An 'Unsolved Mysteries' Reboot Is Headed To Netflix

Netflix is rebooting Unsolved Mysteries, according to Deadline. The streaming giant has noted the growing interest in true crime television shows and documentaries, and has given a 12-episode order for the series. Production will be led by Shawn Levy, executive producer of the platform’s hit sci-fi series, Stranger Things.

Unsolved Mysteries aired from 1987 to 2010 and produced a total of 581 episodes across four different networks, including NBC, CBS, Lifetime, and Spike. The show has always been a hit, but with almost 600 episodes down, how many more unsolved mysteries are there to explore?

The reboot will tackle stories in the same format as the original series, which filmed events documentary-style with a blend of actors and family members and police officers who took part in the real event.

Each episode will focus on a different mystery, which could span from an unsolved crime investigation to an allegation of paranormal activity (such as an alien abduction).

Robert Stack narrated the series for a large chunk of its original run, while Dennis Farina took over in ’08. The hosts also occasionally teamed up with guest hosts. For example, CBS selected Virginia Madsen (Designated Survivor) to help narrate the show in one of its later seasons to boost its female viewership. Spoiler alert: it failed.

There’s no word yet on who will host the reboot, though the news is are fairly fresh. There’s also no word on how many hosts the reboot will have, but it’s possible Netflix will opt for two. Whoever steps into this role certainly has big shoes to fill.

Netflix is no stranger to true crime. The streamer offers dozens of crime documentaries, including original programming and shows like Making A Murderer, which are some of the site’s successful series.

Cosgrove-Meurer Productions, a production company run by the show’s creators John Cosgrove and Terry Dunn Meurer, will team with Levy’s production company, 21 Laps Entertainment, to produce the series.

Meurer and Robert Wise will serve as co-showrunners on the series with Cosgrove, Levy, and Josh Barry as executive producers.

Cosgrove and Meurer have been trying to reboot the series for quite some time. During a Reddit AMA in 2017, the creators said they were in talks with networks and the show should be revived by the end of the year.

Obviously, talks took a bit longer, but Netflix took the bait. Without the constraints of broadcast television, how different will the reboot be from the original? It’s TBD, but with Netflix’s track record, this show could get very dark.

When the true crime genre is more popular than ever, how will Unsolved Mysteries 2.0 stand out among the competition? The show’s habit of using professional actors to stage the crime is unique, but that won’t be enough to get people watching.

Given Netflix’s production and release schedule, it will likely take at least a year before we see the series come to life again.

Regardless, fans are stoked for the reboot.

With Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, Perfume, and now an Unsolved Mysteries reboot, we couldn’t be more excited for Netflix’s future. Bring on the reboot!

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