Waxing nostalgia...30 minute UM episodes at 1am

[justins5256]

Just going through some old VHS tapes today and I came across a tape that had a butt-ton of these I timer recorded in the mid-nineties (I checked with a fine-tooth comb, nothing Earth shattering or undiscovered, unfortunately). Most of the stories were from the season two and season three eras.

I must say I really liked the format and the timeslot though. I mean, at 1am in the 90s, I was usually headed to bed. I certainly was not in the mood or frame of mind to sit through a whole hour of UM at that point. 30 minutes with just one or two stories and limited commercial interruption though is perfection.

I also remember times that I would fall asleep hours earlier and awaken around 1am and tune in to watch it.

Did anyone else enjoy these episodes at 1am?

[DarkDante]

Originally Posted by justins5256

(I checked with a fine-tooth comb, nothing Earth shattering or undiscovered, unfortunately). Most of the stories were from the season two and season three eras.

Did anyone else enjoy these episodes at 1am?

I used to watch them on occasion. The problem with that time slot aside from the obvious reason was that UM was inserted so randomly into that time slot that it would feature one night/week and wouldn't the next.

Remember we are speaking of an era of "Lifetime" television where a) they didn't have hardly any original content of their own b) UM was their flagship show and I wouldn't be surprised if it was the only programming the drew consistent viewership.

Therefore when they were in a pinch for some early morning filler programming, they probably just cobbled together some episodes of UM specifically for those purposes.

As we know though, these half hour episodes oftentimes featured rare segments that weren't included in the regular syndications. The Tara Calico segment was bundled as part of these half hour segments as was allegedly the Ellender segment although I personally cannot attest to seeing that segment as part of a half hour bundle.

[justins5256]

Originally Posted by DarkDante

I used to watch them on occasion. The problem with that time slot aside from the obvious reason was that UM was inserted so randomly into that time slot that it would feature one night/week and wouldn't the next.

Remember we are speaking of an era of "Lifetime" television where a) they didn't have hardly any original content of their own b) UM was their flagship show and I wouldn't be surprised if it was the only programming the drew consistent viewership.

Therefore when they were in a pinch for some early morning filler programming, they probably just cobbled together some episodes of UM specifically for those purposes.

As we know though, these half hour episodes oftentimes featured rare segments that weren't included in the regular syndications. The Tara Calico segment was bundled as part of these half hour segments as was allegedly the Ellender segment although I personally cannot attest to seeing that segment as part of a half hour bundle.

I vaguely remember the inconsistency of the 1am airings. It seems like there must have been a period where they were somewhat consistent or predictable enough that I was able to record a bunch of them. I honestly don't remember how I found out it was on in the first place (e.g., if they were even listed in TV Guide or if I just happened upon them at some point when staying up late).

I know this is a longshot, but do you remember the other story (I'm assuming only one) that was bundled with Tara Calico when you saw it?

I ask because I did come across in my tapes the Roswell episode in its 30 minute format. The segment was so long though, it was the only one featured. However, as you may recall, the Roswell story was originally featured with Tara Calico on the NBC broadcast on 9/20/89, so it was obviously excerpted from the same source.

One other interesting fact is that the 30 minute installments some times had extra footage added to them (well, not so much added, just that they included scenes from the original NBC broadcasts that were cut during the usual 1 hour repeats at 8pm).

A few I remember offhand:

- Beale's Gold episode had more extensive discussions of the attempts to use computer technology to break the code.

- Marfa lights episode had an additional story regarding sightings by air force personnel.

- Adam Hecht episode showed more of Tony's eviction and more comments from Adam's family.

- Kevin Poulsen episode went more in depth about the test set found in his apartment.

- I can't absolutely be positive but I THINK the Dr. Branion final appeal had the hired hit discussion. My recollection is pretty foggy though. The others I am positive I saw.

Nifty, huh?

[wiseguy182]

I have distinct memories of my nephew and I watching the Audrey Moate case during one of these late night airings. I find UM to be strangely relaxing.

[kolson82]

I was just talking to my wife about this! I used to be a manager at Blockbuster, and I always closed up shop, which usually meant I was getting out of there around 12:30-12:45. I would get home just in time for those late night showings of UM on Lifetime. Good times.

[DarkDante]

Originally Posted by justins5256

I vaguely remember the inconsistency of the 1am airings. It seems like there must have been a period where they were somewhat consistent or predictable enough that I was able to record a bunch of them. I honestly don't remember how I found out it was on in the first place (e.g., if they were even listed in TV Guide or if I just happened upon them at some point when staying up late).

I know this is a longshot, but do you remember the other story (I'm assuming only one) that was bundled with Tara Calico when you saw it?

