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Post by Scumhunter on Apr 10, 2022 19:31:48 GMT -5
I said it before and I'll say it again - I wish they would have had John Walsh record a message that they played on that first episode. Surely everybody would have been fine with him doing that. Have him say something like this: "Good evening. I'm John Walsh. For 25 years, we teamed up to put away more than 1,200 dangerous fugitives and bring home more than 50 missing children, all while fighting for victims' rights. We had a great partnership, and I am so proud of all the work that we did together. Now, America's Most Wanted is back, but unfortunately, I won't be able to join you this time around. But while I can't be with you, my good friend Elizabeth Vargas has stepped up to the plate and will be leading the new manhunt. I trust Elizabeth and know that she will do a fantastic job with the manhunt. I hope you all welcome Elizabeth with open arms. Thank you all so much for what you've done and what you will continue to do. And remember, you can make a difference." I think that would have gone a really long way towards quieting the critics. And yes, it wouldn't have helped all the other issues with AMW (really bad writing, questionable reenactment choices, overloading the show with cold cases and, let's be frank, many caught on tape segments that really were not worthy of being on AMW in the first place) but at least the "Where's John Walsh?" crowd would either have been silenced or they wouldn't have been as loud.
It was unfortunately bad timing because John Walsh was and still is on ID. So even if he wanted to, there may have been contract stipulations. I assume contracts end and get renegotiated eventually though. Ironically, despite it being nearly a decade, AMW somehow possibly came back a year too soon lol. |
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Post by pakman on Apr 15, 2022 11:15:21 GMT -5
But even so, I feel like the contract could have allowed for just a brief appearance for him to make that statement. He's not hosting the show, he's only appearing. Or surely they could have negotiated for just a brief appearance.
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Post by Scumhunter on Apr 15, 2022 12:27:27 GMT -5
True, just I think I remember him or maybe Liz Vargas stating he might make guest appearances if the contract allowed, but based on the fact the two shows were both trying to take credit for the same captures, or posting the same cases the same day, it seemed they became more competition than compliments. (And me as a fan of both shows felt like a child in the middle of a divorce, I realize I've said that multiple times on there, but it's how I felt). ID was a cable channel, but AMW sort of had an indirect connection to crime competitor Oxygen since Nancy Grace and Paul Holes both had shows on there.
But it is a fair point. Walsh gave his blessing in interviews, but it would have been a lot more meaningful for him to actually show his face on the AMW reboot. He's not going to say anything other than complimentary things in a quote since he's not a petty guy, so it stands to reason if he was just being polite when he said he was thrilled it was coming back without anyone from his original team.
This might sound like a weird comparison, but I don't think Johnny Carson ever publicly bashed Jay Leno, but it was well known he preferred David Letterman take over The Tonight Show for him. Granted, Leno eventually overtook Letterman in the ratings but The Tonight Show struggled initially, and perhaps more people would have watched earlier if Carson had appeared on Leno's show to show approval (not to overshadow on the first episode but at least during the year). The fact that Carson appeared on Letterman's Late Show on CBS but never The Tonight Show with Jay Leno sort of spoke volumes. AMW had five episodes which wasn't a lot but enough to fit JW in somewhere and never did. I'm sure they could have fit him in instead of all those unnecessary caught on tape segments (seriously, stealing lottery machines? Not condoning it, but that is not MOST WANTED).
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Post by pakman on Apr 15, 2022 22:25:40 GMT -5
I remember back in 2004 or so there was a missing child case where the kid had been abducted by an older man she knew, but he was only 2-3 years older than her, and AMW didn't air the case because they didn't feel she was in any immediate danger. Sure enough she was recovered safe and sound with the guy. If AMW passed on a missing child case, then they would have no reason to air some of those caught on tape segments they aired in 2021.
Looking back, it's really clear that AMW was trying to emulate Live PD, but it just didn't work. On an unrelated note, allegedly CBS wanted to bring back William Shatner to do a reboot of Rescue 911 but he dropped out because the reboot was going to do the same thing; basically be live segments of emergencies going on at that moment. If a formula isn't broken, don't fix it.
One other thing that hasn't been mentioned but I think is a big deal; moving production from D.C. to L.A. To me, D.C. felt a little more...homey? I don't know what word I'm looking for, but L.A. is so much more flashy, and it just was a bad move, if you ask me. Logistically it made sense, but I wish they would have kept it in D.C.
