For those who enjoyed the ghost segments and get DirecTV, I highly recommend "Celebrity Ghost Stories." The tales are well-told with a lot of drama and human interest, and the reenactments are lavishly produced. This reminded me more of UM than anything I have seen in a long time. It's on Friday nights on the Bio Channel.

Forensic Files is the best thing that comes close.

I agree with Forensice Files. Cold Case Files reruns are close seconds, and American Justice was a pretty good one, too. Every once in a while City Confidential could put on a pretty good episode as well, although I don't feel like it was as consistent as the aforementioned shows.

The problem with Forensic Files IMO is it is all SOLVED no-longer-mysteries cases, not UNSOLVED , wanted, etc.

The problem with Forensic Files IMO is it is all SOLVED no-longer-mysteries cases, not UNSOLVED , wanted, etc.I concur. This applies to most of the true crime shows currently on.

America's Most Wanted and Disappeared somewhat remind of Unsolved Mysteries as far as format goes. AMW is a downgraded version of UM, IMO.

I really enjoy "Disappeared" from the ID channel. Its a 1 hour show dedicated to a fairly recent missing persons case. They even profiled the Niqui McCown case recently which of course UM also profiled.

I really enjoy "Disappeared" from the ID channel. Its a 1 hour show dedicated to a fairly recent missing persons case. They even profiled the Niqui McCown case recently which of course UM also profiled.

Will have to check out that one.

I agree with the ones everyone has mentioned. I also like 48 Hours on I.D. It's got that nice suspenseful feel to it. Snapped on Oxygen is a good show too. But like someone already said, the downside is these cases are all solved.

Yes, and on Celebrity Ghost Stories they're not asking for solutions and it's up to you whether you even believe them.

In my opinion, Forensic Files isn't actually a substitute, but rather as mind-boggling as many of the cases on UM. I guess you can say I view it more so as an alternative (I tried thinking of another word, but it failed to come to me).

I live in England and recently saw a show called "Weird or What?" It's an american show, so maybe you guys will be able to find it. It has a lot of strange mysteries (why do all cows all over the world either face north or south?) and while they give an idea why it might be, they are basically unsolved riddles. Its very unsolved-mysterish although I haven't seen any murders on it so far.

I really enjoy "Disappeared" from the ID channel. Its a 1 hour show dedicated to a fairly recent missing persons case. They even profiled the Niqui McCown case recently which of course UM also profiled.
I have watched a few episodes of Disappeared now and I like it. Thanks for the recommendation.

I think it's difficult to get the same spooky feel of UM without the music and - of course - Robert Stack. I don't even think I've ever watch any of the Virginia Madsen episodes because it never felt right.

On paper, AMW is pretty similar to UM, but as much as I respect John Walsh, the show has always been practically unwatchable for me. I just don't like the style or the tough-guy tone of the show. It's a personal preference.

I have watched a few episodes of Disappeared now and I like it. Thanks for the recommendation.

I think it's difficult to get the same spooky feel of UM without the music and - of course - Robert Stack. I don't even think I've ever watch any of the Virginia Madsen episodes because it never felt right.

On paper, AMW is pretty similar to UM, but as much as I respect John Walsh, the show has always been practically unwatchable for me. I just don't like the style or the tough-guy tone of the show. It's a personal preference.

Speaking of the show "Disappeared" I can't get their most recent episode out of my mind. One of the most bizarre cases I've heard about in a long time and would have made a great UM segment. An entire family disappears!! There's a ton about them online so here's a little more info:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/aug/04/mcstay-family-disappearance-remains-mystery/

AMW is a downgraded version of UM, IMO.

When it comes to the subject of comparing the two shows, it reminds me of similar topics such as Pepsi vs. Coke and Burger King vs. McDonalds.

As for the subject of "UM Substitute Shows," there is a TV show called Missing. The show profiles missing persons. It debuted in 2003 and airs in syndication. I saw Missing in 2004, but none of the local stations in my area currently carry it.

In case anyone is curious about the show, here's the web site.

http://www.usamissing.com/

Reading this topic made me realize that there aren't enough True Crime shows that involve unsolved crimes. It's actually sad since there's a greater need for unsolved cases to shown.

ID channel should do a show involving unsolved deaths. 'Disappeared' does a great job of covering missing people.

I have emailed lifetime and thanked them for showing the re-furbs of USM and also asked them to make some new ones...wouldn't that be great?

Also, I would love to trade some episodes recorded off Tv with Robert Stack....he really made USM.

Email me if you have any to trade....VHS is fine.

Thanks,:D

Reading this topic made me realize that there aren't enough True Crime shows that involve unsolved crimes. It's actually sad since there's a greater need for unsolved cases to shown.

