What true crime shows remind you of Unsolved Mysteries and why?

[Gelatinous Goo]

Originally Posted by DALLASTEXAN!!

I am watching crime watch UK and it does have a lot of similarities with UM. I also think UM can be used as a sleep aid because of Stack's voice and the presentation of the interviews. Personally I found UM helped raise my level of curiosity of geography and crime watch UK would do the same. I lived in the UK for 3 years so I find it easy to watch and recognize locations of the larger towns and most counties. as for the ghettos I don't fully agree, but they do have some interesting areas. where I lived in Suffolk, one of my British friends said that their county was the Kentucky of the UK, their words not mine. I found that most brits have a better understanding of American geography than we do their country. And world geography in general.

I did visit a mechanic shop there once with a friend and it was one of the trashiest places that I've ever seen in my life. If you've seen the movie Snatch, it's worse than the trailer parks that they show, and that is a British movie that fueled stereotypes. Also one of my friends had his BMW stolen from his front yard while he was at home. We had a stabbing murder about 15 minutes away from where I lived in a park, to my knowledge it was never solved. I was also there during the Arianna Grande concert in Manchester. That was probably the most horrifying thing that happened when I was there. That said, in general I felt a lot safer in the UK than I do in the USA.

I agree with all your points! I think the majority of Europeans are much better versed than Americans in most things. Their public education systems are vastly superior for the most part. I'm Canadian, and feel like we fall in the middle of the other two in this regard.

I also routinely fall asleep to UM for the reasons you mantioned (also In Search Of...), but keep in mind that I've watched these clips a million times apiece. If they were new to me, I would be as riveted to my seat and screen as I was upon first viewing. Not so with the British shows for the reasons I already noted.

I did give that show a watch yesterday and couldn't get through it. While I definitely wish that wasn't the case, it was, so it looks like I'm out of luck for a new show to watch. I'm sure it's a very good show. The issue is my own!

[DALLASTEXAN!!]

Originally Posted by Gelatinous Goo

I agree with all your points! I think the majority of Europeans are much better versed than Americans in most things. Their public education systems are vastly superior for the most part. I'm Canadian, and feel like we fall in the middle of the other two in this regard.

I also routinely fall asleep to UM for the reasons you mantioned (also In Search Of...), but keep in mind that I've watched these clips a million times apiece. If they were new to me, I would be as riveted to my seat and screen as I was upon first viewing. Not so with the British shows for the reasons I already noted.

I did give that show a watch yesterday and couldn't get through it. While I definitely wish that wasn't the case, it was, so it looks like I'm out of luck for a new show to watch. I'm sure it's a very good show. The issue is my own!

I agree about UM being interesting if you go back in real time or first time viewing. But I think that goes together somewhat as well.

I watched the first and second episode of UK crime watch last night from 1984. Never saw those before. it was old and at times hard to stay interested. I think my understanding of the language and locations helped me, but generally a lot of it is dated like the much older segments of UM but worse. It’s one of those things that you probably needed to follow in the times in order to have a greater appreciation of it. But it is cool how much in common that show has with UM and perhaps even more AMW. I sometimes watch Dr. who and it reminds me of when I try to watch the older episodes. It’s just more difficult to keep my interest because of how old it is.

[ghosthouse]

I am watching Harlen Coben's Final Twist on CBS. I really like it and it does give me about the closest UM vibes from anything on the air right now. It is akin to every other 48 Hours or Dateline show but it does have narration by Coben, often walking around creepy sets in a trench coat. Anyone else like it?

[BuffaloBill]

4 that haven’t been mentioned that are great shows - History’s Greatest Mysteries with Laurence Fishburne, People Magazine Investigates, Dark Minds, and a show out of Canada syndicated in US - Finally Caught, old cold cases solved after decades.

[Mike82]

Missing Treasures was a relatively unknown show based in Canada hosted by Al Waxman that focused on children and young adults who were missing. There are a couple of clips on the "forbidden site" but it is otherwise very difficult to find online. The show has an uncanny resemblance to our favourite show right down to having a dedicated phone number and at least one case was featured on both shows (Charles Horvath-Allan) Even the reenactments were well done and in one local case they used the actual flower shop the missing person was last seen visiting.

The main reason it didn't last long was simple: there aren't many cases of missing children in Canada where the answer isn't obvious (i.e. non-custodial parent) or aren't solved quickly.

[Gelatinous Goo]

I have enjoyed most episodes of People Magazine Investigates.

As a Canadian, I definitely remember that Al Waxman show but needed your reminder about it, as it had completely escaped my memory! It was a good show, although I don't recall it lasting very long.