It managed to keep itself both dignified and interesting

AlsExGal

I always loved this show, even when the broadcast schedule became erratic after 1997 and I had to chase it all over the schedule and from network to network. Robert Stack - Elliot Ness himself - was the definitive host, and was essential in the role he had. There were really two forces at work here that made the show a success. First, the producers of the show didn't put every backwoods legend that came across their desks on the air. They tried to document events and stories that could have happened. Second, Robert Stack was a great host, his trench coat-clad presence and dignified and sincere narration bringing respectability to each segment. Thus, no matter how fantastic something might appear on paper, it was presented as something that a rational person could believe was possible. Among the topics explored were:

UFOs - episodes devoted to alien abductions, crop circles, and the controversy surrounding Roswell and Area 51.

Ghosts - Among the episodes there is a friendly ghost (not Casper), a matchmaker ghost, a court case with new homeowners suing old homeowners because they weren't told the house was haunted, and other assorted ghost tales.

Miracles - Divine influence and angelic interventions were examined in a series of episodes that cover everything from inexplicably answered prayers, to alternative medicines, to religious visions.

Psychics - Accounts of ESP, fortune telling, past-life regression, strange seers, and other tales of mental magic. The more interesting segments involved psychics helping the police solve crimes.

Bizarre Murders - Focuses on some of the most notorious murders in history. Examines such infamous criminals as the Boston Strangler and the Zodiac Killer, as well as a woman possibly killed by one of her own alternate personalities, and the psychology behind well-known homicidal world leader.

Strange Legends" - Segments are included on Bigfoot, what happened to famed skyjacker D.B. Cooper, skunk apes, and other such matters. Also includes segments on the legend of the Mothman, the fate of Amelia Earhart, the death of "Adventures of Superman" star George Reeves, and the strange legacy of the Bermuda Triangle aired.

I'll always miss this series and Stack's dignified presence. Highly recommended if you ever run across it. And look closely. You just might recognize some stars of today as extras in the dramatic reconstructions.

score 9/10

AlsExGal 24 July 2015

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3283632/