Exclusive: Lifetime Cancels "America's Most Wanted"
Mar 28, 2013
by Michael Schneider


Lifetime has decided not to pick up another season of "America's Most Wanted", TV Guide Magazine has learned exclusively. The decision effectively ends the groundbreaking reality series after 25 seasons, at least for now.

Separately, however, the cable network is looking to stay in business with AMW host and executive producer John Walsh. Lifetime is developing a pilot, tentatively titled "John Walsh Investigates", which would take a different approach to Walsh's ongoing crime fighting and victims' advocacy work.

And although they declined comment, Walsh's production company and Twentieth Television (which distributes the show) are said to still be examining their options on whether or not to shop AMW elsewhere.





AMW ultimately ran for 44 episodes on Lifetime, resulting in 36 captures. But by the end of its run, AMW wasn't making much noise in the ratings for Lifetime.

The show's final episode aired October 12 and averaged just 807,000 viewers. Walsh and the AMW producers had been talking to Lifetime about producing another round of episodes, but ultimately a deal was not reached.





Since its launch on the then-fledgling Fox network in 1988, AMW has helped law enforcement capture 1,202 fugitives worldwide. Among recent notable cases, a tipster to AMW helped authorities find the "person of interest" in the shooting of Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen.

"I've seen a lot of shocking stuff and a lot of tough cases," Walsh said at the time. "You can be a crime victim anywhere in America."

Fox ended the show's original run in June 2011 after 24 seasons, but ordered a handful of specials and allowed Walsh to shop the regular series elsewhere.





Lifetime, which has found success through the years with TV movies based on real-life crimes (as well as repeats of "Unsolved Mysteries") eventually picked up AMW for its 25th season.

AMW debuted on Lifetime in December 2011, and did well enough to earn a pickup of 20 more episodes in March 2012.

But as it has been off the air in recent months, AMW missed a number of high-profile stories, including the elementary school shootings in Newtown, Conn., and the Southern California manhunt for fugitive Christopher Dorner.





It's an end of an era, of sorts, for the two shows that made up Fox's Saturday night lineup for nearly two decades. As AMW goes off the air, Fox is also mulling the fate of COPS, which only aired sporadically on the network this season.

COPS executive producer John Langley told TV Guide Magazine that he would shop the long-running series elsewhere this spring should Fox decide not to pick up another season.





Don't count AMW out yet, however. The show was canceled twice by Fox — besides 2011, it was also briefly dropped in 1996 (and revived just days later after outcry from law enforcement and government officials).

AMW is still seen as an important vehicle for locating fugitives, even if the show doesn't command as large an audience as it once did.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Americas...d-1063277.aspx
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Damn it! I always enjoyed watching AMW. More importantly, it served a vital function. I really hope it gets picked up elsewhere.

I never watched AMW. I'm disappoint in lifetime very TLC-ish transformation. No good channels anymore..even history channel has fallen for the hype.

I really wouldn't call UM a failure.

It's sad how society's interest in true crimes shows has dwindled. There is still alot of hardcore UM fanatics (some who love AMW and other true crime shows as well), but alot of people are into those fake crime show series that Hollywood has added special effects to so that people's attention are grabbed. Not alot of people have the cognitivity anymore to sit and listen to real crime show stories anymore.

It's sad how society's interest in true crimes shows has dwindled. There is still alot of hardcore UM fanatics (some who love AMW and other true crime shows as well), but alot of people are into those fake crime show series that Hollywood has added special effects to so that people's attention are grabbed. Not alot of people have the cognitivity anymore to sit and listen to real crime show stories anymore.

I wouldn't exactly argue society's "interest in true crime shows" has dwindled. Bio survives largely on true crime shows.

Before we go basking in our own greatness, bear in mind the reason WE started watching UM in the first place is because it entertained us. It's no different than the true crime shows of today. Just because it offends our sensibilities to see camp and ridiculous special effects in true crime shows doesn't mean no one's actively watching those shows with at least empathy for victims and/or a desire to help them and to combat crime in general.

I really wouldn't call UM a failure.

I concur.

I concur.

Hasn't been on the air with new episodes in ages (no matter what host..). And got kicked off of CBS/NBC prior to Lifetime. Reruns got demoted to 3 AM every Tuesday that's not this Tuesday on Spike, if you are standing on your head, got pulled entirely from Lifetime.

It's all about the money. I have long thought ratings were not a good indication of public interest.

