General True Crime Shows

[smittykins]

City Confidential was narrated by Paul Winfield until his death in 2004, then by Keith David.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Confidential

[Rina99]

Here's an article on the recent ID convention.  

[psychoticstate]

1 hour ago, smittykins said:

City Confidential was narrated by Paul Winfield until his death in 2004, then by Keith David.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Confidential

Yes!  Paul Winfield!  Love his narration.

[Maizie131]

2 hours ago, Rina99 said:

Here's an article on the recent ID convention.  

Great article, Rina - thanks for posting!  If one of those conventions was in my area, I'd go! 

I just found another article from this past April re: the convention.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2016/04/05/investigation-discovery-host-fan-centric-idcon/82656494/

Edited June 28, 2016 by Maizie131
To add past article link

[Brattinella]

On 6/25/2016 at 4:40 PM, InDueTime said:

I watched it.  I'm surprised that I.D. hasn't run any ads for it. I wonder how many episodes will be in the series.  Are there really that many lotto winners involved in murder?

Well, I know that one of them, Abraham Shakespeare, was murdered for his lottery winnings.  I'm sure he wasn't a murderer.  I haven't seen any of these yet.

[NewDigs]

14 minutes ago, Brattinella said:

Well, I know that one of them, Abraham Shakespeare, was murdered for his lottery winnings.  I'm sure he wasn't a murderer.  I haven't seen any of these yet.

I haven't watched any of the better-off-not-winning lottery shows and probably won't because of my familiarity with the Abraham S. case. That one has been profiled on more than one of the true-crime shows. Sad.

Edited June 28, 2016 by NewDigs

[millennium]

On 7/13/2014 at 5:13 PM, MrsClaus said:

I was watching Happily Never After last night when they were talking to the relatives I kept thinking something didn't feel right and then realized when they showed photos of the actually people that they were a lot older than the actors they had portraying them.  Not everyone is some hot 30 yr. old but then again this is ID I was watching.

I just watched Murder Among Friends.    It seems axiomatic to me that the better-looking the actors/actresses in any ID show, the uglier the actual people are.   I swear, I have concluded some ID shows with a "Gaaah!" when they show the real mugshot or trial footage.   

Edited June 29, 2016 by millennium

[applecrisp]

On June 25, 2016 at 5:11 PM, editorgrrl said:

There are at least 8 episodes of Your Number's Up: http://crimefeed.com/2016/06/numbers-might-better-off-not-winning-lottery/

• William “Bud” Post III (Pennsylvania, 1988)
• Urooj Khan (Chicago, 2012)
• Denise Rossi (California, 1996)
• Abraham Shakespeare (Florida, 2006)
• Jeffrey Dampier (Illinois, 1996)
• Callie Rogers (UK, 2003)
• Andrew Jack Whittaker (West Virginia, 2002)
• Ibi Roncaioli (Canada, 1992)

Thank you.  The Abraham Shakespeare case has been done a lot, but the others look like like they may be fresh. There was a show about lottery winners on TLC, in most cases it was a curse. 

[editorgrrl]

On June 19, 2016 at 7:56 PM, editorgrrl said:

Garry McFadden is Joe Kenda plus expensive suits minus a toupee. Like Homicide Hunter, the cases haven't been covered anywhere else. (They're in Charlotte, North Carolina.) McFadden talks about one of his cases, the reenactments feature a younger, more attractive man, and a few people involved in the case do talking heads (in the premiere, McFadden's co-workers and the victim's mother).

The second episode of I Am Homicide, "The Crossroads," had a narrator (in addition to Garry McFadden). I don't know why.

The case was the July 3, 2004, shooting of Olivia Sigmon.

http://www.investigationdiscovery.com/tv-shows/i-am-homicide/i-am-homicide-videos/collision-leads-to-attempted-carjacking-that-ends-in-murder-of-middle-aged-mom/

Quote

When a warm-hearted waitress is gunned down in a carjacking gone wrong, Detective McFadden must work fast. But this manhunt will last many years.

[Brattinella]

11 hours ago, millennium said:

I just watched Murder Among Friends.    It seems axiomatic to me that the better-looking the actors/actresses in any ID show, the uglier the actual people are.   I swear, I have concluded some ID shows with a "Gaaah!" when they show the real mugshot or trial footage.   

I hear ya.  I watched it too, and the 4 actors were smokin' hot each and every one.  The real perps?  Um, no.  Not even close.

