Unusual Suspects

This has become the template for modern true crime shows, so in that sense it is ground breaking. Rather than the relentless teases at the start and before each ad break we now get (which is ridiculous by the way), this show doesn't feel the need to constantly dangle carrots in a desperate bid to keep you watching. This ran from 2010 - 2016. Whether it's a reflection of the times or not, I appreciate that there is no "hard sell" or overly salacious cases to shock the viewer into watching or trying to get the audience to endlessly pour over grisly details. True Crime competition increased exponentially in the years this show aired and by 2016 there was an ocean of choice. If you're interested in quality true crime, start here and avoid the "tabloid" shows. This is where it's at. One of the true and best originals.

I think the show is well executed and documented. However sometimes the facts are blurred. An example is how a 1985 case was solved using DNA which wasn't in use at that time. The only other thing that stands out is that seemingly every case is about the murder of a female. I say this because in every single show the producers will replay the victims screaming at least 15 times. There is always multiple suspects and they replay the screams with each one as they might have committed the crime as well as catch ups after commercials. In almost every case there were no I witnesses so there is no evidence there was any screaming to begin with. It may be a minor point to many people but it drives me to distraction.

Aside from Unsolved Mysteries, Unusual Suspects is one of my favorite true crime TV shows. Production-wise, the show looked cheap in its debut season. But when the show returned for its second season in 2011, it looked much better. One may see Unusual Suspects as something of a throwback to the 1980s. That might sound unfair, but I can see why it can be viewed as such. In fact, there are moments in the show where reenactments remind me of reenactments from the early seasons of Unsolved Mysteries, due to the look and feel. Unusual Suspects has nice production values.

If Unusual Suspects can teach us anything, it is that even your quiet and seemingly harmless neighbor can be a cold-blooded murderer. Sometimes, a person's public persona can be a stark contrast to who they truly are behind closed doors.

Like most other shows on Investigation Discovery, this one draws you in right from the start. It's a real life "who done it?" Some of the cases, I never would've expected that the killer was the person it was, but others were somewhat obvious based on the narrative, however this show is definitely worth watching. It's also a reminder that even decades later, cases can still be solved and often are thanks to new technology and information.

I've literally binge-watched every season of this and I'm looking forward to another one because like most other true crime junkies out there, knowing that these are real stories are precisely what draw me in and get addicted to the show.

"God pointed the killer" - I like very much these series. But I want to highlight this particular episode. On June 1991, 23- years-old Denise vanishes when a flat tire forces her to pull over in a highway at night. Her car was found on the side of the road, but there was no trace of Denise. Detectives assumed that she left her car and walked to the nearest pay phone to ask for help. They found no signs of fight, no blood, Denise's car was clean, no evidence whatsoever. Second detective's assumption was that "someone" pulled over and offered Denise a ride. But who? And where did they go? Hundreds of cars passed by that freeway of Orange County, could be anyone, could go anywhere. Soon detectives had no leads to investigate, they were clueless and the case went cold. I can't tell you anymore, I invite you to watch it. Next thing was an incredible twist of destiny. All began in 1994, when a mature couple wanted to buy cheap wall painting...