"Forensic Files II" Renewed for Two More Seasons on HLN
by Jeremy Barr
5/12/20


Pleased with the success of their effort to reboot the cult classic show "Forensic Files", in which cold cases are solved in a breezy 30 minutes, HLN has decided to produce two more seasons of the criminal procedural "Forensic Files II".

The next 16-episode season will be released in 2021, following the February 2020 launch of the refreshed version, with another 16-episode season to follow.

CNN executive Ken Jautz, who oversees WarnerMedia cable network HLN, said "Forensic Files II", "exceeded expectations and was an unequivocal hit among viewers."




The second and third seasons will be narrated again by the new voice of the "Forensic Files" franchise, actor Bill Camp, who has channeled the spirit of the show's original longtime narrator, the late Peter Thomas.

"It's a holy grail of a job," he said of his role as narrator. "So many documentary crime series have tried to copy it or take it to a different place or frame it in a different way, but not to the degree of success that they've been able to do."




Executive producer Nancy Duffy said the law enforcement community was excited about the return of Forensic Files and was eager to offer up cases for the show to focus on, some of which were turned into episodes.

"They were thrilled to actually be able to showcase their new technology," she said. "They were thrilled to be able to share some of their investigations and stories."

Calling "Forensic Files II" "great counter-programming" to the national news cycle, Duffy said, "The series has a following, and it has a reputation, and we have to live up to it."

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/forensic-files-ii-renewed-two-more-seasons-hln-1294294

Good news, as it is one of my favorite shows!

That's good. Doing justice to the original FF has been no easy task, but the reboot is watchable. Although there are some differences between the original and reboot, such as the narrator, there are some similarities as well, such as the theme music. Bill Camp is no Peter Thomas, but so far he has done the best he has been able to do.

I would be lying if I said I had wanted a reboot of the series in the first place. FF ceased production in 2011, as TruTV had undergone a change in management by that time and was phasing out the its true crime format in favor of reality programming. As time passed, I accepted the probability that the series was done. When Peter Thomas died in April 2016, any hopes of the show being revived appeared to have been dashed. At the time, executive producer Paul Dowling seemed reluctant to make news episodes, as he stated that Peter Thomas couldn't be replaced and he (Paul) didn't want to "water down" the show. I shared his sentiment, as I worried that if the series were rebooted it wouldn't look or sound anything like the original. But when it was announced in October 2019 that the series would be coming back with new episodes, I decided to withhold my judgment until I gave it a chance. So far, the new FF has held its own while retaining the spirit of the original series.

FF works very well as a half-hour series. Indeed, there have been a few hour-long FF specials, but its half-hour format is very effective, as the stories are more concise and leave less room for "filler."

Thanks for the heads up OP! I'm a big fan of the original FF, and just recently saw a great episode of the reboot. Said episode featured the Cook/VanCuylenborg case, which was also previously shown on UM IIRC. It was nice to see that there was finally some closure in such a cold case.

Thanks for the heads up OP! I'm a big fan of the original FF, and just recently saw a great episode of the reboot. Said episode featured the Cook/VanCuylenborg case, which was also previously shown on UM IIRC. It was nice to see that there was finally some closure in such a cold case.

The Jay Cook/Tanya Van Cuylenborg case was featured on UM in 1989, so your memory is correct. When I saw FFII's "Family Tree" episode on the case, I was surprised that the series of taunting cards received by victims' families turned out to be a red herring. As you recall, the author of the cards was identified as a transient with mental health issues in 2010, and it was confirmed that he had no involvement in the homicides.

Good news but I wish we didn't have to wait so long.