[millennium]

2 hours ago, Brattinella said:

I hear ya.  I watched it too, and the 4 actors were smokin' hot each and every one.  The real perps?  Um, no.  Not even close.

Which tends to make the crimes even more incredible.   You see these attractive actors and you're lulled into thinking, well, okay, I can see how so-and-so allowed him-or herself to be seduced/duped/manipulated regardless of how bizarre the circumstances.  But then you discover the hot young thing is an overweight, hatchet-faced fortysomething straight out of "People of Walmart" and suddenly there's no sane or plausible reason for any of it. 

Edited June 29, 2016 by millennium

[Brattinella]

I must admit laughing my ass off at the girl explaining her deep abiding love of all things vampire and werewolf, really sincerely she believed in this codswallop of "Twilight".  She didn't even mention the TV show or the books, maybe she just believes they are a real thing apart from a television show.

[millennium]

On 6/15/2016 at 9:33 AM, Jeeves said:

Okay, I've now hung in with The Vanishing Women for two episodes. Good lord. They must be competing for an Emmy in the  "draggged-out mind-numbing slow-moving mess of a documentary series" category, perhaps in the subcategory of "with the most gratuitous artsy camera shots."

 

 I lasted 25 minutes into episode 1, then bailed and never looked back.

[millennium]

35 minutes ago, Brattinella said:

I must admit laughing my ass off at the girl explaining her deep abiding love of all things vampire and werewolf, really sincerely she believed in this codswallop of "Twilight".  She didn't even mention the TV show or the books, maybe she just believes they are a real thing apart from a television show.

The prevalence of ignorance, mental illness and drug abuse in the small, faceless towns of this country is terrifying.

[millennium]

On 6/21/2016 at 4:30 PM, Fable said:

I enjoyed I am Homicide with its similar format to Homicide Hunter.  Of course I don't find McFadden's narration nearly as engaging as Kenda's, but then again, Kenda is one of kind.  

 

The promos alone thoroughly turned me off to this show.   The detective seems like a peacock, really full of himself.    Pass.

[auntjess]

Quote

The promos alone thoroughly turned me off to this show.   The detective seems like a peacock, really full of himself.    Pass.

I thought the same of the promos, but liked the show itself.
Give it a chance, and you might just like it.

[Maizie131]

Speaking of great narrators we love, yesterday my daughter called to tell me she not only MET, but had a 15-min. conversation with BILL KURTIS!!!  He came into the restaurant where she waits tables part-time ("The Eagle Tavern" in Greenfield Village-The Henry Ford - Dearborn, Michigan.  She said he's a REALLY nice man (we figured that) and will most probably be back so she can get a pic with him! 

[Ina123]

14 hours ago, millennium said:

 

The promos alone thoroughly turned me off to this show.   The detective seems like a peacock, really full of himself.    Pass.

Exactly. Does he explain the difference between a million dollar murder and  $5 murder? I'm not impressed...and I'll never compare any detective to Lt. Joe.

[stillhere1900]

On 6/29/2016 at 7:55 AM, editorgrrl said:

The second episode of I Am Homicide, "The Crossroads," had a narrator (in addition to Garry McFadden). I don't know why.

The case was the July 3, 2004, shooting of Olivia Sigmon.

http://www.investigationdiscovery.com/tv-shows/i-am-homicide/i-am-homicide-videos/collision-leads-to-attempted-carjacking-that-ends-in-murder-of-middle-aged-mom/

 I was wondering why the cop kept calling her "Miss Olivia" like it was the 1950"s in the South

Edited June 30, 2016 by stillhere1900

[editorgrrl]

7 hours ago, stillhere1900 said:

 I was wondering why the cop kept calling her "Miss Olivia" like it was the 1950"s in the South.

Olivia Gail Sigmon was 52 years old—despite her depiction in the reenactments. (Her 11 year-old "daughter" wasn't actually related to her—and a 10-year-old friend was in the car, too.) So the term of respect makes sense.

And Charlotte, North Carolina, is the south, isn't it?

[millennium]

What's with the shoes in the opening of Perfect Murder?   What are they supposed to suggest?

(This is probably as pointless as asking about the exotic bugs in those other shows.)

[millennium]

And since I'm asking rhetorical questions, how come in ID-land only the BEST people get murdered?   Every victim, it seems, is a pleasure to be around, an inspiration to everyone they encounter, a loyal spouse, a great parent, admired by men, women, young and old, an undaunted, bushy-tailed optimist who laughs at adversity and has a future so bright they gotta wear shades?

