BuzzFeed Unsolved explained
| Alt Name: | Unsolved |
| Genre: | Factual television |
| Creator: | Ryan Bergara |
| Starring: | - Ryan Bergara
- Shane Madej
- Brent Bennett (February 2016–June 2016)
|
| Theme Music Composer: | |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Num Seasons: | - Total: 15
- True Crime: 8
- Supernatural: 7
- Sports Conspiracies: 1
|
| Num Episodes: | - Total: 121
- True Crime: 66
- Supernatural: 55
- Sports Conspiracies: 5
|
| Executive Producer: | - Katie LeBlanc
- Ryan Bergara
|
| Producer: | |
| Editor: | - Anthony Frederick
- Steven Castro
- Mike Reilly
- Grant Henderson
- Devlin McClusky[1]
|
| Runtime: | 4–55 minutes[2] |
| Company: | |
| Network: | |
BuzzFeed Unsolved (also known as simply Unsolved) is a documentary entertainment web series created by Ryan Bergara for BuzzFeed that ran from February 4, 2016, to November 19, 2021. It first appeared on the YouTube channel BuzzFeed Blue and was later given its own flagship channel BuzzFeed Unsolved Network.[3] [4] [5]
The show was split into two alternating themes, with each season seeing Ryan Bergara and co-host Shane Madej discussing either unsolved crimes in BuzzFeed Unsolved True Crime or investigating alleged haunted locations and demonic possessions in BuzzFeed Unsolved Supernatural. The show was filmed primarily in the United States with some episodes filmed in separate locations in England and Mexico. Most episodes were followed by a question and answer episode, entitled BuzzFeed Unsolved Postmortem, where Bergara and Madej answered questions sent in by viewers about the week's episode.
The series began streaming on Hulu and Amazon Prime in 2018.[6] Prior to the premiere of season 8, BuzzFeed renewed the show for a 9th season, which appeared in late 2018. In 2019, the 10th season premiered in March and the 11th season premiered in September.[7] In late 2019, Bergara and Madej started their own digital production company, Watcher Entertainment, with Worth It's Steven Lim; however, the two continued BuzzFeed Unsolved with a 12th season in March 2020.
BuzzFeed Unsolved True Crime concluded with its 8th and final season in July 2021,[8] and the 7th and final season of BuzzFeed Unsolved Supernatural started in October 2021 and wrapped in November.[9] There are a total of fifteen seasons. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Supernatural was not produced in 2020 and has one fewer season than True Crime because production was unable to secure haunted locations to visit under quarantine.[10] The final episode was followed up by a behind-the-scenes documentary BuzzFeed Unsolved: The Making of the Final Investigation on 24 November 2021.[11]
The "spiritual successor" to BuzzFeed Unsolved Supernatural is Ghost Files,[12] a documentary entertainment web series by Watcher Entertainment that was first released on September 23, 2022.[13] The successor to BuzzFeed Unsolved True Crime is Mystery Files, which was released on May 19, 2023.[12]
Format
Synopsis
BuzzFeed Unsolved True Crime and Supernatural were originally co-hosted by Bergara and Brent Bennett until Madej took over from Bennett in July 2016.[14] Madej does not believe in supernatural phenomena, whereas Bergara does.[15]
Production
The episodes were normally filmed with the two hosts at a desk, with Bergara presenting Madej and the audience with either a True Crime or Supernatural case depending on the season, aided with the use of stock photos and other visuals. In some episodes, the hosts and other crew members traveled around to investigate a location(s), although this method was primarily used for the Supernatural episodes; the show's True Crime seasons were typically filmed all within the Unsolved set.[16] Often, Bergara and a team of producers would pitch and research episodes and Madej would be kept out of the process to give a more fresh perspective.[17]
BuzzFeed Unsolved True Crime
In the show's True Crime seasons, Bergara focuses on unsolved crimes and mysteries. Bergara reads out the story of the case before presenting a handful of possible suspects and theories. Bergara and Madej will discuss these cases with a comedic tone.
