The Final Appeal spinoff show - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

justins5256 · 04-20-2008, 05:55 PM

Does anyone know exactly how many episodes of this were made before it was canceled? I was looking over the IMDB page when I noticed that there is some rather dubious information about the show, including titles of episodes and 14 seasons(!) which I know can't possibly be correct. Heck, I don't think there were even 14 episodes made.

I would really like to find more information out about this show, but I think I would fair better searching for Jimmy Hoffa. It seems like the show was forgotten long ago.

Dislimb · 04-20-2008, 06:13 PM

http://www.tv.com/final-appeal-from-...g=tabs;summary

justins5256 · 04-20-2008, 06:51 PM

How strange. The page says it last aired a week after the premiere. Yet I know that there are more than two episodes. There are at least five from what I have seen.

Dislimb · 04-20-2008, 09:35 PM

That's all I could really find about the show online at all. I've never seen any of them myself.

robbieasbury · 04-21-2008, 03:11 PM

Was the Jeffrey MacDonald case featured on an episode of Final Appeal but later used on repeats of Unsolved Mysteries on Lifetime?

crystaldawn · 04-21-2008, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbieasbury

Was the Jeffrey MacDonald case featured on an episode of Final Appeal but later used on repeats of Unsolved Mysteries on Lifetime?

Yes I believe the Jeffrey MacDonald case was the topic of the very first "Final Appeal". I have an NBC episode where at the end RS talks about the premiere of the new show and talks about the MacDonald case.

Kane · 04-21-2008, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbieasbury

Was the Jeffrey MacDonald case featured on an episode of Final Appeal but later used on repeats of Unsolved Mysteries on Lifetime?

They actually did on the same week Robert Stack died. At the end of that show, they briefly displayed the words " in memory of Robert Stack," or something to that effect.

iliekcheezomg · 04-24-2008, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justins5256

Heck, I don't think there were even 14 episodes made.

Maybe more episodes were made than were aired? Probably an error on IMDB's part, though. Anyone can edit the info there. I'm thinking the show was probably on the air for a month or two at the absolute most.

I remember disliking the show because the entire program was dedicated to one case, and I lacked the proper attention span to really get into things. Though these days, I'd probably enjoy that. Heh.

justins5256 · 04-24-2008, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iliekcheezomg

Maybe more episodes were made than were aired? Probably an error on IMDB's part, though. Anyone can edit the info there. I'm thinking the show was probably on the air for a month or two at the absolute most.

I remember disliking the show because the entire program was dedicated to one case, and I lacked the proper attention span to really get into things. Though these days, I'd probably enjoy that. Heh.

I think you're right about it being on for a month or two. The reason I say this is because I have some old NBC episodes from season five and at the end of a few of them Stack would typically talk about that Friday's episode of "Final Appeal". However, he stopped mentioning it after awhile. There was also the occasional crossover, with FA updates being shown on UM after FA was officially canceled.

In the fall of 1992, I would have been far more interested in the paranormal/unexplained aspects of the show, so FA would not have been of much interest to me. These days, I could care less about the paranormal stuff. It's interesting how one's taste in UM can change so markedly over time.

Kane · 04-24-2008, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justins5256

I think you're right about it being on for a month or two. The reason I say this is because I have some old NBC episodes from season five and at the end of a few of them Stack would typically talk about that Friday's episode of "Final Appeal". However, he stopped mentioning it after awhile. There was also the occasional crossover, with FA updates being shown on UM after FA was officially canceled.

Final Appeal debuted on September 18, 1992; the final broadcast date was October 16, 1992. So the show definitely lasted a month. I got this information from the book The Complete Directory to Primetime Network and Cable TV Shows.

justins5256 · 04-24-2008, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kane

Final Appeal debuted on September 18, 1992; the final broadcast date was October 16, 1992. So the show definitely lasted a month. I got this information from the book The Complete Directory to Primetime Network and Cable TV Shows.

That's some awesome information. Thanks a lot, Kane!

Now maybe I could put together an episode list of sorts. Stack did mention the names of the appealants.

wiseguy182 · 04-24-2008, 10:10 PM

I know for a fact that some shows have unaired episodes: because I have some of these unaired episodes of other series. If there were some unaired final appeal segments, I would have hoped that they would have found their way on UM.