[NewDigs]

3 hours ago, millennium said:

And since I'm asking rhetorical questions, how come in ID-land only the BEST people get murdered?   Every victim, it seems, is a pleasure to be around, an inspiration to everyone they encounter, a loyal spouse, a great parent, admired by men, women, young and old, an undaunted, bushy-tailed optimist who laughs at adversity and has a future so bright they gotta wear shades?

Maybe 'cuz bad-mouthing the victim skirts too close to blaming the vistim? It happens in real life too. Dunno. And some of those neighbors' shows do show bad behaviors all-around.

Though I get your point. 

[stillhere1900]

3 hours ago, millennium said:

And since I'm asking rhetorical questions, how come in ID-land only the BEST people get murdered?   Every victim, it seems, is a pleasure to be around, an inspiration to everyone they encounter, a loyal spouse, a great parent, admired by men, women, young and old, an undaunted, bushy-tailed optimist who laughs at adversity and has a future so bright they gotta wear shades?

Don't forget "had a smile that would light up the room" whenever they enter and "turned heads" whenever they entered the room

4 minutes ago, NewDigs said:

Maybe 'cuz bad-mouthing the victim skirts too close to blaming the vistim? It happens in real life too. Dunno. And some of those neighbors' shows do show bad behaviors all-around.

Though I get your point. 

[renatae]

On 06/05/2016 at 8:22 PM, NewDigs said:

PoPoPeePads.

LOL. You gave me an idea - PerpPee Pads

[Maizie131]

Watched Passport to Murder: Nightmare in Bali last night and was happy that ID actually found a recent murder I hadn't heard of before.  I especially liked the narrator, Tish Iceton, but her soothing voice did put me to sleep halfway through for a few minutes.   Once again I was amazed at the short sentences given to the perps.  Very scary these scumbags will be walking the earth in the not-too-distant future.   I'll definitely watch this show again.

[ridethemaverick]

I stuck with Vanishing Women and I'm glad I did. It's getting really good, and compelling.

Also, how creepy is it that the most recent American Monster was about a serial sniper in Phoenix, and now all these years later they seem to be having the same problem?

[KellsBells]

3 hours ago, Maizie131 said:

Watched Passport to Murder: Nightmare in Bali last night and was happy that ID actually found a recent murder I hadn't heard of before.  I especially liked the narrator, Tish Iceton, but her soothing voice did put me to sleep halfway through for a few minutes.   Once again I was amazed at the short sentences given to the perps.  Very scary these scumbags will be walking the earth in the not-too-distant future.   I'll definitely watch this show again.

 

I taped the show, because as soon as I saw it advertised I assumed it would be just reworkings of the previous show, "Murder in Paradise." Glad they're covering new stories. 

[Brattinella]

3 hours ago, Maizie131 said:

Watched Passport to Murder: Nightmare in Bali last night and was happy that ID actually found a recent murder I hadn't heard of before.  I especially liked the narrator, Tish Iceton, but her soothing voice did put me to sleep halfway through for a few minutes.   Once again I was amazed at the short sentences given to the perps.  Very scary these scumbags will be walking the earth in the not-too-distant future.   I'll definitely watch this show again.

This show was very good, kept my attention.  What a despicable daughter!  I think she should have gotten more time than her boyfriend!  What a betraying POS!  I don't think she will last long outside of prison; she has a very creepy world-view and people will probably see it (especially if they are familiar with the case).  Why didn't Mom just throw them out when they first started?

[Maizie131]

I'm sure it was purely coincidental, but yesterday morning ID had a re-run of Deadly Twins or whatever it's called that featured "Jas" and "Tas".  You know the one.  Two more POS's (what's the plural of POS? hahaha)  And, Brattinella, absolutely agree that the daughter should've gotten more time than her asshole boyfriend.  They'd both be given life if it were up to me.  I think courts across the land should be giving way more thought to the "age"/minors bullshit when handing out sentences...in cases like these two, for instance.  Weren't they all 17?  WTF!  Not old enough to know better?  But old enough to concoct elaborate schemes to get what they want. 

