Netflix’s ‘Unsolved Mysteries’ Reboot Release Date Revealed

The upcoming reboot of Unsolved Mysteries now has a release date. The new iteration of the true-crime docudrama will premiere on Netflix on July 1. Executive producers Terry Dunn Meurer and John Cosgrove announced the premiere in a statement, via iHorror.

“The cross-generational fan base for Unsolved Mysteries is amazing,” the statement read. “We’ll hear from viewers — now in their 20s and 30s — who say, ‘I used to sneak episodes behind my parents’ backs when I was young.’ Everyone seems to have a favorite segment that totally freaked them out. We’ve learned that audiences like to be scared, and real stories scare people.”

The original Unsolved Mysteries debuted on NBC back in 1987 as a series of seven specials, initially hosted by Karl Malden and longtime Perry Mason star Raymond Burr. Actor Robert Stack took over hosting duties by the fourth special and became host when the show premiered as a regular series in October of 1988. Each episode featured several accounts of open cases, including interviews with those involved and staged reenactments, as well as an 800 number for viewers to offer any tips they may have.

After nine seasons, it was moved to CBS in 1997 for Season 10. Virginia Madsen was added as a co-host for Season 11 before CBS canceled the show just two years later. Lifetime revived the series, with Season 12 debuting in 2001. It aired 103 episodes before the series ended in 2002, which coincided with Stack’s death. Spike was also home to another Unsolved Mysteries revival from 2008 to 2010, which was hosted by the late Dennis Farina.

Unlike its predecessor, Netflix’s take on Unsolved Mysteries will only feature one case per episode, and provide a website for tips instead of a phone number. It also won’t have a host, assuming because no one could match the baritone timbre of Stack’s trenchcoat-clad delivery. Stranger Things‘ Shawn Levy will executive produce the new series for the streaming giant, which will focus on both true crime and unexplained paranormal events.

In January of 2019, Cosgrove answered questions on Reddit, where he said that “there’s an appetite for true crime that wasn’t being met when we started the show.” Meurer added that they “we weren’t sure if an audience would feel satisfied at the end of an hour’s worth of stories that weren’t solved” However, “stories did get solved,” allowing them to provide viewers updates on the cases.