Unusual Suspects

I've seen all the true crime shows, and this one is definitely at the top. My only thing is how long the show takes to get to the point of who actually did it. It could be a solid 30 minute show but instead it drags out for another 20 after that. I've gotten to the point where I just fast forward it on Hulu.

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.

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.

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.

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.