Edited July 2, 2016 by Maizie131

[Brattinella]

Maizie, do you remember Ed Kemper?  He killed both his grandparents when he was 12.  Did a short stint in Tehachapi, then went on to abduct, torture, kill and rape (some in that order!) many teenage girls in Santa Cruz.  Brought their heads home to play with.  Eventually he killed the true object of his desire, his mom (and her friend, who was an afterthought).  Some of them JUST DON'T GET BETTER!  Folks in the judicial branch, some of them can't be fixed! 

[Brattinella]

Maizie, do you remember Ed Kemper?  He killed both his grandparents when he was 12.  Did a short stint in Tehachapi, then went on to abduct, torture, kill and rape (some in that order!) many teenage girls in Santa Cruz.  Brought their heads home to play with.  Eventually he killed the true object of his desire, his mom (and her friend, who was an afterthought).  Some of them JUST DON'T GET BETTER!  Folks in the judicial branch, some of them can't be fixed! 

[Maizie131]

24 minutes ago, Brattinella said:

Maizie, do you remember Ed Kemper?  He killed both his grandparents when he was 12.  Did a short stint in Tehachapi, then went on to abduct, torture, kill and rape (some in that order!) many teenage girls in Santa Cruz.  Brought their heads home to play with.  Eventually he killed the true object of his desire, his mom (and her friend, who was an afterthought).  Some of them JUST DON'T GET BETTER!  Folks in the judicial branch, some of them can't be fixed! 

OMG YES!  I had to google his pic but now recall the 20/20 or whatever program it was on.  Horrific story - I'd forgotten he was 12 when he killed his grandparents.  And he was/IS (he's 67 now) a giant - like 6'7" or so.  Can't believe he's still alive - you'd think he'd have been killed in prison by this time. 

Here in Michigan we had an 11-y.o. kid - Nathaniel Abraham - who got a rifle & just for the fun of it shot a man coming out of a convenience store, killing him (victim 18 y.o.).  He was tried & convicted as a juvenile, I believe.  Anyhow, not sure he's in prison today, but he's got an arrest record for drugs & shit a mile long.  Hasn't killed anyone else, but ya never know.  He's about 25 y.o. now.  Real dirt bag.  

[kathyk24]

On ‎7‎/‎1‎/‎2016 at 6:43 AM, millennium said:

And since I'm asking rhetorical questions, how come in ID-land only the BEST people get murdered?   Every victim, it seems, is a pleasure to be around, an inspiration to everyone they encounter, a loyal spouse, a great parent, admired by men, women, young and old, an undaunted, bushy-tailed optimist who laughs at adversity and has a future so bright they gotta wear shades?

I think ID programs tend to focus on people who shouldn't have been killed. They are aware viewers won't be sympathetic to the death of a gang member or someone who displays risky behavior. They also rely on interviews from family and friends who think the best of their loved one.

[Brattinella]

48 minutes ago, kathyk24 said:

I think ID programs tend to focus on people who shouldn't have been killed. They are aware viewers won't be sympathetic to the death of a gang member or someone who displays risky behavior. They also rely on interviews from family and friends who think the best of their loved one.

I dunno, Kathy.  48 Hours does a thriving business with crime shows, and a large chunk of their cases are gang-related.  Sometimes the victims ARE gangsters.  Their families grieve, too, I think they get genuine emotions from them.  They get sympathy from me, too.

[kathyk24]

Do you mean the First on A&E? Your right about that one show but I was responding to a post regarding ID programs as a whole.

[Brattinella]

Woops!  Sorry, that IS what I meant, and I didn't mean to go off-topic.

[tobeannounced]

Wow, the Passport to Murder was crazy.  I mean, besides the obvious, something seemed really off about the daughter. Like really out of it or not too bright or or something. And thank God they were both dumb as dirt as far as the murder.  Could they have been any more obvious?  Sounds like the mom was one of those who couldn't bear to discipline or disappointed her special snowflake.  That never turns out well. The Chicago Tribune has a bunch of articles about it that I'm binge reading.  This one could have been two hours.

[OpieTaylor]

12 hours ago, Brattinella said:

This show was very good, kept my attention.  What a despicable daughter!  I think she should have gotten more time than her boyfriend!  What a betraying POS!  I don't think she will last long outside of prison; she has a very creepy world-view and people will probably see it (especially if they are familiar with the case).  Why didn't Mom just throw them out when they first started?

Since she seems to have a major personality disorder, and she'll only be 29 when she gets out of prison, I think she'll be a definite threat to society!