Hasn't been on the air with new episodes in ages (no matter what host..). And got kicked off of CBS/NBC prior to Lifetime. Reruns got demoted to 3 AM every Tuesday that's not this Tuesday on Spike, if you are standing on your head, got pulled entirely from Lifetime.

It didn't fail. It served it's purpose in it's time but now it's time has clearly passed. Unsolved Mysteries was quite groundbreaking and unique for it's time and it should not be surprising that in the late eighties and early nineties it hooked in viewers on a weekly basis. The combination of intriguing mysteries and potential viewer interaction was a winning combination no doubt and allowed production to branch out and profile other types of stories throughout the run of the series.

The problem is like anything else after several years of plying the same format, it became somewhat stale which I why I believe the philosophy of the show shifted in the later years towards a more "Ripley's Believe It Or Not" type program and less to do with the profiling and apprehension of criminals.

It also didn't help that by the mid-nineties, the internet was beginning to compete with television as a source of entertainment for many people. UM aside it's easy to see that by the end of the nineties the entire landscape of network television had changed and networks had to reassess their marketing strategies because the old regime was beginning to fade.

We were lucky as UM fans to have a network such as "Lifetime" that broadcast the show on a daily basis for us to enjoy far past it's expiration date. My belief has always been that Lifetime's loyalty to UM had more to do with the fact that in the early nineties it was basically their flagship show which their entire network was built around. It likely drew the biggest ratings for the network back in those days and therefore they kept renewing the contract even when production ceased on new episodes. Heck "Lifetime" even tried to bring the show back to life a few times but as I mentioned by that point it's time had passed.

UM didn't fail. It simply just ran it's course.

it'd be better if they never went to Lifetime where they started doing lost love segments way too much


people want murder and missing people segments not someone who is looking for their long lost great aunt twice removed

it'd be better if they never went to Lifetime where they started doing lost love segments way too much


people want murder and missing people segments not someone who is looking for their long lost great aunt twice removed

I would be very surprised if Lost Loves did not bring in an audience for them as there are people who eat that sort of stuff up with a fork and spoon. I am not among them mind you but those stories had their place on the series and were a core part of the show long before it's move to Lifetime.

but when they came to lifetime they doubled the lost loves crap

I'm grateful that they did what they could to bring UM
back to its audience but every time I think of Lifetime,
I have horrible visions of sappy Lost Loves and
Resurrection Mary. :eek:

I'm grateful that they did what they could to bring UM
back to its audience but every time I think of Lifetime,
I have horrible visions of sappy Lost Loves and
Resurrection Mary. :eek:
"I never want to see her again"

I never watched AMW. I'm disappoint in lifetime very TLC-ish transformation. No good channels anymore..even history channel has fallen for the hype.

A lot of the programming on television today are shows that, in the '80s at least, most networks wouldn't have touched with a ten foot pole, but were receptive to shows like UM and AMW. Sadly, it's now the other way around.

In a recent CBS interview, John Walsh said in no uncertain terms that shows like AMW should be on television. His consensus carries a lot of weight with me, especially since my work place is not far from where the Boston Marathon bombings took place. I mean, AMW's cancellation has been very hard to take, but what happened here in my home state has made the setback more distressing. :(

I think AMW and UM could find new life on the Investigation Discovery channel. That channel seems to be producing a ton of shows about crime with the format of part interview part recreation that made UM and AMW so good. I have the perfect lineup for that cannel.
Unsolved Mysteries
America's Most Wanted
Rescue 911
Top Cops
Real Stories of the Highway Patrol

I would LOVE that channel

I think AMW and UM could find new life on the Investigation Discovery channel. That channel seems to be producing a ton of shows about crime with the format of part interview part recreation that made UM and AMW so good. I have the perfect lineup for that cannel.
Unsolved Mysteries
America's Most Wanted
Rescue 911
Top Cops
Real Stories of the Highway Patrol

I would LOVE that channel

:D I'd like that too

but when they came to lifetime they doubled the lost loves crap
I disagree with your statements here. It is not surprising to see that the lost love segments were shown more on lifetime(if that was indeed the case). You also have to remember that even then, in the late 90's and early 2000's, shows like UM were one of the only mediums that people had for finding lost loved ones. there was no facebook then. I myself didn't care for the lost love segments until I met my wife and she searched for her father for 20 years. I also enjoyed the segments where many of our veterans were able to reunite with people that they met at war. those stories are just as impactful as any low life criminal that is profiled/apprehended on the show.