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Post by 912thamwuser on Apr 15, 2022 23:14:31 GMT -5
I remember back in 2004 or so there was a missing child case where the kid had been abducted by an older man she knew, but he was only 2-3 years older than her, and AMW didn't air the case because they didn't feel she was in any immediate danger. Sure enough she was recovered safe and sound with the guy. If AMW passed on a missing child case, then they would have no reason to air some of those caught on tape segments they aired in 2021. Looking back, it's really clear that AMW was trying to emulate Live PD, but it just didn't work. On an unrelated note, allegedly CBS wanted to bring back William Shatner to do a reboot of Rescue 911 but he dropped out because the reboot was going to do the same thing; basically be live segments of emergencies going on at that moment. If a formula isn't broken, don't fix it. One other thing that hasn't been mentioned but I think is a big deal; moving production from D.C. to L.A. To me, D.C. felt a little more...homey? I don't know what word I'm looking for, but L.A. is so much more flashy, and it just was a bad move, if you ask me. Logistically it made sense, but I wish they would have kept it in D.C.
DC is more old-fashioned in its sights and tourist destinations than Los Angeles, and has almost a century's more history with the union. Meanwhile, if the network TV environment isn't robust enough to bust fugitives with, is there no way America's Most Wanted as we knew it in the 00-Agents' Decade could work on any online platform? |
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Post by danwind on Apr 16, 2022 0:11:27 GMT -5
It's a shame, 2nd revival of AMW had been cancelled too soon, I wished they make more episodes.
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Post by Scumhunter on Apr 16, 2022 6:53:03 GMT -5
I remember back in 2004 or so there was a missing child case where the kid had been abducted by an older man she knew, but he was only 2-3 years older than her, and AMW didn't air the case because they didn't feel she was in any immediate danger. Sure enough she was recovered safe and sound with the guy. If AMW passed on a missing child case, then they would have no reason to air some of those caught on tape segments they aired in 2021. Looking back, it's really clear that AMW was trying to emulate Live PD, but it just didn't work. On an unrelated note, allegedly CBS wanted to bring back William Shatner to do a reboot of Rescue 911 but he dropped out because the reboot was going to do the same thing; basically be live segments of emergencies going on at that moment. If a formula isn't broken, don't fix it. One other thing that hasn't been mentioned but I think is a big deal; moving production from D.C. to L.A. To me, D.C. felt a little more...homey? I don't know what word I'm looking for, but L.A. is so much more flashy, and it just was a bad move, if you ask me. Logistically it made sense, but I wish they would have kept it in D.C.
Definitely. Granted they didn't really show Los Angeles in the background and the reboot was mainly shown from an inside studio but I agree. I believe it was John Walsh who lobbied for the show to be based in D.C. so that he can be nearby to testify to congress for NCMEC, but it also made sense because it is centrally located and also since these are federally wanted fugitives, to have the call center and headquarters located in the heart of federal agency country. But yeah Los Angeles or New York City sort of doesn't represent what overall America is really like, and I say that as a native New Yorker. Granted I think In Pursuit's hotline is located in Florida since they share it with the new NCMEC call center located there, but In Pursuit is a pre-taped show where location doesn't matter. AMW might have been not entirely live, but it was more of a breaking news show where location mattered more. |
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Post by Scumhunter on Apr 16, 2022 6:54:48 GMT -5
I think if there ever was yet another AMW, Atlanta would also make sense. It's not where the federal agencies are but it's sort of a neutral middle heartland city that has TV and movie set-up stuff but isn't in-your-face flashy.
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Post by ninja108 on May 2, 2022 10:53:20 GMT -5
I agree with the points many people made on why AMW didn't last this time especially the main reason.
People wanted John Walsh and they weren't going to get him so they tuned out.
Darn shame because Elizabeth Vargas did a good job IMO and we did see captures come out of it.
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Post by Scumhunter on Jun 8, 2022 11:54:48 GMT -5
I know we might be beating a dead horse at this point but Elizabeth Vargas is hosting some sort of syndicated crime show on crimes caught on tape this fall. This seems to pretty much confirm no more AMW or at least no more Vargas as host (although there are personalities that host multiple shows and John Walsh did host a syndicated talk show once while still hosting AMW so I guess you never know) but as I said in a separate thread, I am glad she is getting a show out of the AMW gig.
I called the hotline number out of curisoity and it's still working. They said to wait for an operator after an introductory message but I chickened out at that point lol. But it is curious to me they tip line is still open, whatever that may mean.
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Post by Scumhunter on May 11, 2023 17:38:21 GMT -5
TV series finale has finally updated AMW 2.0 (or 3.0 depending on who you ask) as canceled.
It in my opinion was not brought back the right way.
I do hope there is one day a weekly broadcast and streaming fugitive show similar to AMW (or an actual good AMW attempt) again.
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