I am not talking about Resurrection Mary or Aphrodisiac chocolates...those segments stunk from day one. I am talking about segments that were really good when they aired, but have become stale due to overwatching and overdiscussing. For me, some examples would be:

--Circleville
--Tammy Lynn Leppert
--Gordon Page
--Clifford Sherwood
--George Owens

What are your thoughts?

I am not talking about Resurrection Mary or Aphrodisiac chocolates...those segments stunk from day one. I am talking about segments that were really good when they aired, but have become stale due to overwatching and overdiscussing. For me, some examples would be:

--Circleville
--Tammy Lynn Leppert
--Gordon Page
--Clifford Sherwood
--George Owens

What are your thoughts?

I would keep in mind there are a number of posters who enjoy the paranormal segments.

Going back to a discussion on the board about a week ago, I think this thread title does very well to illustrate UM's primary function as entertainment, rather than a crime- and disappearance-resolution tool.

I have always had more interest in some segments than in others. I don't really tire of the ones that particularly interest me, and very often I will find new interest in segments that didn't previously pique me as much. I personally don't feel it's prudent to mention the specific segments as family members and friends of those involved often read our board and I would not want to hurt them by labeling their loved ones' stories "boring" or "cliche", particularly if they are victims of unsolved crime or have disappeared.

I agree,I hope they never get old for some ppl b/c you never know which one could be the one aired that gets the case solved.

It all goes in cycles for me. One week I might be interested in a certain segment, and then the next it's something different. I used to think that the "Lost Loves" and "Fraud" segments were boring, but now I'm watching more and more of them and find them more interesting than I did before. I never tire of UM, even some of the "laughable" segments.

Resurrection Mary. I used to LOVE that segment because of the whole blank face thing but Lifetime ran the heck out of it to the point that the shock/scare factor was lost for me. :(

the only segments I care for are:


murders/attempted murders
UFO's
missing people
urban legends
lost heirs
scam artists
lost treasures

thankfully those were at least 80% of the show pre-life time.


so all the ghost stuff wasn't really up my alley so to speak...same with the stupid Lost Loves segments which 95% of where garbage....and same with the STUPID segments like that woman who grew gold out of her head :D

Resurrection Mary. I used to LOVE that segment because of the whole blank face thing but Lifetime ran the heck out of it to the point that the shock/scare factor was lost for me. :(

yeah it was a nice story the first time but seeing it on every 2 weeks pissed me off :D

Shall we pay Resurrection Mary a visit? I'm not going alone, that's for sure. :lol: :eek:

yeah it was a nice story the first time but seeing it on every 2 weeks pissed me off :D

I thought it was more frequent than that! :lol:

I don't get tired of the missing persons cases - unless actual fact-finding as proven that they likely died and the parent/s didn't accept that reality. In my mind, the next redheaded man I see could be Gordon Page for all I know.

The aphrodisiac and the gold leaf lady and other segments of that ilk don't necessarily bore me, I just kind of ignore them the way I do the Star Trek episode The Omega Glory. I just pretend I never saw them and they don't actually exist. :crazy:

Sure, I ignore the Circleville thread on here because I have my own conclusion and unless there is actual new news, then the discussion of it isn't particularly interesting to me. I'm "tired" of the case, I just don't have anything else to say about it at this point.

For the most part, these cases are about people and their families and I know if I had was ever in a position where a show like UM could have given me a voice I would be very upset to see people say "Oh, that XXXXXX case is so boring now." I know I'd just feel terrible that someone is "bored" with my plight.

My suggestion is to look throw the UM wiki and find some cases that aren't discussed on here as frequently and start some new threads. Rather than bemoaning how some segments are 'stale', focus on the ones that aren't 'stale' for you. =)

I never get tired of missing person cases or unexplained deaths.

They are always so fascinating.

As far as ones I'm burnt out on discussing:

Jeffrey MacDonald
Darlie Routier

To me, Gordon Page, Clifford Sherwood and George Owens will never be boring or cliche because they were so incredibly sad. And not a single one of their bodies has been located to this day...which makes them even more sad.

