Any talks of a relaunch of UM?

[SeekDaGreat]

Every year almost to the day, I come back and check in to see if there is any ground work or talks for a re-launch of UM.

Anybody?

[sdb4884]

I would doubt it. John Cosgrove and Terry Dunn Meurer have their heads so far up their own asses I doubt we'll see UM ever on TV again.

[elg0rd0]

I think the series has done enough to garner cult status among TV viewers. That being said, in my opinion, the show could live on again maybe on a syndicated cable channel in their original format. It was done with In Search Of which aired in the 70's and was hosted by Leonard Nimoy.

I'm not a huge fan of the updated ones on Lifetime.

[TracyLynnS]

I doubt it. CM hates us and has had almost all the segments scrubbed from the internet. For whatever reason, it sure seems like they want this series buried.

Fans are willing to pay to see the Stack versions on Netflix, Hulu, paid YT, or some other paid streaming service but that's going nowhere too.

[Charlie99909]

Originally Posted by sdb4884

I would doubt it. John Cosgrove and Terry Dunn Meurer have their heads so far up their own asses I doubt we'll see UM ever on TV again.

I just spit my coffee over my work computer. I needed that

[everprincess]

I wish they would but I doubt it will ever happen. I hate the updated versions myself too.

[elg0rd0]

Originally Posted by TracyLynnS

I doubt it. CM hates us and has had almost all the segments scrubbed from the internet. For whatever reason, it sure seems like they want this series buried.

Fans are willing to pay to see the Stack versions on Netflix, Hulu, paid YT, or some other paid streaming service but that's going nowhere too.

During the writers strike a lot of stuff got pulled from internet sites. The last strike was about the percentage writers got on their residuals for digital distribution. All of the networks had a conniption fit and pulled close to 75% of user uploaded content off the net. It's the same thing with SAG. Actors now have to get an adjusted percentage on digital distribution.

As for Hulu or Netflix the odds of UM getting on there are slim to none now. Because the supreme court shot down net neutrality laws, services like Hulu and Netflix and other VOD services are forced to pay internet providers extra compensation for priority over internet pipes. I've even heard rumors that they might start charging more to offset the extra cost of getting priority over pipe space.

[tamanshud]

Any have any idea of why they'd want such a popular series buried?

[elg0rd0]

Originally Posted by tamanshud

Any have any idea of why they'd want such a popular series buried?

If CM wanted the series buried so badly and hated the fans of the show why did they renegotiate a contract with Lifetime after Spike started showing little interest in airing episodes? If the answer is money that's another answer that doesn't make sense. If they wanted to make money off of it, there are 2 many ways to do this. Another batch of DVD sets, Hulu, Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, Zune, YouTube+, etc., etc., etc.

CM, I'm pretty positive know the potential the series has. In the end I think it has more to do with adjusted residual percentages writers and actors get under the new arbitration agreements. The offset costs of making formatting episodes and the final checks the production company could very well be below the threshold to sustain the franchise as a whole. I honestly don't think this has to do with the actual deal makers just saying to the fans, "lolno we don't like you, but please keep watching the show so we can make monies."

I think the only way everyone can get what they want is if CM, sold the rights to a major corporate network and said network repackaged it or revived the franchise altogether.

[sdb4884]

Originally Posted by Charlie99909

I just spit my coffee over my work computer. I needed that

Haha sorry mate

[ScaryFog]

I wouldn't hold your breath. And as much as I love UM, there's so many other true crime shows on TV now that I'm afraid it might not do so well at this point.

[Far Off Promise]

Maybe I'm just an optimist, but I think the main factors at work here are:

1) The contract with Lifetime for the "new" Farina episodes.
2) The requirements on pay to the actors in the Stack episodes.

We might see the Stack and Farina episodes on Netflix/Hulu/etc. one day.

Once the contract with Lifetime is over, I think C-M will pursue a reboot of the series. They'll likely take into account the feedback they've gotten over the Farina version and make changes. I just hope the don't try to satisfy the old viewers while adding additional things to bring in new viewers. This is a recipe for disaster and leaves both groups unsatisfied and the series in a continuing state of rumored cancellation.

