Dennis Farina is confirmed as the new host of UM

[Kane]

Although Shek (aka Shelia Kimmell) has already informed us that Dennis Farina will be hosting Unsolved Mysteries, I came across a link that makes it official (or at least semi-official). In a paragraph related to UM, Kevin Kay, president of Spike TV, admitted that Dennis Farina will be the host.

The link below this message comes from World Screen. And although I have already mentioned it on other threads, chances are many UM forum members haven't seen it, and understandably so. Therefore, I felt that it made sense to create a new thread in which the actual topic is the selection of Dennis Farina as the new host of UM. That way, it is less likely to be easily overlooked.

When you click on to the link, scroll down the page until you see the paragraph in which Spike's acquisition of UM is mentioned. In that same paragraph, you will find the brief mention of Dennis Farina being the new host.

http://www.worldscreen.com/channelcu...pike030608.htm

[pardilia]

Well, from the sounds of it, they're doing away with lost loves and some of the really awful stories...but I get the feeling that resurrection mary will still be in there.

I wasn't worried before, but now I'm hoping that it won't something like "It was so EXTREME!!!! when D.B. Cooper jumped out of the plane!"

[mozartpc27]

I'm still deeply concerned about this whole UM relaunch. I'm thinking the show will be damn close to unrecognizable for those of us who are real fans: different music, 7 minute maximums (!) on segments, new graphics, and a new host (although I confess I like the choice here). It just sounds like the show is going to get dumbed down and marketed to the "Ultimate Fighting League" and "Jackass" crowd - I mean, that's what SpikeTV is all about, right?

[Todd Mueller]

Thanks for the link, Kane!

From that article:

The biggest acquisition for the network has been CSI, which airs in prime time every night. Spike also recently acquired Unsolved Mysteries, but Kay notes that the show needs some tweaking to work for Spike viewers. “It has a lot of great action and stories that men would like about things that blow up and crime and stuff like that. It also has some touchy feely stories that we felt would be less likely to be watched by Spike viewers. We’re going to repackage those and give you the guy point of view. Dennis Farina is going to host—we think he’s a great choice as a Spike guy.”

Like Mozart, I ask is anyone else a little concerned here??? Mozart, I agree with you 100%!

I'm really happy for Dennis Farina. That is good. As far as being repackaged, I think that's okay too as the show is 20 years old.

But the part about "It has a lot of great action and stories that men would like about things that blow up and crime and stuff like that" makes me worried.

I'm hoping they keep the informative journalistic quality we've all come to love and not the slap-assed "crazy caught on camera" angle that seems to dominate Spike.

I'm still cautiously optomistic about this but I'm also prepared that this may be nothing like the show we've come to know.

(Keeping fingers crossed...)

[Zero]

Originally Posted by mozartpc27

I'm still deeply concerned about this whole UM relaunch. I'm thinking the show will be damn close to unrecognizable for those of us who are real fans: different music, 7 minute maximums (!) on segments, new graphics, and a new host (although I confess I like the choice here). It just sounds like the show is going to get dumbed down and marketed to the "Ultimate Fighting League" and "Jackass" crowd - I mean, that's what SpikeTV is all about, right?

They have to dumb it down. It's a channel for men!

just kidding.

In all honesty though, I am concerned. I get this feeling it's going to be like all those other "idiots caught on tape" shows....

“It has a lot of great action and stories that men would like about things that blow up and crime and stuff like that." Anyone else view that as a poorly written sentence?

[asmitty]

To be fair, they do mention it in the same paragraph as they talk about CSI, which is a very brainy show while still being about those same crime, action, and blowing up things that men are so interested. I'm not as concerned as some of you probably, because I know that Spike TV does market to brainy men as well as the UFC crowd. I mean, they run Star Trek reruns and stuff like that too. Although, I really wish it was going to air on Investigation Discovery because I love that channel.

[The Barbs]

My two cents..... I am thrilled that UM is coming back! I don't know who this guy, Dennis Farina is. I've never watched any of the shows or movies he's been in. My opinion of him is that he's creepy looking.( maybe that's a good thing for the new and improved UM?) As for being a Spike TV fan, I do watch CSI on that channel. That's about it. It seems like there will be a big overhaul on the show, but like I said, I'm just thrilled with it coming back!

[kane7474]

Correct me if Im wrong but didnt he play the hillside stangler in some movie? In the second coming of UM, I hope they stick more to missing persons and unsolved deaths. There are so many they could keep the show gowing for eternity.

[Kane]

Originally Posted by kane7474

Correct me if Im wrong but didnt he play the hillside stangler in some movie?

He did. He played Angelo Buono in the 1989 TV-movie The Case of the Hillside Stranglers. Billy Zane co-starred as the other Hillside Strangler, Buono's cousin Kenneth Bianchi.

