General True Crime Shows

[tobeannounced]

Couldn't sleep last night and stumbled across a mini-marathon of House of Horrors.  Sweet baby Jesus, that show is just too much.  I sincerely do not want to know all the gory details of young women being raped and tortured in basement dungeons.  I really worry that there's budding psychopaths who might watch this show for the fun of it and to get pro tips (shudder).

[Calamity Jane]

Wow, just watched the latest Deadline Crime with Tamron Hall about the "assisted suicide" guy.  That was messed up!  There are some damn creepy people of the internet.  Felt so bad for the family of the girl who committed suicide.

Tamron Hall is showing alarming signs of Paula Zahnification - hope she pulls back from that weird over-enunciation and over-dramatized tone. 

[millennium]

Couldn't sleep last night and stumbled across a mini-marathon of House of Horrors.  Sweet baby Jesus, that show is just too much.  I sincerely do not want to know all the gory details of young women being raped and tortured in basement dungeons.  I really worry that there's budding psychopaths who might watch this show for the fun of it and to get pro tips (shudder).

 

My beef with House of Horrors is that none of the crimes I've seen reenacted on that show actually take place in a house.

 

Random Investigation Discovery observation: If your town has a water tower with the town's name spelled out on it, lock your doors at night.

[Shriekingeel]

The Web of Lies about Christina Long really bothered me. Sometimes these shows are entertainment but when it's

A) 13 year old girl raped, murdered, dumped

2) Killer allowed a plea deal for manslaughter (!) with a sentence of only 25, no parole. He was only 20 at the time, so he'll be a free man at 45. Not right.

[applecrisp]

Couldn't sleep last night and stumbled across a mini-marathon of House of Horrors.  Sweet baby Jesus, that show is just too much.  I sincerely do not want to know all the gory details of young women being raped and tortured in basement dungeons.  I really worry that there's budding psychopaths who might watch this show for the fun of it and to get pro tips (shudder).

 

 

Some things are worse than murder to watch.  The one episode I saw was horrific, child illegally adopted by holy roller parents.  She was their slave.  The other children were treated better.  She drank antifreeze and a sibling call 911(thank god).  

 

Young girl had so many marks on her and those parents both got hefty sentences.  Too hard to watch.

[tobeannounced]

Exactly, applescrisp.  By the time I'd sat through two "dungeon" episodes and saw the preview for the one you mentioned, I couldn't take any more.

[slensam]

Exactly, applescrisp.  By the time I'd sat through two "dungeon" episodes and saw the preview for the one you mentioned, I couldn't take any more.

I can't really watch these types of shows. It's like some kinds of horror movies that I can't watch anymore like the the torture-type genre. Really wish they wouldn't ape this form for their programs.

[auntjess]

I started to watch that Most Evil, but couldn't take it.
 

[NewDigs]

Can't stand that HoH commercial so much that won't even try the show. Cosign with all above to petition for its removal.

Though I do get an odd little chuckle watching the ad that has the camera pull back as a smiling couple pitch a body off the mountain. Then I feel guilty.

Hooked on Fear Thy Neighbor!! The Oregon edition was so very sad. And troublesome, to me, from the aspect of, Where were the cops? Seemed like more could have been done to defuse the situation. So sad. The pix of the neighbor cuddling his chihuahuas were heartbreaking.

[bubbls]

Since I'm fresh out of Forensice Files episodes to watch, I started watching "The Hunt" with John Walsh. I'm enjoying it. I tried to read his book years ago and didn't like it at all, so I'm surprised how much I like him on this show. I get a kick out of his obvious dislike of criminals. Political correctness is so out of control these days so he's very refreshing. Maybe he's acting, although with is background I doubt it.

Edited July 5, 2015 by bubbls

[auntjess]

I'll have to look for that one.  Which station?

[applecrisp]

New Digs , this year had some doosies  on Fear Thy Neighbor, the one I thought saddest was a teacher who lived next door to some crazies.  It was his dream home but the neighbors were on him relentlesly and he was killed.  He was acussed of many things and at the end the police said he had done nothing.  It made me so mad but also frustrated.  WHY don't the police get more involved?

[Jaded]

I'll have to look for that one.  Which station?

