Netflix decided to bless us just in time for the spooky season with the second season of their rendition of “Unsolved Mysteries.” The show first aired in 1987, covering paranormal activity and cold cases. Over the course of time, it was canceled and then renewed multiple times. This year, Netflix decided to transform the show, and it debuted this summer. I binge watched all of the episodes as soon as I came across the show, and I have been eager for the second season. This new season features six cold cases, ranging from murder to ghosts and even a jail break. I noticed that viewers and fans of the show have been quick to get online and share their ideas or describe how they would solve the cases.
The best episode of the second season was hands down “A Death in Oslo.” I am a true crime junkie, and this truly felt like I was watching some of my favorite crime podcasts come to life. A woman checks into a five star hotel with no identification and no form of payment. She stays for three days, and once the staff notices that she does not have any payment on file, they send security up. Security goes and knocks on the door, and right when the guard knocks, a shot is fired in the room. The guard leaves to go downstairs and gets the rest of security, which leaves the door unguarded for around 15 minutes. There were many strange details found in the hotel room that were noted in the police files, which lead people to believe that there was something suspicious going on. The case was never closed, but the episode takes you on a journey trying to trace back the origin of the woman.
This was a great watch; it was engaging and keeps you guessing. I found myself rooting for those trying to identify her and find any family members. The police guess that the cause of death was suicide, but the woman was dressed in all black clothing and was holding a very powerful gun, typically used for assault. To make things even weirder, she had packed 25 rounds of ammunition in her suitcase. Her hands were also absent of blood spots, which are typical in suicide cases. How would blood get on the ceiling and walls but not her hands?
Another highlight was “Lady in the Lake.” This episode also felt like a story being told. This story too was a question of death caused by suicide or murder. A woman is found at the bottom of a lake in the middle of winter. Her children are looking for answers, and I also found myself empathizing with the family members. The woman was 55-years-old and was last seen that night at church. She was wearing heels and would have had to climb over rocks in order to get to the lake at which she was found. All of the episodes are chilling, but these two stood out the most to me.
If you are looking for something spooky and thought provoking, this is a great show for you. After watching this season, I have caught myself thinking about the unsolved mysteries. These definitely live in my brain rent free, but I’m honestly not upset about it.
