If you like Unsolved Mysteries, you will love this true crime series
Hello, dear reader. I would like to recommend a true crime series that spreads fear and terror in a similar way to the original series of Unsolved mysteries. But first, please allow me to briefly explain why Unsolved mysteries is particularly close to my heart and made the show so effective.
I grew up with the original series Unsolved mysteries with my mother. It was a Wednesday night tradition and remains a fond memory to this day. We looked forward to new episodes all week. We made popcorn and crowded around the TV for a harrowing but exciting viewing experience. The show shook me to my core. Some nights I went to bed half-convinced that a fugitive criminal featured on the show was waiting outside, ready to unleash violence on our doorstep.
The very fact that I was startled by the show is a testament to the effectiveness of the way the program was packaged. I have rarely, if ever, been scared by news magazines like Date line or 20/20and both shows deal with very similar topics as the show Unsolved mysteriesBut host Robert Stack gave the show a special touch, giving it a menacing quality that made it stand out from the crowd. Always stoic and stony-faced, he could make the harmless seem slightly threatening.
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Aside from Stack’s ominous narration, the show’s theme music is still a piece that stands out even after all these years. The opening probably wouldn’t seem out of place in a slasher film. The composition evokes a sense of terrifying urgency, starting proceedings off on a chilling note before the most terrifying content has even come into focus.
Additionally effective is the way the series investigates multiple cases in a single episode. Each story presented was bite-sized and reduced to the most sinister aspects of the case. No filler, all killers. The show largely lacked the human element that one finds in news magazines like 48 hours. Don’t get me wrong, this aspect is certainly justified. Shows like 48 hours Give surviving family members the opportunity to tell their story and talk about the impact of the case portrayed, but this component is not always an effective way to build suspense.
When I found out Unsolved mysteries was revived by Netflix years after it was canceled, I was overjoyed. But after watching the first few episodes, I was disappointed, to say the least. I understand the desire to make the series more diverse so that the latest incarnation could stand on its own, but the reboot removed the host/narrator and started portraying a single case per episode. Accordingly, I was never able to identify with it as much as I did with the original. That’s a shame. But all is not lost. The original broadcast is now available to stream for free on Tubi. Plus, I discovered an HLN series with similar energy in Forensic files. Forensic files began broadcasting in 1996, at the same time as the first broadcast of Unsolved mysteries was fading away.
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Forensic files offers a theme music that is almost as ominous as Unsolved mysteries. Even as an adult, I get goosebumps. The show also features a voiceover by the late Peter Thomas, who sounded almost as menacing as Robert Stack. Similar to Unsolved mysteriesthe HLN original series largely removes the human element and instead focuses on the investigative aspect. The cases portrayed are closed, in contrast to still open cases like Unsolved mysteries. But Forensic files still manages to create plenty of eerie atmosphere with each episode.
The core focus of Forensic files deals with the use of technology to solve crimes. The show limits each episode to a single case, but only lasts a little over 20 minutes, so you can squeeze three episodes of the series into an hour. Watching several episodes in a row puts me in a similar mood to the original series of Unsolved mysteriesEven in my forties, I still check the locks and make sure all the windows are closed after walking a block Forensic files.
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The original edition of Forensic files lasted 14 seasons. This era of the show is a sweet spot for me. Peter Thomas was a brilliant narrator. The show is still airing new episodes, but with a new narrator, Bill Camp. The Camp era is known as Forensic Files II. Both incarnations are quite entertaining. My only criticism of Forensic files II is that Camp does his voiceover work as if he were reciting a tongue twister. He spits out each word with a little too much enthusiasm, and it sometimes takes me out of the moment. Still, the cases presented are compelling, and the focus on the technology at the crime scene is captivating.
If I resold you Forensic files and you’re dying to start from the beginning? You can currently stream the series on at least half a dozen AVOD platforms (including Tubi). At the time of this post’s publication, the series is also available to stream on Hulu. Forensic Files II airs on HLN and is currently available to stream on Max and Discovery Plus.
The first episode of the series will also be streamed on YouTube. You can watch it for yourself in the player below.
If you are a fan of true crime shows and want to chat more about it, contact me on Twitter @FunWithHorror.
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