Unsolved Mysteries needs 3 things to be successful:

1) The original theme music (or a very close version)
2) A serious, scary, and sincere host (he doesn't have to be Stack)
3) Intriguing stories from off-the-grid (some national stories have appeal, but the best UM segments were stories about things that people in other parts of the country/world would have never been exposed to if not for the show)

I don't mind the Google Earth inclusion, but it would be nice if it was portrayed in a more high-tech way instead of the quick zoom to the city. Unsolved.com needs to be updated and social media features need to be integrated into the show. This board is great, but at the moment it's really the only place for UM fans to interact.

It would be nice if C-M acknowledged the history of the show by putting quick shots of Stack and Farina (and maybe the other 2 hosts) in the opening. That would at least bridge the gap between the old and the new.

[elg0rd0]

Originally Posted by Far Off Promise

Maybe I'm just an optimist, but I think the main factors at work here are:

1) The contract with Lifetime for the "new" Farina episodes.
2) The requirements on pay to the actors in the Stack episodes.

We might see the Stack and Farina episodes on Netflix/Hulu/etc. one day.

Once the contract with Lifetime is over, I think C-M will pursue a reboot of the series. They'll likely take into account the feedback they've gotten over the Farina version and make changes. I just hope the don't try to satisfy the old viewers while adding additional things to bring in new viewers. This is a recipe for disaster and leaves both groups unsatisfied and the series in a continuing state of rumored cancellation.

Unsolved Mysteries needs 3 things to be successful:

1) The original theme music (or a very close version)
2) A serious, scary, and sincere host (he doesn't have to be Stack)
3) Intriguing stories from off-the-grid (some national stories have appeal, but the best UM segments were stories about things that people in other parts of the country/world would have never been exposed to if not for the show)

I don't mind the Google Earth inclusion, but it would be nice if it was portrayed in a more high-tech way instead of the quick zoom to the city. Unsolved.com needs to be updated and social media features need to be integrated into the show. This board is great, but at the moment it's really the only place for UM fans to interact.

It would be nice if C-M acknowledged the history of the show by putting quick shots of Stack and Farina (and maybe the other 2 hosts) in the opening. That would at least bridge the gap between the old and the new.

1) My gut tells me this is less about actors getting paid. Actors get very little in terms of residuals. Extras probably get far less. But that's not the point. UM did reenactments of at least 90% of featured cases. After so many seasons the accumulation of those percentages would have have to be astronomical right now. The writers of the show now have to get adjusted residuals based on how many times the show airs.

2) Without a major corporate network backing monetary and offset production costs. A reboot is completely out of the question. In today's age of television. With paying actors, writers, production teams, etc. An hour long episode of UM could cost well over a million dollars per episode.

3) The show could very well keep the traditional theme that is associated with the first seasons of the show. I believe the original theme is just as much part of the franchise then the 2 actors that have hosted it.

4) I've heard Bill Curtis's name floating around as maybe the new host. Personally I'd like to either see Richard Belzer or Jeff Goldblum get the gig as the host if new episodes were made.

5) There are a lot of stories floating around. A lot have been featured on various other cable shows about the paranormal or unexplained and there are a lot of cases unsolved murders and missing persons cases. But you're right getting a few cases off the grid doesn't sound like a bad idea.

[Kane]

Originally Posted by Far Off Promise

Once the contract with Lifetime is over, I think C-M will pursue a reboot of the series. They'll likely take into account the feedback they've gotten over the Farina version and make changes. I just hope the don't try to satisfy the old viewers while adding additional things to bring in new viewers. This is a recipe for disaster and leaves both groups unsatisfied and the series in a continuing state of rumored cancellation.

In other words, no matter how well-intentioned, expanding a show's viewership can sometimes do more harm than good. Your comments remind me of something Dave Mustaine said in his autobiography: "By trying to expand your audience, you risk alienating your core base."

[Victoria81]

Who the hell is CM?