The true greatness of UM is that it covered just about everything. they wern't afraid to profile anything and because of that they have a nice audience that still watches their show.

It didn't fail. It served it's purpose in it's time but now it's time has clearly passed. Unsolved Mysteries was quite groundbreaking and unique for it's time and it should not be surprising that in the late eighties and early nineties it hooked in viewers on a weekly basis. The combination of intriguing mysteries and potential viewer interaction was a winning combination no doubt and allowed production to branch out and profile other types of stories throughout the run of the series.

The problem is like anything else after several years of plying the same format, it became somewhat stale which I why I believe the philosophy of the show shifted in the later years towards a more "Ripley's Believe It Or Not" type program and less to do with the profiling and apprehension of criminals.

It also didn't help that by the mid-nineties, the internet was beginning to compete with television as a source of entertainment for many people. UM aside it's easy to see that by the end of the nineties the entire landscape of network television had changed and networks had to reassess their marketing strategies because the old regime was beginning to fade.

We were lucky as UM fans to have a network such as "Lifetime" that broadcast the show on a daily basis for us to enjoy far past it's expiration date. My belief has always been that Lifetime's loyalty to UM had more to do with the fact that in the early nineties it was basically their flagship show which their entire network was built around. It likely drew the biggest ratings for the network back in those days and therefore they kept renewing the contract even when production ceased on new episodes. Heck "Lifetime" even tried to bring the show back to life a few times but as I mentioned by that point it's time had passed.

UM didn't fail. It simply just ran it's course.
I agree with you. I actually stopped watching UM in the 90s when it was on NBC/CBS(mostly because it creeped me out) and picked it back up when it was on lifetime. I would never watch lifetime if it wasn't for UM. I think I watched every airing(robert stack) that came on lifetime for about 3 to 4 years. At the end of the day the show died when bob stack passed away. It would be very difficult to re-create the show and air it as it once was. Although, it could be possible if they find a great host and they would need to do new cases. What is kind of weird is that you see multiple shows that air on television that cover what UM did all in one show.

I agree with you. I actually stopped watching UM in the 90s when it was on NBC/CBS(mostly because it creeped me out) and picked it back up when it was on lifetime. I would never watch lifetime if it wasn't for UM. I think I watched every airing(robert stack) that came on lifetime for about 3 to 4 years. At the end of the day the show died when bob stack passed away. It would be very difficult to re-create the show and air it as it once was. Although, it could be possible if they find a great host and they would need to do new cases. What is kind of weird is that you see multiple shows that air on television that cover what UM did all in one show.


I also do not agree with the title of this thread. "Ultimate failure of U.M." This show was not a failure, ever. So, it's finally being put to rest after originally running and then running for a very long time in re-runs and re-makes. Great show, Lost Loves and all!

The Lost Love segments, mixed with the crime and supernatural segments brought viewers to U.M., who probably would have never tuned in. Broader audience was good for U.M.

It didn't fail. It served it's purpose in it's time but now it's time has clearly passed. Unsolved Mysteries was quite groundbreaking and unique for it's time and it should not be surprising that in the late eighties and early nineties it hooked in viewers on a weekly basis. The combination of intriguing mysteries and potential viewer interaction was a winning combination no doubt and allowed production to branch out and profile other types of stories throughout the run of the series.

The problem is like anything else after several years of plying the same format, it became somewhat stale which I why I believe the philosophy of the show shifted in the later years towards a more "Ripley's Believe It Or Not" type program and less to do with the profiling and apprehension of criminals.

It also didn't help that by the mid-nineties, the internet was beginning to compete with television as a source of entertainment for many people. UM aside it's easy to see that by the end of the nineties the entire landscape of network television had changed and networks had to reassess their marketing strategies because the old regime was beginning to fade.

We were lucky as UM fans to have a network such as "Lifetime" that broadcast the show on a daily basis for us to enjoy far past it's expiration date. My belief has always been that Lifetime's loyalty to UM had more to do with the fact that in the early nineties it was basically their flagship show which their entire network was built around. It likely drew the biggest ratings for the network back in those days and therefore they kept renewing the contract even when production ceased on new episodes. Heck "Lifetime" even tried to bring the show back to life a few times but as I mentioned by that point it's time had passed.

UM didn't fail. It simply just ran it's course.


The problem is that there is no way with the Internet to solve these cases now that UM is gone. There's no one site people trust. Websleuths tries but fails. That's why people want UM back so badly.