BuzzFeed Unsolved Supernatural
In the show's Supernatural seasons, Madej and Bergara travel to places with haunted folklore in order to attempt to find evidence of paranormal phenomena. These episodes sometimes contain more frightening scenes than the True Crime episodes, and they broadly involve some sort of in-person investigation.[18]
Throughout their investigations of hauntings, both Madej and Bergara use a variety of instruments and equipment to attempt to collect evidence, including video and audio devices.[19] Other BuzzFeed Unsolved: Supernatural episodes investigate supernatural entities and phenomena such as Goatman and the existence of aliens. The two aim to create an "everyman approach" in discussing the topics, with the use of humor in an effort to balance the tone between dark and goofy.
Guests
Father Gary Thomas, a pastor who has been to the Vatican to learn about exorcisms and spirits, was featured in several episodes.[20] In "BuzzFeed Unsolved: Supernatural" Season 6, Madej and Bergara investigated an alleged haunting at the home of Youtuber Loey Lane.
Hosts
| True Crime Presenters | - Ryan Bergara (2016–2021)
- Shane Madej (2016–2021)
- Brent Bennett (2016)
|
|---|
| Supernatural Presenters | - Ryan Bergara (2016–2021)
- Shane Madej (2016–2021)
- Brent Bennett (2016)
|
|---|
| Sports Conspiracies Presenters | - Ryan Bergara (2018)
- Zack Evans (2018)
|
|---|
| BuzzFeed Unsolved - Postmortem Presenters | - Ryan Bergara (2017–2021)
- Shane Madej (2017–2021)
| |
|---|
Episodes
BuzzFeed Unsolved – True Crime
Season 1
| Episode | Date Published | Postmortem Q+A Episode |
|---|
| 1 | The Mysterious Death of the Somerton Man | February 4, 2016 | - |
| 2 | The Horrifying Unsolved Slaughter at Hinterkaifeck Farm | February 20, 2016 | - |
| 3 | The Bizarre Death of Elisa Lam | March 18, 2016 | - |
| 4 | The Chilling Mystery of the Black Dahlia | April 1, 2016 | - |
| 5 | The Strange Deaths of the 9 Hikers of Dyatlov Pass | April 15, 2016 | - |
| 6 | The Mysterious Death of Tupac Shakur - Part 1 | May 20, 2016 | - |
| 7 | The Mysterious Death of Biggie Smalls - Part 2 | May 27, 2016 | - |
| 8 | The Horrifying Murders of the Zodiac Killer | June 24, 2016 | - |
| 9 | The Mysterious Disappearance of the Sodder Children | December 23, 2016 | - |
| 10 | The Odd Death of Michelle Von Emster | January 27, 2017 | - |
| 11 | The Shocking Case of O. J. Simpson | March 4, 2017 | - |
| 12 | The Strange Disappearance of D. B. Cooper | March 10, 2017 | - | |
Season 2
| Episode | Published | Postmortem Q+A Episode |
|---|
| 1 | The Terrifying Axeman of New Orleans | July 28, 2017 | August 2, 2017 |
| 2 | The Mysterious Death of the Boy in the Box | August 4, 2017 | August 9, 2017 |
| 3 | The Bizarre Road Trip of a Missing Family | August 11, 2017 | August 16, 2017 |
| 4 | The Tragic Murder of JonBenét Ramsey | August 18, 2017 | August 23, 2017 |
| 5 | The Odd Vanishing of Amelia Earhart | August 25, 2017 | August 30, 2017 |
| 6 | The Creepy Murder in Room 1046 | September 1, 2017 | September 7, 2017 |
| 7 | The Strange Drowning of Natalie Wood | September 8, 2017 | September 13, 2017 |
| 8 | The Mysterious Poisoned Pill Murders | September 15, 2017 | September 21, 2017 |
| 9 | The Disturbing Murders at Keddie Cabin | September 22, 2017 | September 28, 2017 |
| 10 | The Suspicious Assassination of JFK | September 29, 2017 | October 4, 2017 | |
Season 3
| Episode | Published | Postmortem Q+A Episode |
|---|
| 1 | The Grisly Murders of Jack the Ripper | January 26, 2018 | January 31, 2018 |