It's on CNN. I'm not sure if it's been renewed or not though. Ugh. It originally started airing in July of 2014.

I still miss the original AMW on Saturday nights too. 

[auntjess]

I'll try it, thanks.
I've tried to tape Forensic Files from CNN before, but some big news always breaks.

[auntjess]

I just looked though all the Dateline subfiles, and on the second page, I found a thread for Deadline Crime with Tamron Hall!

What's it doing there?  I assumed it didn't have a file.

[bubbls]

I'm watching The Hunt on Netflix streaming. One of the interesting things for me is so far they've covered crimes I'm unfamiliar with. Having watched crime shows for years I'm pretty familiar with most of the commonly covered ones.

 

I'm also watching a really good one on Netflix that covers each type of crime solving technique (DNA, fingerprints, cyber stuff, etc). It's an hour long, which I like. They cover the original crime the technique was used in along with a semi-current crime. It's very interesting how all these things developed. Once my tv is back up and running (it just croaked for no reason-I assume it needs some testosterone in the shape of Mr. Bubbls who will be amused and dismayed that I'm so ignorant about it all) I'll post the name of this show.

Edited July 5, 2015 by bubbls

[NewDigs]

New Digs , this year had some doosies on Fear Thy Neighbor, the one I thought saddest was a teacher who lived next door to some crazies. It was his dream home but the neighbors were on him relentlesly and he was killed. He was acussed of many things and at the end the police said he had done nothing. It made me so mad but also frustrated. WHY don't the police get more involved?

ETA: Oops! Sorry, my mind jumped to the wrong episode and wouldn't let go! I have not seen the one you reference. Each seems worse than the last! Apologies for my brain-burp.

Thuy.

I saw that one. Horrifying! I was just glad the mom and son got out of it alive! Though they have to now practically live in hiding.

I like how this show sometimes does fake-outs to not spoil conclusions. I think one show's TH used a past tense when the person referred to actually survived.

Edited July 6, 2015 by NewDigs

[auntjess]

One that's on the schedule, is the Brad Bishop case, the State Dept man who killed his mother, wife, and children, then disappeared.
It was local, and there have been sightings over the years, but nothing panned out.

[Maizie131]

One that's on the schedule, is the Brad Bishop case, the State Dept man who killed his mother, wife, and children, then disappeared.

It was local, and there have been sightings over the years, but nothing panned out.

auntjess - I saw the first 15 minutes of it last night, but too tired to watch the whole program because I've had my 2 Granddaughters (7 & 9) since yesterday morning & I'm EXHAUSTED.  I DVR'd it to watch after they go home this evening.  

 

And bubbls - thanks for letting us know about this show. 

 

I found the show purely by accident - I started watching something on I.D. channel, but they had on one of those horrible commercials for abused pets, and I can't get those off my TV fast enough!  I just grabbed the remote & pressed the 'one up' button for a channel change just to get it off my screen, and there was John Walsh!  What a horrible story...and what a horrendous loss John Walsh endured years ago when his little son was abducted & killed.  Don't know how a parent EVER recovers from that.. 

[friendperidot]

just watched Forensic files. Case was a husband and a wife were sleeping, someone entered the home, beat them with an ax, but not killing them immediately. Dad woke, got up made breakfast, went out to get paper, locked himself out of the house, goes to get the hidden key, collapses and dies. A friend came by to check on them, found him, went up to the bedroom to check on the wife, she was alive, but just barely. At the hospital, she indicated it was one of her sons.

 

This case was divided up and the first part was an episode of CSI and the second half was Law & Order.

Edited July 8, 2015 by friendperidot

[bubbls]

The show I mentioned is called "Catching Killers." It started in 2013 so y'all have probably seen it. I'm watching it on Netflix streaming.

 

 

just watched Forensic files. Case was a husband and a wife were sleeping, someone entered the home, beat them with an ax, but not killing them immediately. Dad woke, got up made breakfast, went out to get paper, locked himself out of the house, goes to get the hidden key, collapses and dies. A friend came by to check on them, found him, went up to the bedroom to check on the wife, she was alive, but just barely. At the hospital, she indicated it was one of her sons.

