20/20

Back in the days of Barbara Walters and Hugh Downs, 20/20 was the best news magazine show on TV. I especially liked their undercover investigations, busting scams and criminals. John F. Stossel did his "Give Me A Break" part very well at the time. The older 20/20 shows were the best! And I never missed a show. But ever since Hugh Downs left, the show just hasn't been the same. And now that Barbara Walters has left too, the show has become much of a joke. 20/20 used to be all about protecting the consumer and busting scams and criminals. But now, all they do on 20/20 (besides covering stories that are already all over the news, a lot of which is simply entertainment news) is bust myths. This is sadly, the exact same concept that has also brought down the Discovery Channel. The Discovery Channel used to be all about shows investigating both a lot in science and law, but now all they do is show stupid "reality" shows and bust urban myths. I just can't understand all of this, obviously the people in control of these TV networks today are just some really stupid (and lazy) people.

They keep repeating the same information over and over again after every commercial break. Lots of filler material as if they're trying to outstretch the segment longer than it needs to be. Lots of dramatization and loud music, which is necessary to keep attention but less is more when it comes to these things. It doesn't have to be THAT loud.

Usually it's instrumental music, but sometimes they decide to play corny radio songs that are supposed to go with the theme of the crime. Which is just blatantly disrespectful to dramatize crimes real people and families have suffered from. I get that we're all here for entertainment but it wouldn't hurt to have some empathy.

This show used to be so good, their episode 'A Monster Among Us' got me hooked. It was done right with a good musical score which was not overbearing or seemed like it was romanticizing the crime. Just the right amount of information and not a bunch of filler crap. PLEASE go back to that.

This used to be okay. But lately narrators repeat the same info 3-4 times. And some details are not necessary; they don't move the story along. A 2-hour episode can be done in half the time.

The music background is too loud and adds zero value to the story. Come on, it's not a music video. Stop the cheesy music score.

The chronology in the storytelling is a hot mess. Throughout 75% of an episode you're more and more confused. Only in the last 25 minutes do things come together and you piece things together and understand - finally - what's going on. ABC, you're not making an M. Night Shyamalan film. Don't feel obliged to have twists and turns and spectacular reveals. Lately I have been so lost halfway in an episode that I just stop watching to get me out of my misery. I did exactly that just now. I recorded the episode, started watching but when I found myself uninterested and bored, I just stopped, deleted the episode and canceled the series recording.

Dateline NBC is 10 times better. Great storytelling. Soft, unobtrusive music that you hardly notice is there. Chronology logically builds and builds to an exciting conclusion in the last 15 minutes but throughout the journey, you're fully comprehending the progression of the story.

Guess I should have figured John Stossel was becoming corrupt. The minute he said that drug companies should be charging high prices to seniors, he lost me as a fan.

The show truely became stale when Hugh Downs left. :( Hugh and Barbara were a team. No wonder she's leaving. Probably can't stand John.

Frankly when she leaves, the closest competitor to 20/20? Bill O Rielly. I'm guessing it won't last long if John's the sole host.

Give me a break!!

Once upon a time 20/20 offered outstanding investigative pieces by quality journalists such as John Stossel. So how did it get to the point where too-skeezy-for-TMZ Nancy Grace is now featured?!?! Nancy Grace??? Really???

Is this really the direction ABC wants to take its premier news magazine? There are plenty of tabloid TV shows on the air and, after the addition of Nancy Grace, most of them are more credible than 20/20. It's almost unbelievable that ABC is setting its sights so low these days.