[LooksLikeCRicci]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I HEART Dennis Farina.

...and to me, ANY UM is better than no UM.

[DP1]

I know who Dennis Farina is but I don't recall seeing him on anything. I've read about his background and he seems like a good choice to be host.

I'll miss Robert Stack though. He's one of the few celebrities I still miss.

[DarkDante]

The thing that concerns me (and should concern most of us longtime fans) is the 7 minute time limit. Farina will do a fine job and I think the updates to the cases along with Farina's contributions will be more than enough reason to give the show a chance but...

The 7 minute thing worries me, a lot of us couldn't stand how LIFETIME used to butcher the segments. Since a lot of us already know the segments by heart we are going to notice stuff that gets cut out. I mean could you imagine watching "Gail DeLano" with making mention of that truck driver who thought he spotted her at a truck stop. While that lead turned out to be false that was an essential part of the segment. I look at the UM segments as little stories, you have your mystery, you have you leads/clues towards solving the mystery which adds to the suspense and then back before I had almost every segment memorized you hopefully get a payoff at the end with an "Update" and a resolution to the mystery.

Thats the appeal of UM for me. I can't see how they are going to pack that arc into seven minutes.

[Kane]

Originally Posted by DarkDante

The thing that concerns me (and should concern most of us longtime fans) is the 7 minute time limit. Farina will do a fine job and I think the updates to the cases along with Farina's contributions will be more than enough reason to give the show a chance but...

The 7 minute thing worries me, a lot of us couldn't stand how LIFETIME used to butcher the segments. Since a lot of us already know the segments by heart we are going to notice stuff that gets cut out. I mean could you imagine watching "Gail DeLano" with making mention of that truck driver who thought he spotted her at a truck stop. While that lead turned out to be false that was an essential part of the segment. I look at the UM segments as little stories, you have your mystery, you have you leads/clues towards solving the mystery which adds to the suspense and then back before I had almost every segment memorized you hopefully get a payoff at the end with an "Update" and a resolution to the mystery.

Thats the appeal of UM for me. I can't see how they are going to pack that arc into seven minutes.

I have accepted the fact that UM always have and always will have their share of segments that are less than seven minutes long. That is especially the case for some of the "wanted" segments, since a number of them didn't need much more than seven minutes anyway. Nevertheless, I share the concern about the idea of having every segment with such a maximum amount of time.

I don't see how that strategy could work in the long run. My prediction is that it will be ineffective and that, hopefully, the network and producers will change it to a more workable strategy. They would be wise to do that.

Besides, in general, when a strategy is not working, you have the obligation to change it. It's no different than making a medical diagnosis. When a physician realizes that he has made the wrong diagnosis, he changes the treatment, instead of continuing the same treatment.

Some TV shows actually do well with each of their segments limited to no more than seven minutes. But the concern over having such a strategy being done with UM demonstrates an important fact: What works for one TV show doesn't work for another.

[mozartpc27]

Originally Posted by DarkDante

The thing that concerns me (and should concern most of us longtime fans) is the 7 minute time limit. Farina will do a fine job and I think the updates to the cases along with Farina's contributions will be more than enough reason to give the show a chance but...

The 7 minute thing worries me, a lot of us couldn't stand how LIFETIME used to butcher the segments. Since a lot of us already know the segments by heart we are going to notice stuff that gets cut out. I mean could you imagine watching "Gail DeLano" with making mention of that truck driver who thought he spotted her at a truck stop. While that lead turned out to be false that was an essential part of the segment. I look at the UM segments as little stories, you have your mystery, you have you leads/clues towards solving the mystery which adds to the suspense and then back before I had almost every segment memorized you hopefully get a payoff at the end with an "Update" and a resolution to the mystery.

Thats the appeal of UM for me. I can't see how they are going to pack that arc into seven minutes.

Very good analysis of the arc of any given UM segment. They very much are like little stories. My sister pointed out long ago, and I must say I agree, that one of the things that makes the stories so compelling is that they also usually avoid telling these little stories in straight chronological order. Any individual segment, especially the crime ones, usually begins with a brief description of the central incident(s), and then moves backward in time to give a little "build up", and then usually skips ahead to the aftermath of incident(s), and often ends by returning to the incident(s) themselves. It's that breakup of the chronology that lends so much suspense, because it's harder to know exaclty where the segment is going, and it's also that breakup that rewards repeated viewings, because even segments one has seen before can catch the viewer off guard.

Hard to see them being anywhere near this sophisticated if every segment is to be no longer than 7 minutes.

[justins5256]

I've already convinced myself this show is going to suck. If you go in with low expectations, you won't be disappointed yet the potential for surprise is there if the show actually is good.