| 2 | The Thrilling Gardner Museum Heist | February 2, 2018 | February 7, 2018 |
| 3 | The Ghastly Cleveland Torso Murders | February 9, 2018 | February 15, 2018 |
| 4 | The Enigmatic Death of the Isdal Woman | February 16, 2018 | February 22, 2018 |
| 5 | The Strange Killing of Ken Rex McElroy | February 23, 2018 | February 28, 2018 |
| 6 | The Scandalous Murder of William Desmond Taylor | March 2, 2018 | March 7, 2018 |
| 7 | The Historic Disappearance of Louis Le Prince | March 9, 2018 | March 14, 2018 |
| 8 | The Disturbing Mystery of the Jamison Family | March 16, 2018 | March 21, 2018 | |
Season 4
| Episode | Published | Postmortem Q+A Episode |
|---|
| 1 | The Sinister Disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa | July 13, 2018 | July 18, 2018 |
| 2 | The Bizarre Collar Bomb Bank Robbery | July 20, 2018 | July 25, 2018 |
| 3 | The Mysterious Death of the Eight Day Bride | July 27, 2018 | August 1, 2018 |
| 4 | The Incredible Alcatraz Prison Break | August 3, 2018 | August 8, 2018 |
| 5 | The Covert Poisoning of an Ex-Russian Spy | August 10, 2018 | August 15, 2018 |
| 6 | The Odd Death of Charles C. Morgan | August 17, 2018 | August 22, 2018 |
| 7 | The Bizarre Disappearance of Bobby Dunbar | August 24, 2018 | August 29, 2018 |
| 8 | The Treacherous Treasure Hunt of Forrest Fenn | September 7, 2018 | September 12, 2018 |
| 9 | The Chilling Black Dahlia Murder Revisited | January 11, 2019 | - |
|
Season 5
| Episode | Published | Postmortem Q+A Episode |
|---|
| 1 | The Eerie Case of the Watcher | March 22, 2019 | April 2, 2019 |
| 2 | The Unusual Australian Shark Arm Murders | March 29, 2019 | April 3, 2019 |
| 3 | The Suspicious Case of the Reykjavik Confessions | April 5, 2019 | April 10, 2019 |
| 4 | The Unexplained Murder of Bugsy Siegel | April 12, 2019 | April 17, 2019 |
| 5 | The Horrifying Texarkana Phantom Killer | April 19, 2019 | April 24, 2019 |
| 6 | The Shocking Florida Machete Murder | April 26, 2019 | May 1, 2019 |
| 7 | The Puzzling Disappearance of Walter Collins | May 3, 2019 | May 8, 2019 |
| 8 | The Curious Death of Vincent Van Gogh | May 10, 2019 | May 15, 2019 |
| 9 | The Impossible Disappearance of Dorothy Arnold | September 26, 2019 | - |
|
Season 6
| Episode | Published | Postmortem Q+A Episode |
|---|
| 1 | The Macabre Death of Edgar Allan Poe | March 13, 2020 | March 18, 2020 |
| 2 | The Missing Identity of the Lady of the Dunes | March 20, 2020 | March 25, 2020 |
| 3 | The Tinseltown Murder of Thelma Todd | March 27, 2020 | April 1, 2020 |
| 4 | The Creepy Quandary of Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm | April 3, 2020 | April 8, 2020 |
| 5 | The Puzzling Case of Marilyn and Sam Sheppard | April 10, 2020 | April 15, 2020 |
| 6 | The Mysterious Death of The Somerton Man Revisited | April 17, 2020 | April 22, 2020 | |
Season 7
| Episode | Published | Postmortem Q+A Episode |
|---|
| 1 | The Eerie Vanishing of The Flannan Isles Lighthouse Keepers | October 16, 2020 | October 21, 2020 |
| 2 | The Daring Heists of The Elusive Pink Panthers | October 23, 2020 | October 28, 2020 |
| 3 | The Suspicious Death of Harry Houdini | October 30, 2020 | November 4, 2020 |
| 4 | The Sudden Disappearance Of Cynthia Anderson | November 6, 2020 | November 11, 2020 |
| 5 | The Maritime Mystery of The Mary Celeste | November 13, 2020 | November 18, 2020 |
| 6 | The Haunting Murder Case of the Hammersmith Ghost | November 20, 2020 | November 25, 2020 | |
