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Season 5 of Unsolved Mysteries was criticized for a “disrespectful” Don Philips episode

Season 5 of Unsolved Mysteries was criticized for a “disrespectful” Don Philips episode

“Unsolved Mysteries” is once again met with backlash: Netflix viewers criticize season 5, episode 2, among other things, for its focus on the supernatural.

Here’s the deal: The documentary series itself, which began back in 1987, was always about true crime, but also conspiracy theories and unexplained paranormal phenomena like ghosts and UFOs.

But after rebooting on Netflix in 2020, the latest volumes of Unsolved Mysteries have come under fire.

Firstly, viewers were not happy that the final episodes were split into two parts and the fourth season contained five episodes instead of the usual nine.

Two of the episodes dealt with well-known cases – Jack the Ripper and The Mothman – which also caused a stir.

“I was surprised I didn’t see an Alien episode to skip, but now there were these two instead,” someone said on Reddit.

But it seems that the makers have saved the paranormal stories for the fifth season of Unsolved Mysteries, with only the first episode focusing on a true crime case.

Episode 2, “My Paranormal Partner,” follows paranormal researcher Don Philips, who claims to be able to talk to ghosts, investigate hauntings, and bring peace to those whose lives have been affected by ghosts.

Philips’ work led to a rather unusual relationship: collaboration with an entity named Becky, who communicates with him and accompanies him in his work and private life.

Although parapsychologist and skeptic Steve Mera wasn’t sure whether Philips’ claims were true, his opinion is beginning to change after a series of tests.

But even though he believes Philips, Becky’s identity and the rest of her communications come into question.

Meanwhile, Episode 3 deals with a series of unexplained livestock mutilations, while the finale revisits the infamous UFO incident in Roswell.

In a Reddit thread about Unsolved Mysteries season 5, one viewer wrote, “It feels kind of disrespectful to put these silly ghost stories (Episode 2) on the same level as real unsolved murder cases.”

Another agreed, declaring: “Like episode 1, it’s fine. But if you only have four episodes and three of them are paranormal, then come on. That’s no secret.

Netflix

Steve Mera wasn’t initially convinced by Don Philips

“I always appreciate a Roswell story, but it was done and they didn’t have to cover it here. The Becky episode is just complete… nonsense.”

“Agreed,” a third added. “I decided to stop watching Becky after ten minutes. I moved on to Episode 3.”

However, others jumped in to defend the streaming service’s relaunch. “It’s not about ‘unsolved murders’, it’s about ‘unsolved mysteries.’ That’s what cold case files are for,” said one.

Another commented: “I mean… the original series also had silly alien stories and stuff. This is nothing new.”

But a Redditor made another post about why he’s unhappy with the latest chapters. “I loved the reboot of the first season. But man, it’s gone downhill,” they explained.

“Volume 4 had two sorts of throwaway covers that many people didn’t like. (Tbh, I didn’t mind the Jack the Ripper case BUT it was a repeat). Now Volume 5 – Garbage. Four episodes and seriously three of them are throwaways for me.

“I didn’t mind that there were paranormal/extraterrestrial cases in the original – BUT they were short segments.

“A whole hour about these paranormal/extraterrestrial cases is just a waste and I don’t think I’ll continue watching. I’m not interested. I was so disappointed… it had so much potential.”

A second replied: “I’m only interested in missing persons or murder cases. I have no interest in the paranormal/aliens. I’ll skip them.”

“I had incredibly high hopes and like you said, the first season was excellent. So many cases I had never heard of before,” added a third.

“Now they make us wait YEARS between seasons and then throw in four or five episodes of well-known, high-profile events like Roswell and Jack The Ripper.”

Despite the disappointment many feel, the first episode, “Park Bench Murders,” has sparked much discussion.

The case involves the unsolved 2019 murders of Carnell Sledge and Katherine Brown, two friends who were shot in the back of the head as they sat together on a bench at the Cleveland Metroparks’ Rocky River Reservation.

Photos of Katherine Brown and Carnell Sledge in Unsolved Mysteries Season 5Netflix

Katherine Brown and Carnell Sledge were killed in 2019

Although it happened in broad daylight on a busy highway, there were no witnesses or signs that it was a robbery.

Series creator Terry Dunn Meurer told Netflix’s Tudum: “This double murder is everyone’s worst nightmare. It happened in broad daylight in a very busy public park.

“Law enforcement has been unable to determine a motive for the murders and has no suspects. This case needs the help of viewers.”

On Reddit, one viewer wrote: “Usually on this show there always seems to be an opportunity to come up with your own theories, but I’m pretty stumped on this one.”

“The information I obtained from the documentary is insufficient to even speculate as all possible suspects have verifiable alibis,” they added.

“That makes me lean towards a hate crime or a completely random attack.”

Another added: “This is as close to the definition of a crime thriller as you can get.”

“I feel really sorry for both their families and the fact that the killer got away and put the families at odds (Nell’s family thought it had something to do with Kate and vice versa) just doesn’t sit well with me.” “

For more true crime news, check out where the Menendez brothers are now, where Janel Grant is now, and what true crime stories the Monster Makers should cover next.