I couldn't agree more, Zlatko. But you know what? When UM and AMW both took off, it wasn't long before copycat shows were attempted. During the late '80s and early '90s, there were at least four public service shows on the air: UM, AMW, Missing/Reward, and Crime Stoppers 800.

Missing/Reward, which was hosted by Stacy Keach, aired in first-run syndication from 1989 to 1992. It focused on a lot of missing person cases and had a phone number for viewers to call with tips relevant to any of the cases presented.

Crime Stoppers 800 was another syndicated series. It ran from 1989 to 1991 and was hosted by Edwin Hart, who shared his hosting duties with actual police officers. The series could be best described as an AMW clone. It profiled wanted fugitives and unsolved crimes. Since the reenactments were videotaped, Crime Stoppers 800 looked cheap. But thanks to the show, some fugitives were taken off the street.

If Missing/Reward and Crime Stoppers 800 were still on the air today, they would have been good UM substitutes. Plus, it was nice to have multiple shows of that kind on the air at the same time, since having only one such show on the air isn't enough.

I couldn't agree more, Zlatko. But you know what? When UM and AMW both took off, it wasn't long before copycat shows were attempted. During the late '80s and early '90s, there were at least four public service shows on the air: UM, AMW, Missing/Reward, and Crime Stoppers 800.

Missing/Reward, which was hosted by Stacy Keach, aired in first-run syndication from 1989 to 1992. It focused on a lot of missing person cases and had a phone number for viewers to call with tips relevant to any of the cases presented.

Crime Stoppers 800 was another syndicated series. It ran from 1989 to 1991 and was hosted by Edwin Hart, who shared his hosting duties with actual police officers. The series could be best described as an AMW clone. It profiled wanted fugitives and unsolved crimes. Since the reenactments were videotaped, Crime Stoppers 800 looked cheap. But thanks to the show, some fugitives were taken off the street.

If Missing/Reward and Crime Stoppers 800 were still on the air today, they would have been good UM substitutes. Plus, it was nice to have multiple shows of that kind on the air at the same time, since having only one such show on the air isn't enough.It's funny that there were less channels back then, yet there were more shows that involved unsolved crimes.

Discovery ID really should make a show based on unsolved murders/crimes. They could give it an UM-like atmosphere. It would also give old cases much needed attention, i.e. Lisa Ziegert, Kurt Sova, and others.

And I believe that A&E no longer runs "City Confidential" or "American Justice" anymore!!! That channel is turning in to the "Criminal Minds" channel......

And I believe that A&E no longer runs "City Confidential" or "American Justice" anymore!!! That channel is turning in to the "Criminal Minds" channel......
Right. Bill Kurtis stopped producing shows for A&E (American Justice, Investigative Reports, Cold Case Files). He still may be doing stuff for the History Channel, but I don't really know. He's currently working as a reporter for a local Chicago network affiliate (which is how he made his name in the first place). All of his A&E shows were excellent, and A&E has really gone down hill since he left.

City Confidential was never the same after Paul Winfield died. His voice was the show.

And I believe that A&E no longer runs "City Confidential" or "American Justice" anymore!!! That channel is turning in to the "Criminal Minds" channel......

City Confidential runs occasionally as does American Justice. However, both programs have been shown so many times that their appeal has definitely decreased. And given that they have bigger budget competitors these days in 48 Hours Mysteries and Dateline:NBC, it's unlikely that they would ever regain their previously dominant status, even producing new programs.

It's funny that there were less channels back then, yet there were more shows that involved unsolved crimes.

Even though cable existed back then (and came into existence in the '70s), there are certainly more channels now than there were in the '80s. But believe it or not, the format of shows like AMW and UM wasn't new when AMW and UM debuted in the late '80s. In fact, an early effort was done in the form of a TV show called Wanted.

Wanted was a half-hour documentary series that aired on CBS from October 1955 to January 1956. Walter McGraw, who died in 1979, was the narrator of the show. Like AMW and UM, Wanted featured reenactments of crimes and profiled wanted fugitives. There were also interviews with people associated with the criminal cases, such as law enforcement officers and victims' families. Also interviewed were families of the wanted fugitives, which gave them a chance to publicly plead with their loved ones to surrender.

Since Wanted aired during the early days of television, the show was evidently ahead of its time. Although there were some non-fiction (or "reality") shows in production during the 1950s - such as a variety of game shows - it appeared that most audiences weren't prepared for a show like Wanted. And I think that is the real reason why the show didn't last long. But one could see the short-lived TV show as one that helped pave the way for UM and AMW.

Sadly, I think American Justice is off the schedule at A&E for a while. It used to be on Fridays in the AM and PM afternoon slot but no more.

Hopefully it will be brought back. We can only take so much of Criminal Minds.......right?