I think the best case that falls under this topic is the Elizabeth Ortiz/poison milkshake segment. All except the part where we hear in a very monotone voice, "He's got Jonathan!" :lol:

Granted, the recent developments that have happened between Jonathan and his father are pretty sad but the segment itself? Yikes.

Well, I agree with what Meg said about not wanting to call any case "boring" out of respect for those involved.

I will say, however, that this forum has really burned me out on discussing two cases in particular:

The Baskins and Angela Hammond.

Well, I agree with what Meg said about not wanting to call any case "boring" out of respect for those involved.

I will say, however, that this forum has really burned me out on discussing two cases in particular:

The Baskins and Angela Hammond.

That is sad, considering she has been missing for 21 years and is most likely dead.

That is sad, considering she has been missing for 21 years and is most likely dead.

Discussing is just that - discussion. I'm not really sure what else can be said about the *case* of Angela Hammond at this point until there are is a new discovery or some sort of lead. Her case is another one I don't really feel any point in contributing because how many times does it need to be said that it's a heartbreaking case?

Discussing is just that - discussion. I'm not really sure what else can be said about the *case* of Angela Hammond at this point until there are is a new discovery or some sort of lead. Her case is another one I don't really feel any point in contributing because how many times does it need to be said that it's a heartbreaking case?

Was just saying. Her parents are still heartbroken over her disappearance, that's one thing certain. I think about these missing people's families alot. I could never imagine the pain they've been going through. I even sent in what I knew about another case and still haven't hear anything back from the SFPD.

There are some segments that maybe seem more tame to me now - I was probably about 10 when I started watching UM (in 1988) - and they had more of an impact because they were new, but also because I was young and naive.

The Liz Carmichael episode - I was SHOCKED when that wig came off.
Teri McClure shot in the car - that freaked me out as a kid. I can handle it now!
Nudist colony - totally foreign to my Upper Midwest young self.

I don't think any of them bore me, really. I think I just view them differently, ESPECIALLY episodes like Tina Resch, Miss Katie, etc. Back them I believed everything. Now I don't. As a kid, I'd want to believe people really were innocent when they said they were. I think I can look at it more objectively now. So that would be the difference for me.

My #1 pick for the case that was terrifying when it first aired, but lost a lot of its edge once it was solved is Omar the arsonist. It would probably still be disturbing if someone had actually been killed, but once you found out it was just some stupid punk teenager, it seems pretty silly when you watch it today. Still, I'm glad UM helped catch him before he had the chance to possibly do something worse.

And while I found the Ed Walters UFO story spooky when I saw it as a kid, I feel no shame in saying that the segment is less-than-captivating today.

I don't think any of them bore me, really. I think I just view them differently, ESPECIALLY episodes like Tina Resch, Miss Katie, etc. Back them I believed everything. Now I don't. As a kid, I'd want to believe people really were innocent when they said they were. I think I can look at it more objectively now. So that would be the difference for me.
me too.who would believe that eggs went flying thru a closed fridge door? I always wanted to see the door.LOL.I noticed they didn't show it.(I think Tina simply threw the eggs when her mother wasn't looking,and claimed otherwise).
I think Tina's mom really wanted to beleive she wasn't the one doing it,and she was trying to find info on IF such occurances could really happen.That said,I suspect in the back of her mind,she knew Tina was repsonsible,esp. since all was calm one Tina left the area.I feel bad for her though,esp. since she went out on a limb to be fair to Tina.

My #1 pick for the case that was terrifying when it first aired, but lost a lot of its edge once it was solved is Omar the arsonist. It would probably still be disturbing if someone had actually been killed, but once you found out it was just some stupid punk teenager, it seems pretty silly when you watch it today. Still, I'm glad UM helped catch him before he had the chance to possibly do something worse.