Season 8
| Episode | Published | Postmortem Q+A Episode |
|---|
| 1 | The Mysterious Death of George Reeves | June 18, 2021 | June 23, 2021 |
| 2 | The Puzzling Disappearance of Agatha Christie | June 25, 2021 | June 30, 2021 |
| 3 | The Menacing Case of the Monster with 21 Faces | July 2, 2021 | July 7, 2021 |
| 4 | The Perplexing Disappearance of Judge Joseph F. Crater | July 9, 2021 | July 14, 2021 |
| 5 | The Tragic Death of Princess Diana | July 16, 2021 | July 21, 2021 |
| 6 | The Bizarre Death of Alfred Loewenstein | July 23, 2021 | July 28, 2021 |
|
BuzzFeed Unsolved – Supernatural
Season 1
Season 2
| Episode | Published | Postmortem Q+A Episode |
|---|
| 1 | The Ghosts And Demons of Bobby Mackey's | April 7, 2017 | - |
| 2 | The Harrowing Hunt for Bigfoot | April 14, 2017 | - |
| 3 | 3 Real-Life Creepy Cases of Ancient Aliens | April 21, 2017 | - |
| 4 | The Haunted Halls of Waverly Hills Hospital | April 28, 2017 | May 10, 2017 |
| 5 | The Strangest Disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle | May 5, 2017 | May 10, 2017 |
| 6 | The Murders That Haunt the Lizzie Borden House | May 12, 2017 | May 17, 2017 |
| 7 | The Spontaneous Human Combustion of Mary Reeser | May 19, 2017 | May 24, 2017 |
| 8 | The Haunting of the Salem Witch Trials | May 26, 2017 | May 31, 2017 |
| 9 | The Haunted Quarters of the Dauphine Orleans Hotel | June 2, 2017 | June 7, 2017 |
| 10 | The Bizarre Voodoo World of New Orleans | June 9, 2017 | June 14, 2017 | |
Season 3
| Episode | Published | Postmortem Q+A Episode |
|---|
| 1 | The Ghost Town at Vulture Mine | October 13, 2017 | October 18, 2017 |
| 2 | Three Bizarre Cases of Alien Abductions | October 20, 2017 | October 25, 2017 |
| 3 | The Captive Spirits of Eastern State Penitentiary | October 27, 2017 | November 1, 2017 |
| 4 | The Demonic Goatman's Bridge | November 3, 2017 | November 8, 2017 |
| 5 | The Horrors of Pennhurst Asylum | November 10, 2017 | November 15, 2017 |
| 6 | Roswell's Bizarre UFO Crash | November 17, 2017 | November 22, 2017 |
| 7 | The Mysterious Disappearance of the Roanoke Colony | November 24, 2017 | November 29, 2017 |
| 8 | London's Haunted Viaduct Tavern | December 1, 2017 | December 6, 2017 |
| 9 | The Chilling Chambers of Colchester Castle | December 8, 2017 | December 13, 2017 |
| 10 | The Subterranean Terrors of the London Tombs | December 15, 2017 | December 20, 2017 | |
Season 4
| Episode | Published | Postmortem Q+A Episode |
|---|
| 1 | The Search for the Mysterious Mothman | April 20, 2018 | April 25, 2018 |
| 2 | The Shadowy Spirits of Rolling Hills Asylum | April 27, 2018 | May 2, 2018 |
| 3 | The Demonic Bellaire House | May 4, 2018 | May 9, 2018 |
| 4 | The Phantom Prisoners of Ohio State Penitentiary | May 11, 2018 | May 16, 2018 |
| 5 | The Unexplained Phoenix Lights Phenomenon | May 18, 2018 | May 23, 2018 |
| 6 | The Spirits of Moon River Brewing | May 25, 2018 | May 30, 2018 |
| 7 | The Horrifying Sorrel-Weed Haunted Mansion | June 1, 2018 | June 6, 2018 |
| 8 | The Mystical Villa Montezuma Mansion | June 8, 2018 | June 13, 2018 | |
Season 5
| Episode | Published | Postmortem Q+A Episode |
|---|
| 1 | Return to the Horrifying Winchester Mansion | October 19, 2018 | October 24, 2018 |
| 2 | The Demon Priest of Mission Solano | October 26, 2018 | October 31, 2018 |
| 3 | The Terrors of Yuma Territorial Prison | November 2, 2018 | November 8, 2018 |
| 4 | 3 Videos from the Pentagon's Secret UFO Program | November 9, 2018 | November 14, 2018 |
