Unusual Suspects
Mediocre true-crime docuseries features grisly images.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this true-crime series recreates investigations of real crimes, usually murders, which are described in graphic detail, often accompanied by equally graphic crime-scene photos. Though there is no onscreen violence, the matter-of-fact presentation of these heinous events can be chilling.
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What's the Story?
Cops know that most killings are relatively easy to figure out. The bitter ex-spouse. The angry business partner. A mugging gone wrong. But some cases just don't make sense, and they are only solved when the detectives begin to consider the most UNUSUAL SUSPECTS. This real-life crime series explores the toughest cases, with the investigating detectives explaining how they worked the clues until a lucky break or some inspired sleuthing leads them to the killer. The show features actual crime-scene photos and graphic descriptions of the incidents, as well as dramatic recreations of key events.
Is It Any Good?
There are many shows like this on the air, and there's certainly no shortage of actual crimes that might make for dramatic TV. The cases here are interesting enough, and the details of the investigations are fun to follow; most viewers will take a certain amount of interest simply because they know it's real.
The only issue is that the show is not executed especially well. The detectives describe key events in clinical terms that are not always compelling to hear, and the acting in the dramatic recreations is often stiff. This show falls squarely into the mediocre territory, with nothing to make it stand out from the rest.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about murderers. What do you think motivates people to take another person's life? Do you think most killings are premeditated, or spur-of-the-moment incidents? Do killers always leave behind enough clues for a skilled detective to catch them?
Do you think these real-life crimes are as terrible as some of the fictional killings on police dramas? Is truth really stranger than fiction? And why are there so many crime-related shows on TV -- what's the appeal?
TV Details
- Premiere date: June 21, 2010
- Network: Investigation Discovery
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: December 23, 2022
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