Looking back at the case, when I watched it as a kid, I didn't find it terrifying. The segment was interesting and memorable, no doubt, but the voice on the tape didn't scare me because I really thought it sounded like a kid. Especially the part where he says, "ancient spirits of evil," which was a common saying of the evil Mummra on the cartoon Thundercats - which was very popular at the time (and a show I obsessively watched.)

Now, had the voice on the tape been that of a full grown man with a deep, creepy voice, that would have been a whole different story. I'm sure I would have had nightmares for months.

me too.who would believe that eggs went flying thru a closed fridge door? I always wanted to see the door.LOL.I noticed they didn't show it.(I think Tina simply threw the eggs when her mother wasn't looking,and claimed otherwise).
I think Tina's mom really wanted to beleive she wasn't the one doing it,and she was trying to find info on IF such occurances could really happen.That said,I suspect in the back of her mind,she knew Tina was repsonsible,esp. since all was calm one Tina left the area.I feel bad for her though,esp. since she went out on a limb to be fair to Tina.

Many of the incidents could be written off. The only one that still gets me is this...

http://www.tampabayskeptics.org/poltergeist.jpg

How she could have pulled that off is still beyond me.

By far the #1 mystery for me was the Anastasia segment. When I was a kid and it came out, it was one of my favorite all time mysteries. I thought it was great and got hooked on it. But once it was find out that it wasn´t her, it totally destroyed it for me and became useless. I don´t know of a single mystery that was so destroyed. Now that segment is meaningless. It would have been so cool had it been her.

As for mysteries that the board tired me off: The Wackers, the Baskin, Angela Hammond and Cindy James.

By far the #1 mystery for me was the Anastasia segment. When I was a kid and it came out, it was one of my favorite all time mysteries. I thought it was great and got hooked on it. But once it was find out that it wasn´t her, it totally destroyed it for me and became useless. I don´t know of a single mystery that was so destroyed. Now that segment is meaningless. It would have been so cool had it been her.

Yeah, file this one under "UM segments that are enjoyable to watch because of the great production values even though the story is a load of bunk". I'd put the Georgia Rudolph story in that category as well.

Many of the incidents could be written off. The only one that still gets me is this...

http://www.tampabayskeptics.org/poltergeist.jpg

How she could have pulled that off is still beyond me.

Dang, how many phones did that family need in one room?

There's the handset flying across Tina's lap, a complete phone sitting on the table next to her, and it looks like another handset, like the one flying, is laying on the floor, partly obscured behind the other chair.

And anybody else remember those loooooooooooooooong phone cords from back in the day? In the 80 and early 90s, we had only one phone. It hung on the wall in the kitchen and had a huge cord like that. I used to have to pile it up on top of the phone to keep the babies from yanking the phone off the wall, but it was so handy, I could almost walk through the whole house while talking on the phone and could even sit out on the front porch. lol

Many of the incidents could be written off. The only one that still gets me is this...

http://www.tampabayskeptics.org/poltergeist.jpg

How she could have pulled that off is still beyond me.
true,but I think Tina was just good at slight-of-hand.She had to be in order to pull it off.Look at her hands...if she hadn't done it,her hands wouldn't be up in the air like that.Think about what would logically happen if an object came whizzing by you unexpectedly...you'd pull your hands up close to your chest.It's a natural instinct.
Also rewatch the segment...Tina tells you exactly why she threw the objects in school...she was mad because her teachers were making a big deal out of taking her out of the room to administer her meds,instead of just doing it quietly.
I think Tina was passive-aggressive,and she figured out a way to cause trouble and get ppl back,without getting into trouble herself,for the most part.The laws of physics just don't allow for objects to move on their own.(I realize that's debatable,but I'm not going there,JMO).

And anybody else remember those loooooooooooooooong phone cords from back in the day? In the 80 and early 90s, we had only one phone. It hung on the wall in the kitchen and had a huge cord like that.

Darlene, is that you? It's me, David. We used to be really tight...we were going to go to art school together! Remember that time when we cut class to go to that art museum in Chicago? Man, did we get our rights read! Anyway, I know you were never much for my poodle hair, but a lot of time has come and gone. Any chance we could meet up for a loose meat sandwich over at the Lunch Box?

