I have very fond memories regarding the show Unsolved Mysteries. The original show aired all the way form 1987 until 2010. My maternal grandmother and I would watch it when I went to her house. She would make me toasties to snack on while we watched. It was just buttered toast cut up into tiny squares, but it was one of the most delicious things I had ever tasted. The creepy theme music would swell in the living room, as blue-white smoke rose up in serpentine tendrils from the end of her long cigarettes. And then came the mysteries. Stories of missing persons, unexplained phenomena, unsolved crimes, and missing persons. They were stories that both freaked you out, and drew you in. So, when Netflix announced they were bringing the show back, I was beyond psyched. I binged. You should too, here’s why.
As I mentioned earlier, there’s a sort of theme to the episodes. You watch, you witness, you hear people who lived the events tell their stories. At the end, the viewer is called upon to get in contact with various sources if they have any information that may lead to the mystery being solved. At the start of each episode, the familiar music began, new, but still identifiable. Gone was the legendary voice-over of actor Robert Stack, but there was that memorable eerie feel just the same. Far fewer cheesy reenactments, but much more face time of the actual people who lived through the events. Netflix has produced 6 compelling episodes thus far, with 6 more on the way, though Netflix hasn’t revealed when they’ll actually debut.
As with anything that you fiercely love and are nostalgic about, I was dubious as to how good the new version of Unsolved Mysteries would be. I went into it with hopeful optimism, kind of akin to when you see a pool that promises relief from the heat, but you hope the water isn’t completely freezing. So, I dipped my toe in. I was instantly hooked. Nostalgia aside, the shows were, in a word, gripping.
Now, while I may be a total sucker for who-done-its and strange, inexplicable events in general, I still feel like the show would appeal to just about anyone. It spent a good while on Netflix’s number one spot, so there is likely truth to that. I was hanging on every word and detail. I was talking to my screen, cursing, pointing an accusatory finger here and there. I haven’t said “oh, you so did it!” so much since Tiger King‘s Carol Baskin. You get to play detective for a while, and though the events that transpire on the show are tragic and horrific, you can’t look away.
Even if you didn’t grow up watching this show, you’re bound to find it compelling. Maybe it’s the fact that these things are still unexplained. Maybe it’s the innate desire for some sort of justice. Maybe it’s part morbid curiosity. Maybe it’s our need for closure. It’s likely all these things combined. I can tell you afterward I looked up each of the cases online to see if anything had been resolved. To check if any credible tips had come in. Some of the investigations have been reopened because of the show. You get invested, it’s almost impossible not to. Because nobody likes to see evil win. And the episodes where things can’t be explained? Well, those will haunt you in a different way.
You gotta watch it. Check it out, even if it’s not usually your type of show. It’s good, and let’s face it, with the extra time many of us have had on our hands of late, we’ve probably been watching worse. If it turns out you love it, you can watch the original version for free if you have Amazon Prime Video. All 12 glorious seasons. Some of which even have updates, because yes, some of those “unsolved mysteries” actually were solved with the help of viewers. But don’t let me tell you what to do, listen to Mr Stack. He knows what’s up.