| 5 | The Haunted Town of Tombstone | November 16, 2018 | November 21, 2018 |
| 6 | The Haunting of Hannah Williams | November 23, 2018 | November 29, 2018 |
| 7 | The Hunt for La Llorona - The Weeping Woman | April 4, 2019 | - |
| 8 | The Demonic Curse of Annabelle the Doll | June 28, 2019 | - | |
Season 6
| Episode | Published | Postmortem Q+A Episode |
|---|
| 1 | The Hidden Secrets of Area 51 | September 20, 2019 | September 25, 2019 |
| 2 | The Haunting Shadows of the St. Augustine Lighthouse | September 27, 2019 | October 2, 2019 |
| 3 | The Lost Souls of the USS Yorktown | October 4, 2019 | October 9, 2019 |
| 4 | The Hollywood Ghosts of the Legendary Viper Room | October 11, 2019 | October 16, 2019 |
| 5 | The Haunting of Loey Lane | October 18, 2019 | October 23, 2019 |
| 6 | The Unbelievable Horrors of the Old City Jail | October 25, 2019 | October 30, 2019 |
|
Season 7
| Episode | Published | Postmortem Q+A Episode |
|---|
| 1 | The Demonic Possession of the Conjuring House | October 15, 2021 | October 20, 2021 |
| 2 | The Horrors of Villisca Ax Murder House | October 22, 2021 | October 27, 2021 |
| 3 | The Gettysburg Ghosts of Farnsworth House Inn | October 29, 2021 | November 3, 2021 |
| 4 | The Haunted Halls of Morris–Jumel Mansion | November 5, 2021 | November 10, 2021 |
| 5 | The Spirits of Pythian Castle | November 12, 2021 | November 17, 2021 |
| 6 | Return To The Demonic Sallie House | November 19, 2021 | - |
|
BuzzFeed Unsolved - Sports Conspiracies
Season 1
| Episode | Published | Postmortem Q+A Episode |
|---|
| 1 | The Mysterious Retirement of Michael Jordan | December 14, 2017 | - |
| 2 | Patrick Ewing and the Frozen Envelope | December 21, 2017 | - |
| 3 | The Strange Case of Deflategate | December 28, 2017 | - |
| 4 | Muhammad Ali and the Phantom Punch | January 4, 2018 | - |
| 5 | The Notorious Game 6 of Lakers vs. Kings | January 11, 2018 | - | |
Spin-offs and specials
Holiday specials
| Episode | Published |
|---|
| 1 | The Legend of Krampus | December 17, 2017 |
| 2 | Hey There Demons, It's a Spooky Yule Log | December 17, 2018 | |
Documentaries and behind the scenes
Crossovers
In Control With Kelsey - Season 2
| Episode | Published |
|---|
| 1 | Ryan and Shane Make Each Other in The Sims 4 | June 9, 2018 |
| 2 | Ryan & Shane Choose a Fan's Haunted House • The Sims 4 | June 26, 2018 |
| 3 | Shane Controls His Friend's Life in The Sims 4 • Ryan | August 4, 2018 |
| 4 | Ryan Control's His Friend's Life in The Sims 4 • Shane | August 11, 2018 |
| 5 | Ryan & Shane Seduce a Ghost in The Sims 4 | August 18, 2018 |
| 6 | Shane and Ryan Try To Kill The Try Guys in The Sims 4 | August 25, 2018 | |
Other crossovers
| Episode | Published |
|---|
| 1 | The Try Guys Sleep in a Fan's Haunted Bedroom • The Try Vlog (feat. BuzzFeed Unsolved) | September 30, 2017 |
| 2 | Ryan and Shane Eat Everything Boysenberry at Knott's Berry Farm | April 13, 2018 |
| 3 | Ryan and Shane Try To Make Apple Taters | August 5, 2018 |
| 4 | We Styled Ryan & Shane • Ladylike | August 8, 2018 |
| 5 | Ryan and Shane from BuzzFeed Unsolved visit Knott's Scary Farm 2018 | October 17, 2018 |
| 6 | Worth It Meets Unsolved in The Sims 4 | November 17, 2018 | |
Ending segments
The "Hot Daga" – a portmanteau of "hot dog" and "saga" – is a recurring segment at the end of some Postmortem episodes that focuses on a cast of anthropomorphized food.[21]
Notes and References
- JFK - Q+A (Special Announcement). BuzzfeedBlue. October 4, 2017. YouTube. December 17, 2017.
