Most "Retro" UM Moments! - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

SheRaaa · 08-06-2010, 01:13 PM

Sorry if this has been done before, but I just thought it would be fun

One of the many things I love about UM is that it combines mysteries, the paranormal, true crime, and 80s/90s nostalgia!

Now, I'm sure that when watching in recent years, we've all had a "whoa, retro" moment when watching UM...what are your favorites? (These, of course, could involve clothing, hairstyles, references to then-current events, technology, etc.)

My favorite is in the Crystal Spencer segment...the neighbors' hairstyles are just sooooooo awesome eighties!

McBevis · 08-06-2010, 01:34 PM

In the Tracy Wofford-Bunn segment, her car is a Ford Fiesta! Not too many of those left nowadays (and it really was the kind of car she had, because in a picture shown onscreen of Tracy standing outside her house, you can see a Fiesta in the background).

MegtheEgg86 · 08-06-2010, 02:16 PM

I always thought the eyeglasses were amazing, especially the women's. Some of the best ones were Anna Anton's neighbor, Red Dixon's ex-wife, Cheryl Holland; some great male examples include "Tyler", Dorothy Donovan's killer, and the mysterious driver in the Dick Hansen segment.

RobinW · 08-06-2010, 02:17 PM

For some great retro UM, it's tough to beat Kevin Poulsen and his eighties computer technology.

TracyLynnS · 08-06-2010, 02:27 PM

Speaking of top notch 80s technology, whenever they show someone using one of those gigantic cell phones cracks me up. Segments with mullets, high tops, acid wash jeans, giant earrings, and mall bangs sure makes me glad that we finally got out of that decade.

Oh and anyone else notice Stack's fondness for Burberry plaid? He was cooler than the rest of us, even back then. lol

justins5256 · 08-06-2010, 02:31 PM

My IMMEDIATE knee jerk reaction upon seeing the title of this thread was to think of the story about the ersatz "Countess" con artist with her cellphone and the woman commenting how "it's not every day you see someone with a cellphone".

SheRaaa · 08-06-2010, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobinW

For some great retro UM, it's tough to beat Kevin Poulsen and his eighties computer technology.

Yes!! That's actually the segment I was thinking of when I decided to attempt this thread.

crystaldawn · 08-07-2010, 07:06 AM

Whenever I see the Bonnie Wilder segment I always notice the long, dark painted nails of the PI working on the case which was sooo 80's, lol.

Gelatinous Goo · 08-07-2010, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MegtheEgg86

I always thought the eyeglasses were amazing, especially the women's. Some of the best ones were Anna Anton's neighbor, Red Dixon's ex-wife, Cheryl Holland; some great male examples include "Tyler", Dorothy Donovan's killer, and the mysterious driver in the Dick Hansen segment.

Agreed. The glasses and the mustaches!

Mikki Jo West's tinted 70's glasses used to freak me out as a kid.

Apostapler · 08-07-2010, 11:14 AM

I love the surfer 80's hairstyles and clothing in the Jennifer Pratt segment. Makes me giggle every time.

soilentgreen · 08-07-2010, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justins5256

My IMMEDIATE knee jerk reaction upon seeing the title of this thread was to think of the story about the ersatz "Countess" con artist with her cellphone and the woman commenting how "it's not every day you see someone with a cellphone".

Bingo.

Rotary phones, typewriters, Jeep wagoneers, pay phones at every corner, enormous computers and cell phones, satanic panic, cheesy 'rocker' music, mullets, skullets, a couple of man-sweaters that looked like a rainbow puked on them.

Oldschooler81 · 08-09-2010, 04:57 AM

I love alot of the examples mentioned.

I think this is part of the reason it gives me such a warm, fuzzy feeling watching those classic episodes now.

One of the biggest retro moments to me are the teenage thrill killers. Not to poke fun at a tragic case, but they seemed like stereotypical 80s metal kids...in fact especially the neighbor John who one of them lent his skull earring to. On this same note of course, the Megadeth shirt guy in the Debra Poe segment, lol.

Crystal from the near death experiences segment screamed 80s kid too. They were such an influential time that it even rubbed off on alot of adults, albeit milder...you can tell it in the hairstyles and clothing. DJ Dean had that frizzy hair of the times, for instance...and she must've been around 50.

Obviously things don't change instantly, but I think 1993 and before definitely looks and feels like "another time" and that's reflected in the old classic UM. Like the fashion, technology or even just the way people act would look entirely out of place today or even just a few years later.

Part of that is because of the older things that were still around. Like those old rotary phones or manual tv's seemed like a joke even then, but they were a "recent enough older technology" for, say elderly people. I think this is part of the reason why I never thought of the 60s/70s as being that old when I was a kid... I was already used to it on the show. Plus they did so good with the reenactments that it felt like almost being there.

Drakken · 08-09-2010, 03:51 PM

In the "Tom Johnson" case, the top-quality hi-tech computer that was stolen by the suspect was evaluated to be worth tens of thousands of dollars, when nowadays a XBOX 360 is much more powerful than that hound, for a few measly hundred bucks.

unsolved88 · 08-09-2010, 09:35 PM

In the Gilbert Ortiz segment, the actress playing his sister Brendha is wearing a black denim overall shorts outfit over a pink T-shirt and what look like black Doc Martens, things no girl nowadays would ever be caught wearing.

Candy Atherton, the British researcher in the Dorothea Allen segment, is another "big glasses" candidate with her giant baby blue frames which matched her blue dress which, IIRC, had a big sailor collar on it. I'm positive she was wearing shoulder pads since they were pretty much a given in late
80s to early 90s women's fashions.

