American Ripper - TV documentary series

[YomRippur]

History Channel has been promoting this series for months, and the first of 8 episodes finally aired last night. I saw it, and felt it was just a lot of expository info that was nowhere close to the meat of their theory about H.H. Holmes being Jack the Ripper. My confidence is not that high that they will actually present acceptable arguments in the next 7 episodes to follow.

Two nights ago, they aired a documentary on a newly discovered photo of Amelia Earhart stranded on an island, only to have it embarrassingly debunked 2 days later by someone in Japan who took a mere *30 minutes* on a *publicly available* archival website to find the same photo that turned out to be, not a top secret never-before-seen item as History Channel had suggested, but just a mere travelogue photo! What's more, the caption of the photo says it was taken in 1935, two years BEFORE Earhart's disappearance. This has to be one of History Channel's biggest snafus ever. So I'm probably too optimistic to expect a half decent theory on H.H. Holmes.

[Abby Normal]

History Channel has been promoting this series for months, and the first of 8 episodes finally aired last night. I saw it, and felt it was just a lot of expository info that was nowhere close to the meat of their theory about H.H. Holmes being Jack the Ripper. My confidence is not that high that they will actually present acceptable arguments in the next 7 episodes to follow.

Two nights ago, they aired a documentary on a newly discovered photo of Amelia Earhart stranded on an island, only to have it embarrassingly debunked 2 days later by someone in Japan who took a mere *30 minutes* on a *publicly available* archival website to find the same photo that turned out to be, not a top secret never-before-seen item as History Channel had suggested, but just a mere travelogue photo! What's more, the caption of the photo says it was taken in 1935, two years BEFORE Earhart's disappearance. This has to be one of History Channel's biggest snafus ever. So I'm probably too optimistic to expect a half decent theory on H.H. Holmes.

Watching the latest episode of American ripper, butchers blade. What a bunch of bull ****. Don't waste your time with it. Highly not recommended.

[Pcdunn]

The London episode of "American Ripper" features several Ripperologists known to me only by name, and they do a decent job of explaining things, but I suspect the program edited their contributions. The dramatic recreations are woefully inadequate, with Schwartz actually witnessing Stride's murder,, not just the pushing down to the ground. Lots of shadowed glimpses of a figure in a caped coat, you know the sort of thing... 🙄

The team seemed to think their suspect was motivated by selling organs and by liking to watch women suffer, and were almost disappointed to learn the victims were dead prior to being mutilated.

They got too excited by the news of Eddowe's supposed shawl, and actually visited the owners, who have two small framed pieces of it, to ask for permission to test it for DNA against the Mudgett descendant.

Next week they check out Ripper letters... (Sigh)

[YomRippur]

This show was supposed to premiere on April 18th, and History Channel even showed a TV promo showing the premiere date. We even made an earlier thread here anticipating it. April 18th came and went, and there was no show and no explanation. I thought maybe in the goodness of their hearts, they decided not to broadcast their potentially crackpot theories. Then on July 11th the show finally premiered, and it showed why it was delayed. In the first few minutes of the first episode, we see that on May 11th, they dug up Holmes' grave, and one person remarked that Holmes "might have pulled the biggest con job of his life." This dig was only briefly shown, and was clearly intended as a teaser to make you watch future episodes. We were not shown the dig in any detail, nor were we told what was meant by Holmes' "con job." You can google headlines about the digging up of Holmes' grave, which was reported in the media. But curiously none of the reports said what actually was or wasn't dug up. The dig occurred on May 11th, which explains the delay of the premiere. Does anyone here have any inside info on what was or wasn't actually dug up at Holmes' grave? Those who missed the first episode can watch it on demand, as most TV providers let you watch past shows on demand.

[jmenges]

The dig occurred on May 11th, which explains the delay of the premiere. Does anyone here have any inside info on what was or wasn't actually dug up at Holmes' grave?

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/investigations/HH-Holmes-Gravesite-Yeadon-Pennsylvania-Philadelphia-Jack-the-Ripper-Dig-UPenn-University-History-Channel-435035933.html

As we talked about on Rippercast and Adam Selzer relates in his book, Holmes requested that his body be buried in concrete. They have found a body buried in concrete. According to Mudgett the DNA test results aren't back yet.

JM

[YomRippur]

Watching the latest episode of American ripper, butchers blade. What a bunch of bull ****. Don't waste your time with it. Highly not recommended.

I had very low expectations for this show coming in as well. But the chance to see how Donald Rumblelow, Stewart Evans, and other well known Ripperologists look today prevented this from being a total waste of time.