TJ · 04-24-2008, 11:12 PM

I really wished I had taped this series. I guess they had intended it to be a full season show, but NBC may have only ordered a limited amount of episodes initially.

I thought the program was a hour every week, but the book lists it as a half hour. Only the series premiere was one hour. "What Happened," hosted by Ken Howard, aired after it and premiered on September 25, 1992 with an investigation of the 1985 plane crash in which Rick Nelson died.

The last telecast date in the book is off by one week.

Here is a mini episode guide that I've compiled from TV Guides:

September 18, 1992 - 8-9PM ET/PT
Debut: Investigations into possible injustices involving cases of convicted felons. Included: the case of Jeffrey MacDonald, the Green Beret convicted of murdering his pregnant wife and two children.

September 25, 1992 - 8-8:30 PM ET/PT
An investigation into the case of a former deputy sheriff imprisoned for the murder of his lover. The body was never recovered, raising questions about the case.

October 2, 1992 - 8-8:30 PM ET/PT
The case of a man serving time for a security guard's murder even though a key witness partially recanted his testimony. Robert Stack hosts the program.

October 9, 1992 - 8-8:30 PM ET/PT
The case of a man convicted of murdering his wife despite the fact that he was shot in the back during the accident. Robert Stack is the host of the program. [Did not air on this date.]

October 16, 1992 - 8-8:30 PM ET/PT
The case of a man convicted of murdering his wife despite the fact that he was shot in the back during the incident. Robert Stack is the host of the program. [Postponed from an earlier date.]

October 23, 1992 - 8-8:30 PM ET/PT
An investigation into the attempted murder of a woman in which an "unusual looking" man was spotted near the crime scene but was never identified. Robert Stack is the host.

justins5256 · 04-25-2008, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJ

The last telecast date in the book is off by one week.

Here is a mini episode guide that I've compiled from TV Guides:

September 18, 1992 - 8-9PM ET/PT
Debut: Investigations into possible injustices involving cases of convicted felons. Included: the case of Jeffrey MacDonald, the Green Beret convicted of murdering his pregnant wife and two children.

September 25, 1992 - 8-8:30 PM ET/PT
An investigation into the case of a former deputy sheriff imprisoned for the murder of his lover. The body was never recovered, raising questions about the case.

October 2, 1992 - 8-8:30 PM ET/PT
The case of a man serving time for a security guard's murder even though a key witness partially recanted his testimony. Robert Stack hosts the program.

October 9, 1992 - 8-8:30 PM ET/PT
The case of a man convicted of murdering his wife despite the fact that he was shot in the back during the accident. Robert Stack is the host of the program. [Did not air on this date.]

October 16, 1992 - 8-8:30 PM ET/PT
The case of a man convicted of murdering his wife despite the fact that he was shot in the back during the incident. Robert Stack is the host of the program. [Postponed from an earlier date.]

October 23, 1992 - 8-8:30 PM ET/PT
An investigation into the attempted murder of a woman in which an "unusual looking" man was spotted near the crime scene but was never identified. Robert Stack is the host.

9/18/92 is Jeffrey Macdonald.
9/25/92 is Paul Ferrell.
10/2/92 - I'm guessing Tony Miller, although I don't know about the guard being murdered.
10/9-10/16/92 - no idea.
10/23/92 - I'm guessing this is John Purvis, but attempted murder?

I'll try to sit down this weekend and watch the "Final Appeal" promos I have to see if we can come up with some names or more information.

justins5256 · 04-26-2008, 01:02 AM

With regard to the 10/2/92 episode, Stack says: "we examine the case of a young man who insists he was framed for murder by the man who actually commited the crime."

Regarding the 10/9/92 episode he says: ""we profile a convicted armed robber who claims he was the victim of a case of mistaken identity. The prosecution maintains there was no mistake at all."

I watched UM episode endings for the following two weeks, and Stack does not mention Final Appeal again.

In the season five premiere of UM, Stack mentions the MacDonald case specifically and some scenes from the upcoming episode are even shown.

In the 9/25/92 episode, he mentions the Paul Ferrell case will be profiled that Friday.

That's all I got. I sure would like to see this series. A hundred bucks or a SUBSTANTIAL trade goes to anyone who can send me copies of NBC sourced Final Appeal episodes.