The problem is that there is no way with the Internet to solve these cases now that UM is gone. There's no one site people trust. Websleuths tries but fails. That's why people want UM back so badly.

That last sentence reminds me of the recent CBS interview in which John Walsh stressed the importance of America's Most Wanted, saying that it "needs to be on television." Not only do I agree with that statement, but I feel the same way about UM.

The problem is that there is no way with the Internet to solve these cases now that UM is gone. There's no one site people trust. Websleuths tries but fails.

:confused: I don't understand this at all.

The Internet actually takes the middle man, so to speak, out of 98% of "lost love" situations. Many people searching for their birth parents or siblings today only need access to the Internet to locate them. So there's that.

Then there are crimes. At the end of the day, television shows like UM and AMW only provide exposure to cases. They do not single-handedly resolve them. That's the ultimate responsibility of law enforcement and the courts, and those are the only entities with any real authority to do so. These shows were tools to bring out people with pertinent information. They were valuable tools, but I often feel that giving sole credit to UM and AMW for case resolution is like singularly praising the wheels of a car and completely ignoring the driver. If it weren't for the petitions and efforts of law enforcement, investigators, attorneys, and loved ones, neither of those shows would've profiled a damn thing (and I think John Walsh often made a point of stressing that basic sentiment on AMW).

There have been more than a few cases profiled on UM that have been solved well after the show was cancelled during a time in which no network was showing reruns. While it's nice to rerun the show, it's not utterly, completely, and totally necessary to resolve any given case. And I would argue that the Internet is actually a far more viable place to publicize cases than television in the current day and age. If it's about the victims and their families, who gives a damn how it gets out to the public as long as it gets out to the greatest number of individuals possible, in the BEST possible way? If the vast majority of people aren't going to watch a twenty-three year-old UM segment, then so be it. Package it in a "better" way so it stands a greater chance of reaching the majority. I don't need to satisfy my personal preference and enjoyment of UM if it's not the best way to publicize an unresolved case.

:confused: I don't understand this at all.

The Internet actually takes the middle man, so to speak, out of 98% of "lost love" situations. Many people searching for their birth parents or siblings today only need access to the Internet to locate them. So there's that.

Then there are crimes. At the end of the day, television shows like UM and AMW only provide exposure to cases. They do not single-handedly resolve them. That's the ultimate responsibility of law enforcement and the courts, and those are the only entities with any real authority to do so. These shows were tools to bring out people with pertinent information. They were valuable tools, but I often feel that giving sole credit to UM and AMW for case resolution is like singularly praising the wheels of a car and completely ignoring the driver. If it weren't for the petitions and efforts of law enforcement, investigators, attorneys, and loved ones, neither of those shows would've profiled a damn thing (and I think John Walsh often made a point of stressing that basic sentiment on AMW).

There have been more than a few cases profiled on UM that have been solved well after the show was cancelled during a time in which no network was showing reruns. While it's nice to rerun the show, it's not utterly, completely, and totally necessary to resolve any given case. And I would argue that the Internet is actually a far more viable place to publicize cases than television in the current day and age. If it's about the victims and their families, who gives a damn how it gets out to the public as long as it gets out to the greatest number of individuals possible, in the BEST possible way? If the vast majority of people aren't going to watch a twenty-three year-old UM segment, then so be it. Package it in a "better" way so it stands a greater chance of reaching the majority. I don't need to satisfy my personal preference and enjoyment of UM if it's not the best way to publicize an unresolved case.

Tell all that to families of those listed on the "Cold Case" section of Websleuths. The threads no one replies to and no one cares about. Many of those families have plain lost hope. The Internet did nothing for them.

Tell all that to families of those listed on the "Cold Case" section of Websleuths. The threads no one replies to and no one cares about. Many of those families have plain lost hope. The Internet did nothing for them.

I would not feel uncomfortable doing that (not that it's my place). I have a strong feeling that many of them are probably extremely grateful for the Internet, actually. It brings exposure to their loved ones' cases from all over the world, disseminates information efficiently, and joins people that care for these total strangers and their families together that otherwise never would have met. Kind of like this board does. I think saying that "no one cares" and "____ did nothing for them" is more than a little short-sighted--and, if I can beg your pardon, a piss-poor attitude. Gloom-dooming and moaning about everything under the sun related to this show not being on the air anymore doesn't do anything for anyone, either.

