Season 8 is very uneven...

[comicbookwriter]

I think this was the first time I got to see season 8 in some kind of context. I watched the majority of these cases on Lifetime near the end of the run but I don't recall how they were shown.

My initial thoughts - some of the most iconic murder/crime cases were in this season but so much of it was Lost Loves and Ghost filler that I found myself skipping through much of the season.

Can anyone explain why they added Keely Smith? I don't have a problem with her, I just didn't understand the added call center segments.

How do you all feel about season 8 and the increased filler stories?

[amandab1234]

Originally Posted by comicbookwriter

I think this was the first time I got to see season 8 in some kind of context. I watched the majority of these cases on Lifetime near the end of the run but I don't recall how they were shown.

My initial thoughts - some of the most iconic murder/crime cases were in this season but so much of it was Lost Loves and Ghost filler that I found myself skipping through much of the season.

Can anyone explain why they added Keely Smith? I don't have a problem with her, I just didn't understand the added call center segments.

How do you all feel about season 8 and the increased filler stories?

I was never a fan of the older episodes.. didn't Keely Smith eventually take over as host? I don't know if this was due to Stack's health or even his death but that's when I stopped watching. The new graphics, up close interviews, new music.. it was just meh to me

[freakbook]

I love season 8

[Todd Mueller]

Originally Posted by amandab1234

I was never a fan of the older episodes.. didn't Keely Smith eventually take over as host? I don't know if this was due to Stack's health or even his death but that's when I stopped watching. The new graphics, up close interviews, new music.. it was just meh to me

No, Keely never hosted but later Stack split hosting duties on CBS with Virginia Madsen. I actually didn't mind her, but no one was as good as Stack.

I think in both cases it was trying to appeal to a different audience, whether that was younger, female, etc. I'm not sure what they were shooting for specifically with KSS but I thought it was kind of dumb. She was fine but having her do the updates was pointless IMHO.

As for Season 8, I agree -- there are some iconic unexplained death/missing segments but it seems like there was a huge spike in supernatural cases (many of which were downright silly). To me it felt like the biggest shift in tone and content since the show started. It was also less creepy and I don't care for the Casio keyboard theme music either.

[comicbookwriter]

Originally Posted by Todd Mueller

No, Keely never hosted but later Stack split hosting duties on CBS with Virginia Madsen. I actually didn't mind her, but no one was as good as Stack.

I think in both cases it was trying to appeal to a different audience, whether that was younger, female, etc. I'm not sure what they were shooting for specifically with KSS but I thought it was kind of dumb. She was fine but having her do the updates was pointless IMHO.

As for Season 8, I agree -- there are some iconic unexplained death/missing segments but it seems like there was a huge spike in supernatural cases (many of which were downright silly). To me it felt like the biggest shift in tone and content since the show started. It was also less creepy and I don't care for the Casio keyboard theme music either.

That music was deeply problematic. It was tough to watch the new version after hearing the original music through my home theater. It felt like a completely different show.

I was in college without cable or regular TV access for a few years during the later run of UM. I had no idea they changed the music and shifted the tone toward nonsense segments. I don't mind the occasional ghost story or lost lover or orphaned/family material but the bread and butter of UM was always the creepy murder and crime content.

When I got into UM in the late 80s, it was mainly because of the murder cases because we all loved a good scare. To shift so dramatically in the midst of a run doesn't make a lot of sense especially since there was little reason to make such a massive change in the style of the presentation and content.

I am forever grateful to have access to UM in HD streaming, but man, seeing how season 8 rolled out for the first time is jarring.

[comicbookwriter]

Originally Posted by Todd Mueller

No, Keely never hosted but later Stack split hosting duties on CBS with Virginia Madsen. I actually didn't mind her, but no one was as good as Stack.

I think in both cases it was trying to appeal to a different audience, whether that was younger, female, etc. I'm not sure what they were shooting for specifically with KSS but I thought it was kind of dumb. She was fine but having her do the updates was pointless IMHO.

As for Season 8, I agree -- there are some iconic unexplained death/missing segments but it seems like there was a huge spike in supernatural cases (many of which were downright silly). To me it felt like the biggest shift in tone and content since the show started. It was also less creepy and I don't care for the Casio keyboard theme music either.

That music was deeply problematic. It was tough to watch the new version after hearing the original music through my home theater. It felt like a completely different show.

I was in college without cable or regular TV access for a few years during the later run of UM. I had no idea they changed the music and shifted the tone toward nonsense segments. I don't mind the occasional ghost story or lost lover or orphaned/family material but the bread and butter of UM was always the creepy murder and crime content.

When I got into UM in the late 80s, it was mainly because of the murder cases because we all loved a good scare. To shift so dramatically in the midst of a run doesn't make a lot of sense especially since there was little reason to make such a massive change in the style of the presentation and content.

I am forever grateful to have access to UM in HD streaming, but man, seeing how season 8 rolled out for the first time is jarring.

[LilMissKryssy]

Was anyone else surprised they never did a segment on OJ Simpson murder case? Obviously to me its a no brainer and not Unsolved but UM has done a lot of other "no **** they're guilty" high profile segments. Just odd not a mention during season 6-8 given it was the biggest thing in the country

[NCRavensFan86]

Originally Posted by LilMissKryssy

Was anyone else surprised they never did a segment on OJ Simpson murder case? Obviously to me its a no brainer and not Unsolved but UM has done a lot of other "no **** they're guilty" high profile segments. Just odd not a mention during season 6-8 given it was the biggest thing in the country

Actually they did, it aired in Season 9 on November 22, 1996 according to UM Wiki.

Unfortunately it has not been released on the Amazon Episodes, but maybe it will turn up in one of the last two seasons yet to be released.