Forensic Files Observations

[MegtheEgg86]

So I recently popped open a Contico box I haven't touched since mid-2012, and in it was a few of my Forensic Files DVDs, which I popped in yesterday afternoon to watch.

One of the discs was Disc 1 of the 'Crimes of Passion' set, which includes the episode "Internal Affair" in which Renton, WA man Robert Durall murdered his wife in the late '90s and was caught primarily via computer forensics and blood evidence. The case has always piqued my interest, so I decided to see if anyone had written a book about it. Indeed, Ann Rule had included the case as a part of a volume of her true crime anthology series. So I downloaded it to my iPad and started to read.

As many of you know, Ann Rule's books often include photos. I was a little surprised to see that not only was Durall's wife NOT the woman featured in what I thought were actual family photos and what was supposedly a home video on the FF episode, but her name had been completely changed from Carolyn (her actual name) to Sherry (apparently a pseudonym for the show, although no indication was made at all that this wasn't her actual name).

Now, I know FF has shown photographs of the parties involved in cases that aren't in fact photographs of the actual people (this becomes obvious when the reenactment actors are obviously the people in the photos), but to be honest, I never saw the resemblance between the reenactment actors and the "family photos" and "home video" (I HAD never seen them do this before) shown.

Anyhow, I suppose I'm wondering why this was done--especially the name change in Carolyn's case. There are numerous articles and court summaries online that clearly show her actual name. Also, why recreate a home video if it's not particularly pertinent to the case? I thought that was so amazingly strange.

Has anyone else noticed any oddities like this on FF or any other true crime show?

[wiseguy182]

A Crime To Remember is exceptional at finding actors/actresses that look like the actual players in this case. They do an amazing job in a lot of details like that. I also like the slower pace in the show, reminds me of City Confidential.

I thought UM used to do an amazing job in the earlier years, but in the later years, it seemed like they got really lazy.

[yasdnil]

Originally Posted by wiseguy182

A Crime To Remember is exceptional at finding actors/actresses that look like the actual players in this case. They do an amazing job in a lot of details like that. I also like the slower pace in the show, reminds me of City Confidential.

I agree. When they show the pictures of the actual people at the end, a lot of the actors and actresses actually resemble them (which is more than I can say for a lot of shows, haha).