 

 

That was so freaky what the dad did. Wow. I think the mom still knows the son did it and has chosen to deny it. FF suggested she'd truly forgotten but I don't think so. As soon as they quote her comments about the police picking on her son I said to myself "She hasn't forgotten, she just doesn't want him in prison."

Edited July 9, 2015 by bubbls

[auntjess]

Can anyone tell me which show had someone killed because of something that happened on Springer?
I saw it on the schedule, but it had a conflict with other shows, or I forgot.
I do have a Dating Game one scheduled.
 

[smittykins]

I don't know about Springer, but I know some guy went on Jenny Jones and admitted he had a crush on his male neighbor, and was murdered by said neighbor.

ETA: Scott Amedure

Edited July 9, 2015 by smittykins

[auntjess]

Thanks.  I remember reading about the Jenny Jones thing at the time, but the Springer was something I read in the U-verse on-screen guide within the past week.

[editorgrrl]

Can anyone tell me which show had someone killed because of something that happened on Springer?

Do you mean Jill Blackstone, the Jerry Springer producer who allegedly killed her sister? http://www.people.com/article/jerry-springer-producer-jill-blackstone-arrested-sisters-murder

No idea which show might've covered the story, though.

[auntjess]

OK, I googled and found the case, http://www.cbsnews.com/news/jerry-springer-murder-conviction/ , but don't know the show.

[Maizie131]

I was real disappointed in last night's The Perfect Murder.  It was a re-hash of the kidnap for ransom & murder of Exxon exec, Sidney Reso.  I can't recall the show that originally aired the story, but it was done far better than shown on The Perfect Murder.  An extremely sad story, and I'm still amazed that the woman involved in the kidnapping/murder is walking free today.  I think her husband's locked up for life, or close to it.  What a terrible way to die! 

[editorgrrl]

Kenda's back with a new season on August 18!

Yay! Or should that be "my, my, my"?

PS. You can't do links within spoiler tags. Just say something like "link contains spoilers."

[jenkait]

Two recent shows on ID that I really like are Redrum and Vanity Fair Confidential.

 

An update: I wrote here that my 91-year-old grandmother recently got ID.  She LOVES it.  She was teling me, "I watched this one show... 'Who the...something did I marry?" She likes the channel because "there's always something on".  It makes me happy she enjoys it.

[auntjess]

I don't care for Redrum, because it's too disjointed.  If I could cut & paste it into chronological order, it wouldn't be bad.
Some episodes are worse than others.

[jacofa]

I was real disappointed in last night's The Perfect Murder. It was a re-hash of the kidnap for ransom & murder of Exxon exec, Sidney Reso. I can't recall the show that originally aired the story, but it was done far better than shown on The Perfect Murder. An extremely sad story, and I'm still amazed that the woman involved in the kidnapping/murder is walking free today. I think her husband's locked up for life, or close to it. What a terrible way to die!

The only other show I remember doing a story on the Sidney Reso murder was American Justice, a show that use to be on A&E. Edited July 10, 2015 by jacofa

[Maizie131]

The only other show I remember doing a story on the Sidney Reso murder was American Justice, a show that use to be on A&E.

Jacofa -  It could've been American Justice because I've seen just about every one of those episodes -- I loved that show!  Thank you. 

[Shriekingeel]

Dead on Arrival is the most depressing ID series ever. Each episode is the same story: young girl moves to the big city to be murdered. Ugh.

I really kind of love Nowhere to Hide. Rambam is an engaging narrator, and the stories are varied and interesting.

[applecrisp]

Someone up thread mentioned the show about the prison escapees.  It was well done and actually quite scary.  Through the ordeal it hit home how scary it was for these residents.  This pair was hard core and would have done anything to stay out of prison.  I kind of understand why the lady might help but was baffled about the guard.

 

Anyone else see it?? anyone Ferris??

 

One other thing, I tend to not follow the crimes and would rather be presented with the whole story complete with an ending.

[Cobb Salad]

Someone up thread mentioned the show about the prison escapees.  It was well done and actually quite scary.  Through the ordeal it hit home how scary it was for these residents.  This pair was hard core and would have done anything to stay out of prison.  I kind of understand why the lady might help but was baffled about the guard.

 

Anyone else see it?? anyone Ferris??