The dramatic recreations are woefully inadequate, with Schwartz actually witnessing Stride's murder,, not just the pushing down to the ground. Lots of shadowed glimpses of a figure in a caped coat, you know the sort of thing... 🙄

Yes, those moments showed they had lousy researchers who didn't know the subjects very well nor where to look for accurate info. The best, most factual recreations I've seen were found in the wonderful 2015 documentary "Jack the Ripper: The Definitive Story," which only costs $2.99 to buy here, well worth the price. See that instead of this show. It even has a moment that explains that the archetypical top hat-wearing, Gladstone bag-toting look of Jack was nothing but an accident.

[YomRippur]

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/inves...435035933.html

As we talked about on Rippercast and Adam Selzer relates in his book, Holmes requested that his body be buried in concrete. They have found a body buried in concrete. According to Mudgett the DNA test results aren't back yet.

JM

Thanks for this latest bit of info. I've heard a lot of good things about the book you mentioned in your podcast, so delving into that may be more worth my time than this.

History Channel spends millions on shows like these, if only they had people that were more capable working on them. They do things that are "good for TV," like digging up Holmes' grave, digging up Amelia Earhart's alleged burial site, etc., only to reach baseless conclusions. If only the truly capable researchers were given the millions of dollars that these shows are given.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Watching the latest episode of American ripper, butchers blade. What a bunch of bull ****. Don't waste your time with it. Highly not recommended.

Hi Abby

Thanks for the warning. I was going to give this a go but I think I'll spend my time more constructively.

Colour coding my sock drawer perhaps

Might have a look at the book at some time though. Although my mate has just told me that Tesco are selling the new book on Jack the Stripper for less than £4!

Regards
Herlock

[Abby Normal]

The London episode of "American Ripper" features several Ripperologists known to me only by name, and they do a decent job of explaining things, but I suspect the program edited their contributions. The dramatic recreations are woefully inadequate, with Schwartz actually witnessing Stride's murder,, not just the pushing down to the ground. Lots of shadowed glimpses of a figure in a caped coat, you know the sort of thing... 🙄

The team seemed to think their suspect was motivated by selling organs and by liking to watch women suffer, and were almost disappointed to learn the victims were dead prior to being mutilated.

They got too excited by the news of Eddowe's supposed shawl, and actually visited the owners, who have two small framed pieces of it, to ask for permission to test it for DNA against the Mudgett descendant.

Next week they check out Ripper letters... (Sigh)

yup what a bunch of sensationalist crap. History channel should be ashamed. the documentary channels are becoming more and more like the fake news.
I knew it was downhill when they started getting in on the "reality" TV BS.

[Hunter]

Thanks for this latest bit of info. I've heard a lot of good things about the book you mentioned in your podcast, so delving into that may be more worth my time than this.

History Channel spends millions on shows like these, if only they had people that were more capable working on them. They do things that are "good for TV," like digging up Holmes' grave, digging up Amelia Earhart's alleged burial site, etc., only to reach baseless conclusions. If only the truly capable researchers were given the millions of dollars that these shows are given.

Calling themselves a history channel is repulsive in itself. Smithsonian is about all that is left.

Yes, Selzer's book is worth the read and the price. Well researched.

[Steadmund Brand]

What????? You mean Ancient Aliens isn't HISTORY????

Steadmund Brand

[Pcdunn]

Noooo, it's not...

What????? You mean Ancient Aliens isn't HISTORY????

Steadmund Brand

Huh-- how did YOU celebrate World UFO Day (July 2), Steady?

I like UFO lore, but the "ancient aliens" mythology is just too much, sometimes.

[Steadmund Brand]

Remember when The H in History Channel stood for Hitler (that was a joke in the US for years, that the only thing ever on the History Channel was Hitler documentaries....) but damn.. at least that WAS HISTORY!!

Steadmund Brand

And by the way PCDUNN... I celebrated World UFO day like we all should have..... wearing my tin foil hat, chanting lyrics to Klaatu songs and trying to telepathically contact Art Bell....duh!!

[GUT]

Remember when The H in History Channel stood for Hitler (that was a joke in the US for years, that the only thing ever on the History Channel was Hitler documentaries....) but damn.. at least that WAS HISTORY!!

Steadmund Brand

And by the way PCDUNN... I celebrated World UFO day like we all should have..... wearing my tin foil hat, chanting lyrics to Klaatu songs and trying to telepathically contact Art Bell....duh!!

Hey, leave Klaatu out of your warped theories, I remember when they hit the stage and the theories were that they were the Fab Four reunited.

[YomRippur]

Episode 3 of American Ripper was another disappointment. The DNA test on Eddowes' shawl from last episode yielded no match to H.H. Holmes, no surprise there. But the real disappointment was that they resorted yet again to things like "language analysis" of the Ripper letters and making composite sketches from eyewitness descriptions. No one says these things aren't useful, but they are supposed to serve as AIDS to an investigation, not as proofs of anything. Every time someone has a theory about JTR's identify, they almost always use these two means to buttress the theory, because they know these are the two easiest things to be made to appear convincing.