Right now favorite subsitute shows for UM are
Disappeared
48 Hours Mystery
Forsenic Files
Celebrity Ghost Stories
My Ghost Story
I Survived

Right now favorite subsitute shows for UM are
Disappeared
48 Hours Mystery
Forsenic Files
Celebrity Ghost Stories
My Ghost Story
I Survived

I agree with your top 3, except I would put Forensic Files at #2. I don't agree with the others, mostly because I care nothing for ghost stories (though I do like UFO's but there are very few good shows about that topic nowadays).

I do love me some Disappeared, though. It is definitely #1 for me and is the best true crime show since UM itself. My only critique of it is that I wish they covered unsolved murders instead of just missing persons. I guess I have Forensic Files for the murders, though.

I agree with your top 3, except I would put Forensic Files at #2. I don't agree with the others, mostly because I care nothing for ghost stories (though I do like UFO's but there are very few good shows about that topic nowadays).

I do love me some Disappeared, though. It is definitely #1 for me and is the best true crime show since UM itself. My only critique of it is that I wish they covered unsolved murders instead of just missing persons. I guess I have Forensic Files for the murders, though.

I also like UFO stories and I agree there are very few shows about them right now. I tried to get into UFO Hunters on the History Channel but I couldn't get into it.

A new ABC show, Beyond Belief, sounds promising.

Lets just hope they will make some new UM soon!

Hey, I just caught UFOs: the Best Evidence Caught on Tape on the Biography channel. They showed some of the same footage featured on various UM segments. The one in Canada that came with a very awesome videotape and strange documents with a thumbprint marked "Guardian," they said was either a real UFO or a helicopter. I thought it had been definitely identified as a truck rigged up with lights? The top barely looked like a helicopter and definitely not a truck!

The one good thing about A&E is The First 48. While most of the cases do get solved, a lot don't. They also focus on a lot of inner city murders in low-income neighborhoods, which the media usually tends to ignore or not report on as much.

While it's not creepy or spooky and it is a reality show because you actually see witnesses and suspects get questioned and there are no reenactments, there was one episode that really creeped me out. A serial killer was on the loose in Kansas City and he made phone calls after the crimes. They played the calls and showed the crime scenes and you could definitely sense the fear in the neighborhood.

What's the new one with Beth Holloway? I've watched that one a few times. They did episodes on Amy Bradley and Lauria Bible/Ashley Freeman that were pretty good.

What's the new one with Beth Holloway? I've watched that one a few times. They did episodes on Amy Bradley and Lauria Bible/Ashley Freeman that were pretty good.

Beth Holloway's show is called Vanished. I've only watched maybe one and half episodes. I'm not positive that it's still in production. A quick trip around the website ought to answer that question, though.

http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/vanished-with-beth-holloway

Some true crime shows i like are dangerous women, disappeared, the fbi files, forensice files, 48 hours mysteries and crime mysteries.
Since I don't own a TV I sometimes catch some episodes online.

Along with Unsolved Mysteries, America's Most Wanted, Forensic Files, Cold Case Files, 48 Hours Mysteries, and Snapped! are my favorite real crime shows. Unsolved Mysteries definitely though is my most favorite. The music, the cases, the eerieness, the cheeriness, the nostalgia and of course, Robert Stack, make the show all so interesting and makes you come back to watch more. I don't think any other show out there can compete with Unsolved Mysteries.

Yes, I concur!! :D

It's funny that there were less channels back then, yet there were more shows that involved unsolved crimes.

That is strange. Is it possible most or all such cases are now online?

That is strange. Is it possible most or all such cases are now online?Internet websites like Charley Project have provided a new outlet for unsolved cases to be seen. However, I think TV allows cases to be seen by a broader audience. Disappeared is a good example of this.

Cold Case Files, American Justice, Forensic Files......they are all good but nothing beats Robert Stack and the original UM.

Dateline "Real Life Mysteries" is a good, too.

For those who, like me, really liked the ghost and UFO segments, the show Ancient Aliens on HT2 is surpassed by none in slinging the--uh--cashing in on the 2012 hysteria by, in the absence of fact, proposing some pretty wild but vastly entertaining theories.

i quite enjoyed "Million Dollar Mysteries". Pity it didn't last long.

Hands down, "Disappeared" is my favorite crime related show on tv right now. I feel it to be the closest thing to Unsolved Mysteries as well.

Hands down, "Disappeared" is my favorite crime related show on tv right now. I feel it to be the closest thing to Unsolved Mysteries as well.

I agree. The only thing slightly disappointing about "Disappeared" is that they hardly ever have updates to their shows.

I like Weird...or What? with William Shatner Tuesdays on SyFy. I can't watch UM. Seen 'em all a million times and there's never updates. :( Still, my loyalties remain with UM as I've never found a similar show I like as much.