look like the were unscripted.

Regardless if you were to actually make a comeback, it would have to be different in some way, like a new title, new but similar music, new host, ect. You would have to write to Lifetime or some other network first(and one letter may not get through so be patient but persistant). Maybe writing to both the show AND the network will get your idea across even better, and refering to one in a letter to the other shows you are serious as they will often say something along the lines of "ask the other". The selling of DVD sets is better suited to the future creation of more sets, but not new episodes. And those sets should have better promotion behind them.

Maybe we should all write letter to either UM and/ or First look to see what happens. After all, more letters, more chance of reply and action.

It may be old,but the toll free number recording says that people can submit written story ideas. This may not mean that the series is coming back.

I'd like to see it come back. Less lost loves.

Less lost loves.

I agree to a point, but sometimes it helps families reunite and that's never a bad thing. I will admit it's my least favorite topic in UM along with UFO stuff.

I like the missing, wanted and unexplained death stuff. Is that morbid? I just like mysteries and seeing them get solved. It fascinates me.

I agree Richard Belzer would be perfect. In fact, he already narrates a show on either CTV or A&E. I can't remember the name of the show but I come across it accidentally at times.

I think UM will be a hit if it is reintroduced with new episodes. The unsolved mysteries keep accumulating every day even though the show has ceased. If they don't find Natalie Holloway, that would be prime coverage for a new episode. Especially since it looks like if they don't find her body, no one will be prosecuted in her case. :(

Oh, so there isnt actually a new Law and Order coming. Then how is Belzer busy? Still, Law and Order SVU is the best of the three and you stole the idea from the Simpsons. In the Simpsons they watched Law & Order: Elevator Inspectors Unit in an episode.... I think I will make them a new website and send it to them on a disc. See what happens. hehe
Yeah only I never watch the Simpsons, so I didn't know they did that too! Great minds run in great gutters. I actually didn't know what Belzer is doing (although according to IMDB he looks pretty busy) but while looking, I found that he wrote a book called UFOs, JFK and Elvis, Conspiracies You Don't Have To Be Crazy To Believe. (I tried to link but the URLs aren't working -- find this on amazon.com) Sure looks like Unsolved material to me. Maybe you should get that website fixed up and show it to'em. :cool:

While I too beleive no one could ever fill Stack's shoes I have a few suggestions on who could make the show work let me know what you all think


! Leanord Nimoy

2 John Lithgow

3 Morgan Freeman

4 Dan Rather

5 Christopher Walken

6 Donald Sutherland

7 Bill Curtis

8 Henry Rollins

I would LOVE if this show came back to T.V.! It would be really cool,but I don't think it's going to happen! So hopefully they'll release more DVDs!

Christopher Walken would be a GREAT replacement. Henty Rollins wouldn't be bad, either. I could see him with a John Walsh "gettin' tough on crime" attitude.

While I too beleive no one could ever fill Stack's shoes I have a few suggestions on who could make the show work let me know what you all think


! Leanord Nimoy

2 John Lithgow

3 Morgan Freeman

4 Dan Rather

5 Christopher Walken

6 Donald Sutherland

7 Bill Curtis

8 Henry Rollins

To be honest, I'm not too thrilled about any of them as potential UM hosts. Besides, Bill Kurtis is already busy hosting three shows: Investigative Reports, American Justice, and Cold Case Files.

Also, Christopher Walken is too big of a movie star for the show.

Dan Rather?? Don't you mean Dan Blather? :lol:

Uh, I've tried to avoid it but if this turns into a political forum, frankly I love my chances. Especially given the available target(s). The name is Dan Rather, incredibly long tenured and distinguished journalist with a string of Emmys, Peabodys, peer respect, and accomplishments.

I too believe no one would ever fill Stack's shoes. No one could replace his voice.

The only suggestion I could think of for a host to have as must effect and interest as Stack did, would be let the fans host the show themselves. I know that's wishful thinking though, but if I had the chance, I'd thoroughly enjoy hosting a show and talking about mysteries all the time. Interested is interesting.

The show would need someone who would be right 'in there' and a fan of a good mystery, as Stack was, if the show were to ever make a revival.

Just my thoughts.....

Cheers

From the list you presented, the choices I like are

1. Leonard Nimoy -- he has a nice, clear speaking voice, you can always understand what he says; he's hosted similar shows before. You might get more Unexplained and Lost Love segments with him though. I like those, but not everybody does.

2. Morgan Freeman -- also speaks clearly and is an instantly recognizable figure and very respected.

3. Dan Rather -- what can I say, I love the guy, always have and always will. His very slightly offbeat reputation would be very interesting! He used to be one of those dare-anything reporters like Bob Gannon -- back in the 50s, he had Houston police give him some heroin so he could report on what it was really like. What's the frequency, Kenneth? He'd do really well with police stories and exposing coverups.

I would strongly suggest Gary Sinise. Maybe someday, when CSI: NY ends its run, and if they happen to be planning to revive UM, they could go with him.

Gary Sinise is very supportive of the military, especially the troops in Iraq (he is also the co-founder of Operation: Iraqi Children). Supporting the military and supporting the police are not mutually exclusive. And that's because, in both cases, you're supporting an institution whose job it is to protect us from those who want to harm us.

He's good as Det. Mac Taylor in CSI: NY, especially when he criticizes murderers. (For example, in one episode, he said to a cop killer: "From where I stand, you're the one that should be put to death. No trial, no jury. Eye for an eye.")

I would strongly suggest Gary Sinise. Maybe someday, when CSI: NY ends its run, and if they happen to be planning to revive UM, they could go with him.

OOH! Gary Sinise! I like that!

OOH! Gary Sinise! I like that!