I ask because I did come across in my tapes the Roswell episode in its 30 minute format. The segment was so long though, it was the only one featured. However, as you may recall, the Roswell story was originally featured with Tara Calico on the NBC broadcast on 9/20/89, so it was obviously excerpted from the same source.

No I don't remember exactly what other segments were bundled alongside the Calico segment. In fact the only other segment I can clearly recall watching (at this moment anyhow) from those early morning broadcasts was the case of Gail DeLano.

They obviously edited together the segments differently for the half hour broadcast blocks. But this is really no surprise to me as I've seen variations of segments broadcast on "Lifetime" long before Farina took over which differed from one another. More often times than not this was due to the fact that the UM episodes were being continually updated as syndication went along so they had to make room for the updates. So if you take that into account, a segment you have have seen on "Lifetime" in 1994 may have been slightly different from the syndication of the same segment on "Lifetime" in 1997.

They were always fiddling around with the segments though and I think in one case at least (Doreen Picard) may have contained footage that wasn't part of the original NBC broadcast. That particular segment though was fiddled with several times over though as I remember it.

[MegtheEgg86]

I was elementary- and middle-school age throughout the '90s, but I do remember this time slot because I would usually be up half the night (on the rare occasion I was even up past 11 or so anyway) because I was too scared to go to sleep. It was during this time slot I clearly remember catching the David Harry Fisher segment one night.

[WishfulDreamer]

Originally Posted by MegtheEgg86

I was elementary- and middle-school age throughout the '90s, but I do remember this time slot because I would usually be up half the night (on the rare occasion I was even up past 11 or so anyway) because I was too scared to go to sleep. It was during this time slot I clearly remember catching the David Harry Fisher segment one night.

I would often catch the show on Lifetime in the early 2000s, when I was in middle school. That segment in particularly always freaked me out and remained a good warning that even someone who seemed nice and friendly could be a horrible person. I can still hear the promo in my head. ''He turned out to be the worst friend she could have ever made.''

[TheCars1986]

I occasionally would be awake during the 90's at 1:00 a.m. (sleepovers usually), and I thought the 1 a.m. UM's kind of sucked (at least the ones I saw). Every episode was either the chocolate aphrodisiac or the fertility statues coupled with an "update" on a captured fugitive. I believe there was once or twice where I saw a "rare" case during the shows and was quite shocked.

[tlc38tlc38]

I'm remember falling asleep a few times with the Lifetime channel on....then waking up to the sound of Robert Stack's voice. It's tuly terrifying.

[Charlie99909]

I totally remember these airings! This is what the Friday night sleep over was made for. I remember my friend and I were watching a segment and right as that scary music note hit, my dad come from out of the dark hall and said "why are you guys up!"

We didn't know whether to sh*t or go blind.

[TheCafeDisco]

I am 27. Growing up in the 90's I remember my parents went out a lot and hired a babysitter who listened to nirvana and had a new hair color every week. She was super laid back and allowed me to stay up to watch UM on Lifetime. She was the coolest. Most often though, I'd fall asleep on the couch with the television on waiting to watch UM, but when the eerie music began playing I'd immediately wake up!

[MegtheEgg86]

Originally Posted by Charlie99909

I totally remember these airings! This is what the Friday night sleep over was made for. I remember my friend and I were watching a segment and right as that scary music note hit, my dad come from out of the dark hall and said "why are you guys up!"

We didn't know whether to sh*t or go blind.

[justins5256]

Originally Posted by TheCafeDisco

I am 27. Growing up in the 90's I remember my parents went out a lot and hired a babysitter who listened to nirvana and had a new hair color every week. She was super laid back and allowed me to stay up to watch UM on Lifetime. She was the coolest. Most often though, I'd fall asleep on the couch with the television on waiting to watch UM, but when the eerie music began playing I'd immediately wake up!

I had a good chuckle reading your post. This reminds me of a babysitter I had as a kid who was a UM fanatic and insisted we watch the show. I was very young, and the show scared me at times. I had a crush on the babysitter though, so I tried to act like the show didn't bother me.

[TheCafeDisco]

Originally Posted by justins5256

I had a good chuckle reading your post. This reminds me of a babysitter I had as a kid who was a UM fanatic and insisted we watch the show. I was very young, and the show scared me at times. I had a crush on the babysitter though, so I tried to act like the show didn't bother me.

Woo woo! Babysitter crushes! That's kinda cute that she stayed up with you to watch it!
Now I'm just picturing a small boy puffing out his chest acting all brave when the haunted bunk bed episode airs, all to impress his babysitter.