 

I watched the show about the prison escapees and enjoyed it myself. About the lady and the guard helping them all I can say is aren't they old enough to know better? The guard said he didn't think they'd escape - really? Wonder what charges they'd be facing if the escapees murdered someone while they were on the lam.

[millennium]

Hooked on Fear Thy Neighbor!! The Oregon edition was so very sad. And troublesome, to me, from the aspect of, Where were the cops? Seemed like more could have been done to defuse the situation. So sad. The pix of the neighbor cuddling his chihuahuas were heartbreaking.

 

It's funny (well, not ha-ha funny) but Fear Thy Neighbor could almost be retitled "Where Were the Cops?"   In so many instances, the police do nothing.    The show explains that their hands are tied by laws that allow them to take action only AFTER the situation escalates to serious threats of physical violence, or actual violence itself.   Then they show up to  take stock of the carnage, cordon off with police tape and sadly shake their heads.  

 

I also like The Nightmare Next Door.   And Evil Kin.

Edited July 10, 2015 by millennium

[NewDigs]

It's funny (well, not ha-ha funny) but Fear Thy Neighbor could almost be retitled "Where Were the Cops?" In so many instances, the police do nothing. The show explains that their hands are tied by laws that allow them to take action only AFTER the situation escalates to serious threats of physical violence, or actual violence itself. Then they show up to take stock of the carnage, cordon off with police tape and sadly shake their heads.

I also like The Nightmare Next Door. And Evil Kin.

But sadly that excuse just doesn't seem, to me, to work for some of these situations and sounds more like CYA than, Our hands are tied, it's the law. More than once it has appeared that obvious code violations and other obviously offensive situations have not been addressed. The many outrageous fences come to mind. That one guy built one that funneled his neighbor into a trap! When did police stop being peace officers and community advocates? Is it because so many have become sue crazy? I dunno. Sad.

It is amazing how many people get completely bent out of shape over a few square feet of property.

I'm glad that they show the real pix of the "perps" on this show. Their eyes usually tell a wack-a-doodle story. They do a pretty good job of casting and the reenactments seem well thought out. But the music can sometimes be so dramatic as to be almost tension-overkill, for me anyway.

Edited July 10, 2015 by NewDigs

[millennium]

I think many people can relate to Fear Thy Neighbor because a lot of us have had problems with neighbors.

 

The basic formula of the show always seems to be:  One person or family has a logistical need that exceeds the rights/boundaries associated with their own property and in the pursuit of that need encroaches upon on the neighboring property and/or the neighbor's right to peaceful enjoyment of their property.   When challenged, rather than concede that they have exceeded their rights, the encroaching neighbor becomes defensive and/or aggressive. 

 

And it all goes downhill from there.

[applecrisp]

I like Fear Thy Neighbor but when i watch it I sometimes feel soo outraged (That's why I can't stand the stalking shows).  I don't see how some of the offender's get away with the crap they pull which in almost any community would be violations for example running a business in your home. Or building a hideous fence. The insane bright lights.  How is this okay?  

 

When I was a kid(many years ago) we were taught your rights stop where another begins.  The basis of the constitution IMO.  Just like when John Adams said the basic tenet of The United States is Do Unto Others.

Edited July 10, 2015 by applecrisp

[auntjess]

 

More than once it has appeared that obvious code violations and other obviously offensive situations have not been addressed. The many outrageous fences come to mind.

This is a show I avoid, but I'd think it would be up to a code/zoning enforcement officer to deal with things like that, not the police.

[NewDigs]

This is a show I avoid, but I'd think it would be up to a code/zoning enforcement officer to deal with things like that, not the police.

With some of these people I think the code people might need police backup!

But, yeah, I have thought the same. Though I think I have seen, on this show, code people or the "appropriate agency" turn a kind of blind eye and advise moderation and, Can't you just try to get along? I have to wonder, Who does a person call to get action? Mental Health agency maybe? lol Some of these people are nuts!

Sad.

[auntjess]

If they need back up, I think the code people have to ask for it.
Hey, I KNOW, 'cause I watch Hoarding: Buried Alive.
 

[millennium]

With some of these people I think the code people might need police backup!