04-20-2008, 05:55 PM	#1
justins5256 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2002 Posts: 3,866	The Final Appeal spinoff show Does anyone know exactly how many episodes of this were made before it was canceled? I was looking over the IMDB page when I noticed that there is some rather dubious information about the show, including titles of episodes and 14 seasons(!) which I know can't possibly be correct. Heck, I don't think there were even 14 episodes made. I would really like to find more information out about this show, but I think I would fair better searching for Jimmy Hoffa. It seems like the show was forgotten long ago.

04-24-2008, 11:12 PM	#13
TJ Site Owner Administrator Forum Star Join Date: Feb 03, 2000 Location: Marietta, GA Posts: 10,713	I really wished I had taped this series. I guess they had intended it to be a full season show, but NBC may have only ordered a limited amount of episodes initially. I thought the program was a hour every week, but the book lists it as a half hour. Only the series premiere was one hour. "What Happened," hosted by Ken Howard, aired after it and premiered on September 25, 1992 with an investigation of the 1985 plane crash in which Rick Nelson died. The last telecast date in the book is off by one week. Here is a mini episode guide that I've compiled from TV Guides: September 18, 1992 - 8-9PM ET/PT Debut: Investigations into possible injustices involving cases of convicted felons. Included: the case of Jeffrey MacDonald, the Green Beret convicted of murdering his pregnant wife and two children. September 25, 1992 - 8-8:30 PM ET/PT An investigation into the case of a former deputy sheriff imprisoned for the murder of his lover. The body was never recovered, raising questions about the case. October 2, 1992 - 8-8:30 PM ET/PT The case of a man serving time for a security guard's murder even though a key witness partially recanted his testimony. Robert Stack hosts the program. October 9, 1992 - 8-8:30 PM ET/PT The case of a man convicted of murdering his wife despite the fact that he was shot in the back during the accident. Robert Stack is the host of the program. [Did not air on this date.] October 16, 1992 - 8-8:30 PM ET/PT The case of a man convicted of murdering his wife despite the fact that he was shot in the back during the incident. Robert Stack is the host of the program. [Postponed from an earlier date.] October 23, 1992 - 8-8:30 PM ET/PT An investigation into the attempted murder of a woman in which an "unusual looking" man was spotted near the crime scene but was never identified. Robert Stack is the host.
	Last edited by TJ; 04-24-2008 at 11:29 PM.

04-20-2008, 06:13 PM	#2
Dislimb Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 23, 2006 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 431	http://www.tv.com/final-appeal-from-...g=tabs;summary

04-20-2008, 06:51 PM	#3
justins5256 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2002 Posts: 3,866	How strange. The page says it last aired a week after the premiere. Yet I know that there are more than two episodes. There are at least five from what I have seen.

04-20-2008, 09:35 PM	#4
Dislimb Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 23, 2006 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 431	That's all I could really find about the show online at all. I've never seen any of them myself.

04-21-2008, 03:11 PM	#5
robbieasbury Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 02, 2005 Posts: 200	Was the Jeffrey MacDonald case featured on an episode of Final Appeal but later used on repeats of Unsolved Mysteries on Lifetime?

04-24-2008, 10:10 PM	#12
wiseguy182 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 11, 2006 Location: Wendy's salad bar Posts: 7,030	I know for a fact that some shows have unaired episodes: because I have some of these unaired episodes of other series. If there were some unaired final appeal segments, I would have hoped that they would have found their way on UM.

04-26-2008, 01:02 AM	#15
justins5256 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2002 Posts: 3,866	With regard to the 10/2/92 episode, Stack says: "we examine the case of a young man who insists he was framed for murder by the man who actually commited the crime." Regarding the 10/9/92 episode he says: ""we profile a convicted armed robber who claims he was the victim of a case of mistaken identity. The prosecution maintains there was no mistake at all." I watched UM episode endings for the following two weeks, and Stack does not mention Final Appeal again. In the season five premiere of UM, Stack mentions the MacDonald case specifically and some scenes from the upcoming episode are even shown. In the 9/25/92 episode, he mentions the Paul Ferrell case will be profiled that Friday. That's all I got. I sure would like to see this series. A hundred bucks or a SUBSTANTIAL trade goes to anyone who can send me copies of NBC sourced Final Appeal episodes.