- Web site: BuzzFeed Unsolved Network - YouTube. www.youtube.com.
- Web site: Watch Season 3 Trailer of BuzzFeed Unsolved Supernatural.. Kaz . Klein . TubeFilter . October 6, 2017 . January 18, 2018.
- Web site: Denton Urban Legend Put to the Test on Buzzfeed Web Series . Caroline . North . Dallas Observer . November 9, 2017 . January 18, 2018.
- Web site: Gorsek . Stephanie . September 4, 2017 . BuzzFeed's One Redeeming Quality Is This Series . January 18, 2018 . The Odyssey.
- Web site: Sheng . Kyle . February 2, 2018 . Your Favorite BuzzFeed Shows Are Now Streaming! . September 29, 2021 . BuzzFeed.
- Web site: Buzzfeed Unsolved TV Show - Season 11 Episodes List - Next Episode . July 23, 2020 . next-episode.net.
- Web site: BuzzFeed Unsolved: True Crime - Season 8 - YouTube. 2021-11-04. www.youtube.com.
- Web site: BuzzFeed Unsolved - Supernatural Season 7 - YouTube. 2021-11-04. www.youtube.com.
- Web site: Hale . James . May 27, 2020 . BuzzFeed's Latest 'Unsolved' Season Scares Up Record YouTube Traffic . October 4, 2021 . TubeFilter.
- Web site: About This Video – BuzzFeed Unsolved: The Making of the Final Investigation. BuzzFeed Motion Pictures. 24 November 2021. 24 November 2021.
- Web site: Romanchick . Shane . Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej Announce New 'Mystery Files' Series . . March 2, 2023 . March 8, 2023.
- Web site: Romanchick . Shane . 'Ghost Files' Trailer Teases Return of the Ghoul Boys . . September 16, 2022 . March 8, 2023.
- Web site: "Hey Demons, it's me… ya boi" – how Buzzfeed Unsolved is bringing out the pseudo-sleuths in all of us. . Entwistle . Lauren . September 21, 2017 . Medium . January 18, 2018.
- Web site: Francisco . Eric . July 28, 2018 . The Internet's Funniest Ghost Hunters Aren't Going to Solve Anything . September 11, 2018 . Inverse.
- Web site: 'Buzzfeed: Unsolved' a spooky salve for a lonely generation. Anantharaman. Maitreyi. February 5, 2019. The Michigan Daily. en. August 6, 2019.
- Web site: Francisco . Eric . April 14, 2019 . How Choosing New Crimes Changed 'BuzzFeed Unsolved' . August 6, 2019 . Inverse.
- Web site: Palamara . Kristen . 2020-06-12 . 15 Scariest Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural Episodes . 2024-03-24 . ScreenRant . en.
- Web site: Lovitt . Maggie . 2022-09-21 . 'Ghost Files': Ryan Bergara & Shane Madej Unpack Their Return to Paranormal Investigation . 2024-04-21 . Collider . en.
- Web site: King . Ryan Bergara, Shane Madej, Kirsten . 2016-10-27 . These Guys Investigated Three Notoriously Haunted Locations And Their Footage Might Make You Believe . 2024-03-24 . BuzzFeed . en.
- Web site: McCauley . Tara . June 8, 2021 . BuzzFeed Unsolved Will Come to an End This Year . October 6, 2021 . MXDWN Magazine.
