I just came across this link with a Q&A section listing some recent questions, and one of the readers submitted a question about the status of UM.

http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/tvradio/rabid-fans-can-only-wish-for-batman-show-on-dvd-ir3mcl4-137439198.html

Q.I enjoy watching repeats of "Unsolved Mysteries" on Lifetime, and I'm curious to know if Lifetime or any other network has considered making new episodes.

- Danielle Steffy,
Wyomissing, Pa.

A. Some of the episodes were made expressly for Lifetime when the cable network first ran the series 10 years ago. When it moved to Spike TV in 2008, Dennis Farina became the new host (original host Robert Stack had died), and the existing material was repackaged with a new look and even new music, with updates provided on the original cases.

Presently, Lifetime's resources for shows of that nature are going toward new episodes of "America's Most Wanted," which the network picked up after the program's weekly run on Fox was terminated. However, considering that "Unsolved Mysteries" has been shown somewhere almost constantly since 1987, it may yet have its day again in terms of fully original telecasts.

Thanks for that bit of info, there's still hope...

I think if they'd go back to the original UM format, without the rock music, choppy re-editing, and silly graphics, this show would still have an audience. They cheesed up the show with their "hip" remake and that doesn't work for the longtime fans. I actually think it doesn't really work for the new demographic they were trying to reach, either.

Eliminate the useless extra stuff and present the program in the way that made it so popular. IMO, there is definitely hope for a new UM. True crime programming is very popular, even in reruns: Dr. G, New Detectives, Disappeared, FBI files, I almost got away with it, Deadly Women, AMW, City Confidential, etc, etc...

I agree. Some reworking would be in order. Updating as well. But it is nice to see that there still may be a ray of hope!

I wish they would go back to the older format.

They might re-air the original series? That would be so awesome.

I guess there is always hope but I wish Lifetime would at least make a statement on what their future plans are for the show.

They might re-air the original series? That would be so awesome.

If you said that based on the words "original telecasts", you misunderstood. When the Q&A said "original telecasts", they meant first-run episodes.

If you said that based on the words "original telecasts", you misunderstood. When the Q&A said "original telecasts", they meant first-run episodes.

I thought they meant the 1987-2002 Robert Stack stuff...:(

Just curious, but who was the question posed to? A Lifetime employee?

Just curious, but who was the question posed to? A Lifetime employee?

Whoever was the source of the email address at the bottom of the page (tvpipeline@tribune.com), which would be a staff member of that site. Assorted TV-related questions are sent to the email address in question.

I guess there is always hope but I wish Lifetime would at least make a statement on what their future plans are for the show.

Well, the fact that Lifetime is silent on the matter is very telling: They currently have nothing planned for the show, other than airing reruns. But yes, there is always hope.

Lifetime is going wild with AMW on fridays. They show little marathons of previous episodes before the new one is shown.

I wonder how the ratings are for the new AMW. I try to watch the reruns and new eppie every week. I don't want to see them go off the air again.

If AMW turns out to be a good thing for lifetime, it could drum up more interest for UM, but since they were sort of competitors back in the day, would CM even consider making new episodes for the same network?

Personally, I would see the two shows as a complement to each other, with one being kind of a lead in type thing for the other, but who knows how the minds of TPTB work.

If AMW turns out to be a good thing for lifetime, it could drum up more interest for UM, but since they were sort of competitors back in the day, would CM even consider making new episodes for the same network?

I guess one would have to ask CM, but I do have a feeling that the competition between the two shows would make it awkward. That would be like Dallas and Dynasty being produced for the same network at the same time, or Coke and Pepsi being owned by the same company.

Lifetime is going wild with AMW on fridays. They show little marathons of previous episodes before the new one is shown.

I wonder how the ratings are for the new AMW. I try to watch the reruns and new eppie every week. I don't want to see them go off the air again.

If AMW turns out to be a good thing for lifetime, it could drum up more interest for UM, but since they were sort of competitors back in the day, would CM even consider making new episodes for the same network?

Personally, I would see the two shows as a complement to each other, with one being kind of a lead in type thing for the other, but who knows how the minds of TPTB work.

It's doing horrible. The best I have seen is a 0.4 in the demographic, and sometimes it doesn't even chart. It barely gets a million viewers at its peak.

Those kind of numbers (actually she had better) get something like Rosanne's lifetime show cancelled, so I wouldn't be shocked with as expensive as AMW is, that it is not renewed.

Here's a few weeks ago.

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/01/17/friday-cable-ratings-gold-rush-more-golden-smackdown-merlin-real-time-with-bill-maher-more/116579/

It's doing horrible.

Well that sucks. I look forward to friday evenings because of AMW. I would miss it if it gets cancelled. This is probably the first time in my life that I've actually watched it fairly religiously. I just finished reading John Walsh's book, Tears of Rage, and plan on buying others.

BTW, he made kind of a funny comment in Tears of Rage. They were cancelling AMW in the 90s and someone alluded to UM. John Walsh was trying to make a point about AMW being valuable because they specialized in catching criminals. He seemed exasperated and said, We don't profile UFOs!

I just finished reading John Walsh's book, Tears of Rage, and plan on buying others.

I have read that book and his other two books (No Mercy and Public Enemies). Walsh himself was apparently surprised that Tears of Rage sold well, because he once admitted in a TV interview that he didn't think anyone would read that book, noting that it's a tough one to read.


BTW, he made kind of a funny comment in Tears of Rage. They were cancelling AMW in the 90s and someone alluded to UM. John Walsh was trying to make a point about AMW being valuable because they specialized in catching criminals. He seemed exasperated and said, We don't profile UFOs!

I vividly remember that part of the book. The book doesn't mention UM by name, but you can tell that Walsh was referencing the show by noting that AMW doesn't feature UFO stories.