Netflix has become the home to pretty much everyone’s TV needs over the last half-decade, using their practically unlimited funds to target every demographic and create myriad different kinds of shows. But one genre has definitely seen an uptick in interest since Netflix became a studio superpower, and that is the true crime genre.
Whether it’s been Making A Murderer, The Staircase, The Innocent Man, or any of the other shows that have captured the world’s attention – not just on Netflix either – true crime is thriving right now. Which is likely a major reason why the streaming giant has put a revival of the popular TV show Unsolved Mysteries in the works.
The show originally ran on NBC from 1987 to 1997 before moving to various channels, and focused on reenactments of true crime and paranormal activity. It quickly developed a large following thanks to the mysterious intrigue it brought to screens every week, plus smaller things like host Robert Stack’s great voice and the memorable theme song.
Stranger Things executive producer Shawn Levy will help develop and produce the show under his 21 Laps production banner, and will work with original creators John Cosgrove and Terry Dunn Meurer.
Deadline is currently stating that the revived Unsolved Mysteries will be a 12-episode series, with each episode focusing on a separate real-life mystery. There will be reenactments as well as interviews with family members and law enforcement officials.
Cosgrove and Meurer have reportedly been bracing for this news, and have spent over a year researching various cases so that they were ready to go should a deal be struck.
Whether the show will have the impact it originally did – the internet has likely already uncovered most of the bizarre cases lingering around – or whether Netflix will seek to reinvent it slightly (famous actors as part of the reenactments has been rumoured) is something we’ll have to wait on.
But this is yet another revival from Netflix, following in the footsteps of resuscitated shows such as Mystery Science Theater 3000, and sounds like another binge-worthy show for the streaming giant that will keep our eyes glued to their screens even more. The true crime genre keeps rolling on.
#Peace.Love.UnsolvedMysteries