[EllenCam]

On July 1, 2016 at 6:43 AM, millennium said:

And since I'm asking rhetorical questions, how come in ID-land only the BEST people get murdered?   Every victim, it seems, is a pleasure to be around, an inspiration to everyone they encounter, a loyal spouse, a great parent, admired by men, women, young and old, an undaunted, bushy-tailed optimist who laughs at adversity and has a future so bright they gotta wear shades?

And we don't need electricity anymore because ALL of the victims lit up rooms.

[EllenCam]

I was in the kitchen and I heard on the living room tv a voice that sounded familiar saying, "And I'm damn good at it". OMG NO....they have a new season of Cry Wolfe! For those who have never seen it, this is the dumbest, stupidest show ever on tv. It begins at the end of June I think. It is all phony trying to look real, and the plots are so ridiculous they are comical. It got nothing but horrible reviews for the past two years and I thought the station had listened, but I guess not. Well, it will sure give us something to talk about.

[Maizie131]

Am I really the only one on this forum who likes Cry Wolfe?  I was happy to see it's coming back.  Yes, he's obnoxious and yes, it's totally scripted, but so what?  His cases are real even if a little (?) over-embellished.  And ya gotta admit it's a few steps up from Cheaters.  haha!  Okay - let the mud-slinging begin....

[Brattinella]

Ohhh, Cheaters: that was some EPIC nastiness!  I think I lasted through one full episode and tried another before I ran for the toilet!  I don't remember too much about Cry Wolfe, but I think I watched one and said this is dumb, find something else to watch.

(Sorry, Maizie!)

[auntjess]

Hey Maizie, he's one of my Facebook friends.  What can I say?
I find some of the plots great fun.

[auntjess]

The shows I avoid are those that are too gorey, deal with Satanism or that ilk, or things that I'd really hate to happen to me, like evil neighbors, kidnappers, etc.

[NewDigs]

3 minutes ago, auntjess said:

The shows I avoid are those that are too gorey, deal with Satanism or that ilk, or things that I'd really hate to happen to me, like evil neighbors, kidnappers, etc.

That can't leave you with much! lol

I'm not crazy about reenactments. Some are way too dramatic and overacted.

And I don't like Joe Kenda. To me he's plodding and dreary and boring.

I like the neighbor stuff but usually most enjoy the reruns of the old standbys like Dateline, 48 Hrs, 20/20 etc.

[Brattinella]

46 minutes ago, NewDigs said:

That can't leave you with much! lol

I'm not crazy about reenactments. Some are way too dramatic and overacted.

And I don't like Joe Kenda. To me he's plodding and dreary and boring.

I like the neighbor stuff but usually most enjoy the reruns of the old standbys like Dateline, 48 Hrs, 20/20 etc.

I agree with you completely.  Except for Joe Kenda.  Love him to death!

[ratgirlagogo]

The only show on ID I like unreservedly is A Crime to Remember.  I don't even know if they have another season planned.

[jacofa]

On 6/19/2016 at 6:56 PM, editorgrrl said:

Garry McFadden is Joe Kenda plus expensive suits minus a toupee. Like Homicide Hunter, the cases haven't been covered anywhere else. (They're in Charlotte, North Carolina.) McFadden talks about one of his cases, the reenactments feature a younger, more attractive man, and a few people involved in the case do talking heads (in the premiere, McFadden's co-workers and the victim's mother).

From the press release https://corporate.discovery.com/discovery-newsroom/investigation-discovery-greenlights-new-series-i-am-homicide-featuring-charlotte-homicide-detective-garry-mcfadden/

I Am Homicide and Homicide Hunter are the exact same show which the only difference being the personalities of Garry McFadden and Joe Kenda.

[millennium]

On 7/2/2016 at 7:45 AM, Maizie131 said:

Watched Passport to Murder: Nightmare in Bali last night and was happy that ID actually found a recent murder I hadn't heard of before.  I especially liked the narrator, Tish Iceton, but her soothing voice did put me to sleep halfway through for a few minutes.   Once again I was amazed at the short sentences given to the perps.  Very scary these scumbags will be walking the earth in the not-too-distant future.   I'll definitely watch this show again.

10 years for killing her mother!   That murderous ingrate will be only 29 when she gets out!    What amazed me is that before the commercial break she was potentially facing a firing squad but when we come back we're told the court has decided to be lenient because she has a child.   I thought her sentence would be commuted to life but instead it was commuted to temporary inconvenience.