Crime docuseries are among the top picks on every streaming service, and now the one that inspired them all has returned. “Unsolved Mysteries” has launched its fourth season on Netflix, quickly becoming the most-watched title within hours of its release, according to Flix Patrol.
Despite the infinite amount of similar productions available, this show has consistently remained at the forefront. Its enduring popularity is partly due to its long history, having first aired on NBC in 1987 and running almost continuously since then.
The production stands out for two reasons: one deliberate, the other unexpected. It features a website where viewers can receive updates on success stories and cases where justice has been served. Intriguingly, some cases have been solved by viewers, adding an extra layer of intrigue to its already compelling content.
‘Unsolved Mysteries’ is the most-watched series on Netflix in the United States
“Unsolved Mysteries” is the definitive cold case docuseries, and its fourth season has reaffirmed this status with its high viewership on Netflix, quickly propelling the show to the #1 spot in the United States within a day of release.
The production has effortlessly surpassed recent trends like “Simone Biles Rising” and “Cobra Kai,” with only “Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam”—a documentary about one of the most outrageous scams in the music industry—currently competing at the top.
In this season, “Unsolved Mysteries” combines lesser-known cases with two urban legends. The five episodes cover the tragic stories of Amanda Antoni and Sigrid Stevenson, study the crime behind a head found in the Pennsylvania woods, and delve into the infamous myths of Jack the Ripper and The Mothman.
Although this is the shortest installment of the Netflix reboot so far, more is on the way. Co-creator Terry Dunn Meurer has confirmed that the fifth volume will be released sooner than expected and will feature what she considers the scariest case she has uncovered to date. As Terry notes, the episodes are complex and may require multiple viewings to fully appreciate:
“A perfect “Unsolved Mysteries” episode has either multiple theories about what could have happened (“Was it an accident, or was it a homicide?”), or it will have multiple suspects. We try to present cases that have lots of twists and turns to involve the viewers in forming their own opinions.“
