While dripping with late ’90s and early ’00s nostalgia in every frame, Beyond Belief: Fact Or Fiction deserves to get a modern reboot for many reasons. Though, as fans might argue, little about the show needs improvement.
Regarded as a cult classic, Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction was a simpler time of television that promoted a notion of gathering around to watch a weekly television show with family and friends. It leaned on the instincts of viewers to act as armchair detectives, sussing out what could be factual evidence presented or a complete fabrication, which was often some sort of urban legend that had been cleverly re-written or changed in a slight way to make it seem believable. Running on the Fox network from 1997 to 2002, James Brolin was the show’s original host, but it was under Star Trek alum Jonathan Frakes that the series reached its full potential.
Jonathan Frakes is possibly the most well-known aspect of Beyond Belief because of his witty one-liners, easy charm, and warm demeanor that kept the show feeling fresh and inviting, even down the road when episodes started to wane in frequency. Frakes and the show have been subject to various videos and memes regarding the series, but no matter how many years pass by, fans still get excited about the mere prospect of the show’s return. Therefore, someone should consider bringing it back.
Beyond Belief: Fact Or Fiction Should Get A Reboot
Built around the prospect of stories that could fall into the category of either ‘fact’ or ‘fiction’, the narrated re-enactments of each tale left audiences scratching their head as they tried to suss out aspects of the strange, unusual, and borderline paranormal. While modern audiences are more intrigued by and convinced by ghosts and other supernatural occurrences, as is shown by the popularity of shows like Ghost Adventures, back in the late ’90s and early ’00s, there was more skepticism and a larger draw to dark, gritty, true crime tales like Unsolved Mysteries. While parallels can be drawn between shows like Unsolved Mysteries and Beyond Belief, the latter had a charm that no other show has been able to replicate since, while means it might be more than due time for a comeback.
With the rise of original series on streaming and an ever-present nostalgia from ’90s kids, who have proven bringing back their beloved series will be profitable for studios, Beyond Belief could be primed for a reboot. Other niche shows, such as Supermarket Sweep, have been picked up by networks and Netflix caters to other forms of nostalgia with original shows like Stranger Things, which has proven to be a tremendous hit. While in some ways, Beyond Belief could be a risk because it walks a fine line between scripted, fictional television and reality TV, there’s certainly a market for it, especially amongst horror fans. Netflix also announced a revival of Unsolved Mysteries as well, so perhaps there’s still hope for those fans longing for even one more season of Beyond Belief: Fact Or Fiction and a throwback to simpler times.
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