Again, the Internet and shows like UM and AMW are merely a tool used by the actual entities--law enforcement and the judiciary--that resolve crime and missing persons cases. They are not the end-all-be-all, alpha and omega of the investigation.

The Internet "does nothing" for anyone--until it does. Carlina White and Heather Relf are two examples that come immediately to mind. You and I aren't family and friends of these individuals. We don't know what law enforcement agencies, investigators, and other groups are involved, or what work they're doing, or how hard they've been at work. Those with boo-hoo-failure attitudes aren't the people who've been working missing person and homicide cases for twenty years straight, or keep putting out information about their loved ones despite getting no new information for decades. They're not whining. What's your excuse?

Those with boo-hoo-failure attitudes aren't the people who've been working missing person and homicide cases for twenty years straight, or keep putting out information about their loved ones despite getting no new information for decades. They're not whining. What's your excuse?

You have no clue what I (or others who are upset with Cosgrove/Meurer) do to help find missing people or try to help bring exposure to cases so they can be solved. Go outside a Walmart with fliers and see how few even want to look or talk. Same goes for the Internet - they'd rather comment on Gangnam Style.

If Cosgrove/Meurer cared and the networks cared a little more about the cases then about making millions then perhaps we could have a show again and just maybe they could be helping solve more cases with the public's help. When Robert Stack was alive and involved you sensed he actually gave a damn about some of the cases.

If that's whining, so be it, no point in rehashing The Wackers further or The Baskins. We need new cases on TV.

And if Cosgrove really cared they'd stop taking cases off the forbidden site for missing/cold cases . They don't want BigFoot up there- fine- no problem. Chair of Death? Fine, no problem. Ghosts/aliens? Resurrection Mary? Fine, fine. But if they cared (which I'm not so sure they do) they should not deprive families of finding closure . I noticed someone else is putting missing / unsolved murders up online again but I'm sure those will be gone soon.

You have no clue what I do to help find missing people or try to help bring exposure to cases so they can be solved.

Great. Then keep up the good work and tell us about that instead of relegating your posts to complaints about Cosgrove-Meurer every time an opportunity presents itself.

If Cosgrove/Meurer cared and the networks cared a little more about the cases then about making millions then perhaps we could have a show again and they could be helping solve more cases with the public's help. When Robert Stack was alive and involved you sensed he actually gave a damn about some of the cases.

That's not any U.S. production company or network's operational schema. Capitalism is about turning a profit. I'm not at all arguing the moral correctness. It just is what it is.

I didn't know Robert Stack. I don't know how invested he was, and frankly it doesn't matter.

We can seethe at Cosgrove-Meurer and the networks all day, but ultimately, like I've said three times now, solving cases isn't their responsibility. I feel like it's more important to support families, friends, law enforcement, and the courts through creative means (such as the Internet. Look at Charley Project) than to bemoan the cancellation of a show (with well over a decade's run) twelve years ago and spout off about how "selfish" for-profit television companies are. It sucks. We got it. Let's move on.

But if they cared (which I'm not so sure they do)

I have no idea why this seems to be a shocking concept to you.

Great. Then keep up the good work and tell us about that instead of relegating your posts to complaints about Cosgrove-Meurer every time an opportunity presents itself.



That's not any U.S. production company or network's operational schema. Capitalism is about turning a profit. I'm not at all arguing the moral correctness. It just is what it is.

I didn't know Robert Stack. I don't know how invested he was, and frankly it doesn't matter.

We can seethe at Cosgrove-Meurer and the networks all day, but ultimately, like I've said three times now, solving cases isn't their responsibility. I feel like it's more important to support families, friends, law enforcement, and the courts through creative means (such as the Internet. Look at Charley Project) than to bemoan the cancellation of a show (with well over a decade's run) twelve years ago and spout off about how "selfish" for-profit television companies are. It sucks. We got it. Let's move on.

Damn, you sure like carrying water for C-M. Not going to get anywhere with you. Go back to talking about Resurrection Mary or something. lol.

Damn, you sure like carrying water for C-M.

It's just basic American economics, dude. I'm sure few people here like it. I don't. But it is what it is.

MegtheEgg on point, as usual.

With all the damn cable channels, I don't get why no one else has picked up on unsolved mysteries style. Its not like AMC, in that it does more then just fugitive crimes. It looks back on crimes decades old, looks at UFO, bizzare murders, ect. I mean Discovery I.D has all these whacky little shows on that are 30 minutes long, but not unsolved mysteries? Just don't understand it.