A new article about UM coming back! (This is no joke!)

[Kane]

You're not going to believe this, but Cosgrove/Meurer Productions and HBO Television Distribution are discussing plans to resurrect Unsolved Mysteries!

Since Lifetime's deal with the show expires in 2008, the producers are seeking potential buyers. So there's no word yet on what network will eventually acquire the show. UM producer John Cosgrove is hoping to hire Clancy Brown as the new host, but Brown has said that he is unavailable.

Check out the article for more details.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6454879.html

[RightOnDude]

Wow, 150+ new episodes?!?! man, 2008 can't get here quick enough.

[ForeverPluto]

Please don't play with my emotions!!!!!!!! Let it be true!!!!

[crystaldawn]

Well on one hand it would be great to see new UM's on the air. I think its great they're finally wanting to do updates to some of the older segments that have been solved. However I'm a bit worried at all the changes they want to do to it. I don't want them to get rid of all the things that made UM great. That last comment about some people that saw the new episode "didn't even recognize it" concerns me. Is anyone else in agreement?

[DarkDante]

Well there are several things that bother me about this honestly - It sounds like they are going to re-edit the segments again. Why can't they just broadcast the episodes of the show as originally aired? - That would be real um "original" to say the least. Also what Crystaldawn noted should be a huge concern as well for a lot of us "old school" fans.

I understand that if Clancy Brown is unavailable to take the position as host, HBO is thinking of contacting Heather Graupmann to come aboard to be the new host. The simple reason is that Graupmann is cute, trim and ready to party apparently. With all due respect to the late Robert Stack such adjectives never really described him

[catlover79]

That's good news but it wouldn't be the same without Robert Stack. I think Jonathan Frakes would be a good host, though, as he did that Fact or Fiction show before. I hope they keep the old theme, too - it rules!!

[Kane]

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

Well on one hand it would be great to see new UM's on the air. I think its great they're finally wanting to do updates to some of the older segments that have been solved. However I'm a bit worried at all the changes they want to do to it. I don't want them to get rid of all the things that made UM great. That last comment about some people that saw the new episode "didn't even recognize it" concerns me. Is anyone else in agreement?

I have concerns about that, too. One has to question the true motive for giving a series a makeover. It's one thing to do some tweaking here and there, but it's another make an extreme overhaul. The latter is often done out of desperation. In other words, some show producers are so desperate to keep a series afloat that they will sometimes resort to drastic changes. The important lesson here is to maintain as much originality as possible.

[wiseguy182]

even though I'm not thrilled with the new changes, it's better than nothing. But the fact that they would be changing it doesn't suprise me. nowadays, nothing is as good as it once was. The main change that concerned me was expanding the number of segment per show from 4 to 5. A lof the existing segments were time-compressed as it is, leaving out important details. So the average segment lasting 7 minutes if of great concern to me.

[kamy]

Oh my gosh, I trying to catch my breath here!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I haven't read the article yet, but as of right now, I'm in heaven....................................................................

[kamy]

Originally Posted by kamy

Oh my gosh, I trying to catch my breath here!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I haven't read the article yet, but as of right now, I'm in heaven....................................................................

Quoting myself here, but I read the article, I guess only time will tell how this refurbished UM will look. I have no idea who Clancy Brown is, but he bears a striking resemblance to Robert in his youth. I would kill for this gig btw, I modeled and dabbled in acting in my youth/teens, my dream job was co-hosting with Robert! Ahhhhhhhhh my first love

[crystaldawn]

Originally Posted by DarkDante

I understand that if Clancy Brown is unavailable to take the position as host, HBO is thinking of contacting Heather Graupmann to come aboard to be the new host. The simple reason is that Graupmann is cute, trim and ready to party apparently. With all due respect to the late Robert Stack such adjectives never really described him

I think she would be perfect for the job...

[LooksLikeCRicci]

Originally Posted by DarkDante

The simple reason is that Graupmann is cute, trim and ready to party apparently. With all due respect to the late Robert Stack such adjectives never really described him

LOL.... and you guys give ME crap about my supposed "love affair" with Dislimb? That's hilarious!

On a serious note... Heather, you'd be a great host. And if the show comes back, I'll be very happy. I'm a cynic, though. I'm not going to get my hopes up until it actually happens.

[DarkDante]

^ Shows how much I know, I thought you and Perman Gilbert would really hit it off

[LooksLikeCRicci]

LOL, Dante. I thought it was clear that my loyalties lie with Jesse James Hollywood.

[mozartpc27]

Me no like.

First of all, the only thing really promised for sure here are re-edits of the old episodes, and it sounds like they are embarking on doing some real hack-jobs:

HBO began knocking on doors last week, offering an all-cash deal for 175 refurbished episodes of the documentary-style series about unsolved crimes and paranormal occurrences... Work is under way to expand the number of unsolved evergreen stories from four to five per episode, each cut down to a maximum of seven minutes. Cosgrove/Meurer and HBO are choosing their material from 900 hours of footage shot for the original 255 episodes.

I assume that the cute little term "evergreen stories" is the subtle way of saying that these re-edited episodes will feature stories largely of the unsolvable variety --- UFOs, Bigfoot, and sea lizards. "Evergren" because, as they are not solvable particularly, they are also never out of date. So, good-bye really interesting stuff like random unsolved murders from the late 80s and early 90s.

I also strongly dislike the idea of editing down old segments to 7 minutes worth of substance. In a general way, I object to the trend in all of entertainment towards breaking things into shorter and shorter segments. Trailers never let you see one continuous image from a forthcoming film for more than 6 seconds. Television commercial breaks are longer, but the length of any individual commercial is dramatically shorter than it once was. Shows in a half hour time slot now barely run more than 20 minutes. Everything is being cut, shortened, and "compressed," and the collective ability of anyone in this country to pay attention to anything for more than 10 consecutive minutes is paying the price. No wonder noone reads anymore.

One of the great problems with UM segments as they stood (as much as I enjoy them) was that they oversimplified situations and distorted facts to squeeze often quite complex stories into 12 minute blocks of time. Now they're going to cut back the "USA Today" version of events UM often gave to seven minutes per story? We just went from USA Today to US Weekly.

The idea of new segments is intriguing, but it sounds distinctly less likely:

Carlin and Cosgrove say that new weekly original episodes are also a distinct possibility and could come as part of the initial deal or at some point later.

I'll call myself "cautiously pessimistic" about this update on my beloved show. If it's beyond all recognition (change the music? are they serious? for the love of God, why?), what's the point? At least 50% of the show's appeal was its gritty, grainy format in those early years.