I'm not sure if anyone else on this board has ever suggested him. He just seems like an appealing choice. He's a Hollywood actor with values.

As far as Hollywood people go, Gary Sinise is a welcome alternative to all the celebrities who are overtly negative about America, and, in turn, making things worse at a time of war. Thankfully, Sinise is the opposite of that, and it shows.

Sinise was recently interviewed by Newsmax columnist James Hirsen. In the interview, Sinise discussed a number of things, such as how 9/11 affected him, his displeasure with the media's handling of its coverage on Iraq, and Operation Iraqi Children (which he and Seabiscuit author Laura Hillenbrand founded). Check out the interview.

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/2/13/212715.shtml

Back in the late 80's, early 90's Stacy Keach hosted a syndicated show called "Missing Reward." It was very similar to UM, profiling missing persons cases and unsolved crimes. Each episode also featured a "lighter side" segment usually focusing on a collector willing to pay big bucks for a certain kind of memorabilia (old lunch boxes, kewpie dolls, etc). The show was very well done and I thought Keach was a good host, with his unmistakable voice and authorative delivery. He would be my first choice if UM ever came back, but Gary Sinese is also an excellent candidate.

Maybe Brian Dennehy, James Brolin or George C. Scott if he were still alive.

Leonard Nimoy sounds like the best one so far. He's got that voice that would be well suited for the tone of UM.

Leonard Nimoy sounds like the best one so far. He's got that voice that would be well suited for the tone of UM.
Ya I threw him in because he use to scare the crap out of me with those speacials he did about the Bermuda triangle and bigfoot

Yeah, but wouldn't typecasting be a problem? I'd look at him and only see Spock. Typecasting (if any existed) worked in Stack's case, as he was Elliott Ness, legendary crimefighter.

Just my thoughts. I liked the Brian Dennehy suggestion, too!

Yeah, but wouldn't typecasting be a problem? I'd look at him and only see Spock. Typecasting (if any existed) worked in Stack's case, as he was Elliott Ness, legendary crimefighter.

I would agree. Typecasting can be a factor. Sometimes it can work in your favor, and sometimes it can work against you. If you are typecast as a crimefighter, your chances of hosting a series like UM are better than if you are not typecast in such a role. Being typecast as a crimefighter certainly worked for Robert Stack. But I think it was actually a combination of that and his vocal support for the FBI that finalized the show's decision to hire him.

Unsolved Mysteries doesn't have a snowball's chance in Hell of ever making a comeback.

http://members.cox.net/mysigs/deadhorse.gif

I have to agree that we probably won't see a re-do of this show. When UM was new, there were few forensic-missing-person type shows. Now there are tons- and even a whole channel devoted to this format- Court TV. I do think that these shows, while interesting and well done, don't have the heart that UM does. A&E's Cold Case Files is a good one, but it still lacks the drama of UM.

What about petitioning another channel such as A & E, TLC, or The Discovery Channel to play 2 hour long UM shows everyday (7 days a week)?
Lifetime is really dropping the ball. Soon it will be totally phased out and replaced by shows that are already syndicated on network TV, i.e. Frasier, Mad About You, and Will & Grace. Lifetime really isn't the appropriate channel to have UM on anyhow. UM is not for mostly women.

What about petitioning another channel such as A & E, TLC, or The Discovery Channel to play 2 hour long UM shows everyday (7 days a week)?
Lifetime is really dropping the ball. Soon it will be totally phased out and replaced by shows that are already syndicated on network TV, i.e. Frasier, Mad About You, and Will & Grace. Lifetime really isn't the appropriate channel to have UM on anyhow. UM is not for mostly women.

Well, Lifetime would have to sell the rights to another network, and that isn't likely to happen anytime soon. But if that were to happen, it would only be possible to sell it to a network that is owned by Buena Vista (which distributes UM, and therefore has an ownership stake in the show). In any case, I would only expect it the buyer to be another cable channel.

For now, one can only hope that a new cable channel will be developed, one that would best suit the likes of UM. Besides, most of current the powers-that-be at primetime are too out of touch for shows like UM anyway.

If anything, they seem more interested in shows that will help shove their agenda down our throats, even if it means promoting vice and degrading virtue for the sake of ratings and profits. It's the dementia of Hollywood (as one pundit recently put it).

What other network(s) are owned by Buena Vista?

What other network(s) are owned by Buena Vista?

Buena Vista handles distribution of ABC and Disney products. So I'd say ABC and the Disney Channel. But for obvious reasons, UM wouldn't have a shot at Disney. And the chances of the show going to ABC are no better.

In addition to deeming them out of touch, I feel that most of the current primetime executives are too snobbish to give a show like UM a fair chance.

I wonder if there is anyway to contact John Cosgrove about releasing more complete episodes on DVD or getting complete episodes to air on some of the other cable networks?

I wonder if there is anyway to contact John Cosgrove about releasing more complete episodes on DVD or getting complete episodes to air on some of the other cable networks?

The distributor First Look Media would have the final say on whether or not more UM DVDs will be issued. Until then, there's little that John Cosgrove or anyone else can do.

As for how to contact John Cosgrove (directly or indirectly), your best hope would be writing to production company:

Cosgrove-Meurer Productions, Inc.
4303 W. Verdugo Ave.
Burbank, CA 91505

However, I don't see how it will help. Lifetime is still contractually obligated to airing the series, even if it's only reruns. So until that contract expires (which I doubt is in the near future), the show is stuck on Lifetime.

I think Lifetime has been airing reruns of the series since early 1993 so it's about to run it's course on Lifetime. Hopefully another cable network like TV Land or Nick will pick it up, remember A&E aired reruns of "In Search Of" with Leonard Nimoy hopfully they will do the same with "Unsolved Mysteries".