Dang, how many phones did that family need in one room?

There's the handset flying across Tina's lap, a complete phone sitting on the table next to her, and it looks like another handset, like the one flying, is laying on the floor, partly obscured behind the other chair.

And anybody else remember those loooooooooooooooong phone cords from back in the day? In the 80 and early 90s, we had only one phone. It hung on the wall in the kitchen and had a huge cord like that. I used to have to pile it up on top of the phone to keep the babies from yanking the phone off the wall, but it was so handy, I could almost walk through the whole house while talking on the phone and could even sit out on the front porch. lol

Remember how the cord would get all kinked up if you weren't careful? I was so bad about that!

What is the name of the segment of the girl with the phone?
I have never seen that one.

Thanks!

What is the name of the segment of the girl with the phone?
I have never seen that one.

Thanks!

Tina Resch is the girl in the picture. She's now serving time in jail for the death of her three year old daughter. She has a wikipedia page, that goes into more detail here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tina_Resch

Originally Posted by FarinaforBrkfast
What is the name of the segment of the girl with the phone?
I have never seen that one.

I looked around here, tried google, and checked the UM wiki. I couldn't find the actual name of the UM segment. You can view it by entering her name into the search field at a certain site. Parts 1 and 2 are the first returns.

I mean come on guys you've only been talking about it for going on a decade now....:lol:

The David Bocks case always intrigued me. Maybe it's just because I love the creepy factor associated with nuclear stuff, plus the plant was shut down a few years later. And the fact the only recoverable evidence of his body was a leg bone and like half a pair of glasses...that's how hot the molten lead was...

The thing with the Gordon Page case that bothers me is the fact that nothing, not even one real clue of what happened or any further leads on the case, besides some "claim" that someone out in California saw him near a workout center, the last person to see him was a truck driver who said they saw someone that matched the profile of Gordon. Whats funny is that a couple of baseball cards (Gordon was a huge collector) were found I believe near an underpass or some major highway near the group home that Gordon was a patient at.

the only segments I care for are:


murders/attempted murders
UFO's
missing people
urban legends
lost heirs
scam artists
lost treasures

thankfully those were at least 80% of the show pre-life time.


so all the ghost stuff wasn't really up my alley so to speak...same with the stupid Lost Loves segments which 95% of where garbage....and same with the STUPID segments like that woman who grew gold out of her head :D
I disagree about the lost love cases, although I can understand how these might be boring for some viewers.

Before facebook and other social media took over these cases were gold for people that were searching for other loved ones. Some of the most memorable segments were lost loves, and the lost loves were never really my cup of tea until I met someone who searched for their father for years. I could see how personal it was and had a new appreciation for those segments.

Aside from that the thread says what cases were captivating and are boring now. If they were 95% garbage for you then you must not have once been captivated by them.

I would keep in mind there are a number of posters who enjoy the paranormal segments.

Going back to a discussion on the board about a week ago, I think this thread title does very well to illustrate UM's primary function as entertainment, rather than a crime- and disappearance-resolution tool.

I have always had more interest in some segments than in others. I don't really tire of the ones that particularly interest me, and very often I will find new interest in segments that didn't previously pique me as much. I personally don't feel it's prudent to mention the specific segments as family members and friends of those involved often read our board and I would not want to hurt them by labeling their loved ones' stories "boring" or "cliche", particularly if they are victims of unsolved crime or have disappeared.
I could not have said it better myself.


I was very much captivated by ghost segments and UFO segments. Some still captivate me and some don't. A couple that lost their luster for me are the allegash abductions and the civil war ghost(LA not gettysburg) I point to those because when I first watched them they were very captivating. Now when I watch them they are hard for me to believe. Speaking of gettysburg I've stayed on the college campus there and toured the city. I saw no paranormal activity, but it is chilling to see how they have preserved the history there. I highly recommend for people to visit that site.