(Credits: Netflix)

The genre of true crime documentaries has exploded in popularity in recent years, thanks, in no small part, to the rise of streaming services like Netflix. Audiences have been captivated by informative and binge-able crime documentaries on the platform for years, but few have managed to foster the same real-world impact as Unsolved Mysteries.

The true crime series, which covers cold cases, originally began on NBC in 1987. Since then, it has amassed over 600 episodes and a dedicated cult following. In 2020, Netflix acquired the show, and the fourth volume of this revamped version of Unsolved Mysteries debuted on the platform last month, quickly rising to the top of the Netflix streaming charts in the UK.

A large part of what makes Unsolved Mysteries so gripping is the fact that, often, there is no resolution. As the name suggests, these cases are unsolved. However, their involvement in the series often causes a resurgence of interest in these mysterious cases, causing armchair detectives to do some digging and actual authorities to look over their case files. In numerous instances, the show has actually helped to solve these mysteries.

Since its 1987 debut, the show is thought to have helped to bring attention to and solve over 250 cold cases. Perhaps the most famous instance of this came during a 1995 episode that investigated the disappearance of Wisconsin man Craig Williamson, who had gone missing two years prior. After the episode aired, Williamson recognised himself on television and reconnected with his wife, whom he had no memory of due to amnesia.

The attention that Unsolved Mysteries brings to these cold cases is vitally important and has led to some truly incredible discoveries. For instance, a 1988 episode focused on the murder and robbery of an oil courier by Jerry Strickland and Melissa Munday. The pair went on the run and relocated to Washington, where they lived peacefully until their photos were showcased on Unsolved Mysteries, which led to their discovery and subsequent criminal trial.

In more recent times, an episode from volume three of the programme, which arrived on Netflix in 2023, led to the discovery of a young girl who had previously been missing since 2017. Kayla Unbehaun, who had allegedly been abducted by her own mother in Chicago back in 2017, was found hundreds of miles away in North Carolina after a local resident who had watched the episode on Netflix recognised Unbehaun at a local business.

Now that Netflix has unleashed volume four of their revamped Unsolved Mysteries, perhaps a few more cold cases from the past will heat up once again. Given that it is one of the platform’s most popular series, it is not unlikely that the show could solve a few more mysteries with this new season.