What genre describes "Fact or Fiction" shows, such as "Unsolved Mysteries" or "In Search Of"?
I am trying to categorize some media and I am having trouble finding a name for shows that mix documentary / investigatory style with (openly) fictional / pseudo-scientific / speculative content.
The list below includes a few examples, and given their styles I'd rather not put them in the same "Documentary" collection alongside Planet Earth and Ken Burns films. Is there an accepted or industry term for these types of shows?
- In Search Of (1977)
- Documentary approach
- Discusses paranormal, myths, "controversial" topics (e.g. modern-day witchcraft practitioners)
- Unsolved Mysteries (1987)
- Documentary / dramatization approach
- Discusses documented and anecdotal stories / events / crimes
- Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction? (1997)
- Dramatization approach
- Depicts some real, some fictional stories (without any substantiation for the "real" stories)
- Creepy Canada (2002)
- Dramatization approach
- Paranormal event reenactments
- Ancient Aliens (2009)
- Documentary approach
- Mixes historical fact with contemporary conjecture
Best Answer
According to IMDB, genres of these shows are:
- In Search Of - Documentary, Mystery
- Unsolved Mysteries - Documentary, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
- BB:FoF - Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi
- Creepy Canada - Documentary
- Ancient Aliens - Documentary, History, Sci-Fi
However, there is also the "Plot Keywords" section, which says:
- In Search Of - N/A
- Unsolved Mysteries - unsolved mystery, murder, reenactment, unsolved crime, based on true story
- BB:FoF - supernatural power, psychotronic series, fiction, anthology, fact or fiction
- Creepy Canada - paranormal phenomena, psychotronic series, supernatural power, reenactment
- Ancient Aliens - pseudohistory, pseudoarchaeology, pseudoscience, ufology, folklore
From this I think we could call them something like "Paranormal Documentary", "Pseudoscience Documentary", "Unsolved Mysteries" or some such. These are technically documentaries, as they do cover real events to a degree. Personally, I like the description Paranormal Documentary!
Pictures about "What genre describes "Fact or Fiction" shows, such as "Unsolved Mysteries" or "In Search Of"?"
What is the genre of puzzling crime?
What is Mystery? Mystery (pronounced mis-tuh-ree, ) is a genre of literature whose stories focus on a puzzling crime, situation, or circumstance that needs to be solved.Is mystery a theme or genre?
The mystery genre is a genre of fiction that follows a crime (like a murder or a disappearance) from the moment it is committed to the moment it is solved. Mystery novels are often called \u201cwhodunnits\u201d because they turn the reader into a detective trying to figure out the who, what, when, and how of a particular crime.What are the characteristics of mystery genre?
Mystery stories revolve around a main character on a quest to solve a crime. Also known as a whodunit or detective story, a mystery creates intrigue by revealing the identity of the antagonist only at the climax of the story. Mystery writers drop clues throughout the plot to invite readers to join in the investigation.Why is mystery a good genre?
The mystery story appeals to their sense of curiosity. They enjoy action. They love to analyze the psychological makeup and motivational drives of characters. Most mystery readers are as interested in how and why a crime is committed as they are in who committed it.Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 6, Episode 23 - Full Episode
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