But, yeah, I have thought the same. Though I think I have seen, on this show, code people or the "appropriate agency" turn a kind of blind eye and advise moderation and, Can't you just try to get along? I have to wonder, Who does a person call to get action? Mental Health agency maybe? lol Some of these people are nuts!

Sad.

 

From personal (bad) experience, I can tell you that in some municipalities the code people are sometimes political appointees and have a habit of enforcing codes selectively, depending on who you are and who you know.  

[auntjess]

 

From personal (bad) experience, I can tell you that in some municipalities the code people are sometimes political appointees and have a habit of enforcing codes selectively, depending on who you are and who you know.

Yep.  I learned that on an episode of Hotel Impossible.

Ain't TV educational?

[Andyourlittledog2]

I have to step in here re the Oregon Fear Thy Neighbor episode and the 'where were the cops?' complaint. Well, the 'cops' were a sherrif and a couple of deputies for an entire county at that time.  Because soooo many tea party types are in this county that they absolutely refuse to pay for law enforcement. Period. They have their guns and they allege they can take care of things themselves...until of course they can't. But they refuse to pay for the sheriff's department budget necessary to patrol the county and that means that there are 911 calls that get turned down because there is literally no one to send at the time of day or week. No one is on duty. And they almost only go out on crimes against persons -- assaults, murders, rapes, that kind of thing. If your house gets broken in they can't even respond.  I'm fortunate because I live in the city and we have a good police department. But the folks outside the city have to rely on the sheriff who can only do what he can do. He can't personally patrol 24/7 and neither can the few deputies he has.  They are doing the best they can. And those folks who live in the county patrolled by the sheriff can all go to hell as far as I 'm concerned. They are so obstinate and childish.  As you can see from this episode. You think either of those neighbors or the witness neighbors voted to pay for sheriff's department? I highly doubt it. 

 

I had a neighbor from hell.  Man. I could tell stories for days.....  heh heh.  

[jenkait]

Without revealing your location andyourlittledog2, can you say the area/county the episode of Fear They Neighbor was?  I'm on the west coast of Canada so I know Oregon on the  101/I-5 corridor fairly well (many trips!), and I was really shocked driving home through Idaho once on the I-84, BOY was that a different world...was it that side of Oregon?

 

I hear you about Redrum, auntjess...it is rather disjointed, and I would also be happy to have the story done in the normal order...but then I guess it couldn't be called "Redrum"!  I suppose I like that show for the same reason I like shows like Swamp Murders; it's not the cutesy take but simply stories I haven't heard of before.  Lesser-known ones, usually.  I like Paula Zahn's show for the same reason, it's not really Paula Zahn herself (!)  On the other hand, I'm not terribly interested in the subject of Aphrodite Jones' shows, ie JonBenet Ramsay, the Memphis Three, etc. as I've heard them all before, but I enjoy the show because I like HER.  She's so ridiculously detail-oriented and focused, she doesn't miss a thing...I'm always interested to hear her take on the crimes.

 

I just can't deal with the "sexed-up" stories, like "Scorned: Love Kills" because I don't turn on ID to watch porn!  Can't wait for grandma to catch that one, BTW!  Sigh.

 

Vanity Fair Confidential is just well-done, IMHO.  I keep falling asleep during it, but so far I really like it!

Edited July 11, 2015 by jenkait

[Andyourlittledog2]

Douglas, Curry, and Josephine counties, Jenkait.  

[millennium]

I just can't deal with the "sexed-up" stories, like "Scorned: Love Kills" because I don't turn on ID to watch porn!  Can't wait for grandma to catch that one, BTW!  Sigh.

 

 

The ickiest part of sitting through all that simulated sex comes afterwards when you go on the computer to see photos of the actual people portrayed in the story.    They're often 20-30 years older than depicted and bear a passing resemblance to barnyard animals.  You can't help but think back to the scenes you just watched and imagine the actual people going through the same motions.  Shudder.

[applecrisp]

The sex stuff is distracting.  I also don't like Dirty Little Secrets because of the sex and they say "secret" about 50 times an episode.  The Neighbor show is scary because most of us have neighbors.

 

Andyourlittledog how do they get away without paying?  Do they not pay taxes?

Edited July 11, 2015 by applecrisp

[jenkait]

Oh...interesting, urlittledog2.  Thanks.