Jennifer Pratt's colorful vest in her sit-down interview with Robert Stack is another sign of the times. Do young girls (or women in general) even wear actual full vests anymore?

DP1 · 08-10-2010, 11:49 PM

Retro UM? Anytime you see someone with a mustache. Don't see many of those anymore. UM might be the last great mustache show.

08-06-2010, 01:13 PM	#1
SheRaaa Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 30, 2009 Posts: 421	Most "Retro" UM Moments! Sorry if this has been done before, but I just thought it would be fun One of the many things I love about UM is that it combines mysteries, the paranormal, true crime, and 80s/90s nostalgia! Now, I'm sure that when watching in recent years, we've all had a "whoa, retro" moment when watching UM...what are your favorites? (These, of course, could involve clothing, hairstyles, references to then-current events, technology, etc.) My favorite is in the Crystal Spencer segment...the neighbors' hairstyles are just sooooooo awesome eighties!

08-06-2010, 02:16 PM	#3
MegtheEgg86 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jun 19, 2008 Location: The Volunteer State Posts: 5,156	I always thought the eyeglasses were amazing, especially the women's. Some of the best ones were Anna Anton's neighbor, Red Dixon's ex-wife, Cheryl Holland; some great male examples include "Tyler", Dorothy Donovan's killer, and the mysterious driver in the Dick Hansen segment.
	__________________ "Why is she lying?, it makes me wonder. What is she hiding?, it makes me wonder." Go Vols!

08-06-2010, 01:34 PM	#2
McBevis Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 09, 2010 Location: Barrington, New Jersey Posts: 415	In the Tracy Wofford-Bunn segment, her car is a Ford Fiesta! Not too many of those left nowadays (and it really was the kind of car she had, because in a picture shown onscreen of Tracy standing outside her house, you can see a Fiesta in the background).

08-06-2010, 02:17 PM	#4
RobinW Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2010 Posts: 1,874	For some great retro UM, it's tough to beat Kevin Poulsen and his eighties computer technology.

08-06-2010, 02:27 PM	#5
TracyLynnS Don't Look Up Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 07, 2009 Posts: 3,107	Speaking of top notch 80s technology, whenever they show someone using one of those gigantic cell phones cracks me up. Segments with mullets, high tops, acid wash jeans, giant earrings, and mall bangs sure makes me glad that we finally got out of that decade. Oh and anyone else notice Stack's fondness for Burberry plaid? He was cooler than the rest of us, even back then. lol

08-06-2010, 02:31 PM	#6
justins5256 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2002 Posts: 3,866	My IMMEDIATE knee jerk reaction upon seeing the title of this thread was to think of the story about the ersatz "Countess" con artist with her cellphone and the woman commenting how "it's not every day you see someone with a cellphone".

08-07-2010, 07:06 AM	#8
crystaldawn Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 17, 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,261	Whenever I see the Bonnie Wilder segment I always notice the long, dark painted nails of the PI working on the case which was sooo 80's, lol.

08-07-2010, 11:14 AM	#10
Apostapler Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 06, 2009 Location: Indiana Posts: 872	I love the surfer 80's hairstyles and clothing in the Jennifer Pratt segment. Makes me giggle every time.

08-09-2010, 04:57 AM	#12
Oldschooler81 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 03, 2009 Location: Northern CA Posts: 457	I love alot of the examples mentioned. I think this is part of the reason it gives me such a warm, fuzzy feeling watching those classic episodes now. One of the biggest retro moments to me are the teenage thrill killers. Not to poke fun at a tragic case, but they seemed like stereotypical 80s metal kids...in fact especially the neighbor John who one of them lent his skull earring to. On this same note of course, the Megadeth shirt guy in the Debra Poe segment, lol. Crystal from the near death experiences segment screamed 80s kid too. They were such an influential time that it even rubbed off on alot of adults, albeit milder...you can tell it in the hairstyles and clothing. DJ Dean had that frizzy hair of the times, for instance...and she must've been around 50. Obviously things don't change instantly, but I think 1993 and before definitely looks and feels like "another time" and that's reflected in the old classic UM. Like the fashion, technology or even just the way people act would look entirely out of place today or even just a few years later. Part of that is because of the older things that were still around. Like those old rotary phones or manual tv's seemed like a joke even then, but they were a "recent enough older technology" for, say elderly people. I think this is part of the reason why I never thought of the 60s/70s as being that old when I was a kid... I was already used to it on the show. Plus they did so good with the reenactments that it felt like almost being there.

08-09-2010, 03:51 PM	#13
Drakken Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 21, 2007 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 364	In the "Tom Johnson" case, the top-quality hi-tech computer that was stolen by the suspect was evaluated to be worth tens of thousands of dollars, when nowadays a XBOX 360 is much more powerful than that hound, for a few measly hundred bucks.

08-09-2010, 09:35 PM	#14
unsolved88 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Apr 16, 2006 Location: Daytona Beach, FL Posts: 514	In the Gilbert Ortiz segment, the actress playing his sister Brendha is wearing a black denim overall shorts outfit over a pink T-shirt and what look like black Doc Martens, things no girl nowadays would ever be caught wearing. Candy Atherton, the British researcher in the Dorothea Allen segment, is another "big glasses" candidate with her giant baby blue frames which matched her blue dress which, IIRC, had a big sailor collar on it. I'm positive she was wearing shoulder pads since they were pretty much a given in late 80s to early 90s women's fashions. Jennifer Pratt's colorful vest in her sit-down interview with Robert Stack is another sign of the times. Do young girls (or women in general) even wear actual full vests anymore?

08-10-2010, 11:49 PM	#15
DP1 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 21, 2004 Posts: 394	Retro UM? Anytime you see someone with a mustache. Don't see many of those anymore. UM might be the last great mustache show.