American Ripper (1 Viewer)

[mikemiller1955]

don't know if it's worth watching...
but The History Channel will debut it's new 8 part series...
American Ripper...
on July 11th...
it may be a good watch...
or it may be a huge conspiracy theory like their Ancient Aliens format...

The series posits that American serial killer H.H. Holmes and British killer Jack the Ripper were, in fact, the same person.
Jeff Mudgett, great-great-grandson of H.H. Holmes, leads an investigation that secured permission to exhume the presumed body of Holmes for DNA testing to determine whether he escaped his own execution and perhaps led a second, secret life.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSOrc7puemw

 

[zblang]

I'm in.

I loved the book Devil in the White City

 

[Combat]

The H.H. Holmes story is pretty fascinating but it bugs me that History Channel has to sensationalize these shows by trying to link him to Jack the Ripper. That is clearly to boost ratings like the "Hunting Hitler" nonsense that implied Hitler escaped Berlin. Apparently people won't watch anything on their network unless they are told there is a connection to Bigfoot, UFOs, ghosts, Jack the Ripper or Hitler.

 

[Julie]

There used to be a "Devil in the White City" tour in Chicago (thought about a road trip for Book Club after we read it) - not sure if it still exists!

 

[GICOP]

Thanks for the heads up Michael:salute::

In the UK on History we have got the premier of "The American West" tomorrow night, is this series worth a watch

Cheers

Martyn

 

[Combat]

I watched the first episode and it was somewhat entertaining but the notion that Holmes was Jack the Ripper is ridiculous. The crimes are night and day in difference. Jack the Ripper was a sexual sadist that targeted women and made no effort to conceal his crimes. A classic "disorganized" killer. Holmes killed men and women often for financial gain and took painstaking efforts to hide or destroy the bodies. A classic "organized" killer. There seems to be a formula to these shows. Make some outlandish claim to have solved a mystery to get more viewers. Find a former "FBI" or "CIA" person to join the investigation. This person must be dumb as a stone. Piece together a lot of questionable "evidence" to support your theory. Ignore the obvious holes in the evidence that point to the contrary. Declare victory or least that your theory remains plausible.

 

[JimmyShane]

The H.H. Holmes story is pretty fascinating but it bugs me that History Channel has to sensationalize these shows by trying to link him to Jack the Ripper. That is clearly to boost ratings like the "Hunting Hitler" nonsense that implied Hitler escaped Berlin. Apparently people won't watch anything on their network unless they are told there is a connection to Bigfoot, UFOs, ghosts, Jack the Ripper or Hitler.

Hahaha! The History Channel has now become the Conspiracy Theory Channel. ^&grin

 

[mikemiller1955]

better than the Discovery Channel...

they now have Michael Phelps...

28 time Olympic medal winner...

racing great white sharks...

I always thought Hollywood Squares was the place for has beens...

I guess not...

 

[JimmyShane]

better than the Discovery Channel...

they now have Michael Phelps...

28 time Olympic medal winner...

racing great white sharks...

I always thought Hollywood Squares was the place for has beens...

I guess not...

This is really ridiculous! What's happening to these channels? They're really running out of show ideas now.

 

[The Military Workshop]

A bit of a worry that Americans would want to claim credit for Jack the Ripper.

Not seen it but was the guy American first and went to London or Brit who then went to USA ?

 

[JimmyShane]

A bit of a worry that Americans would want to claim credit for Jack the Ripper.

Not seen it but was the guy American first and went to London or Brit who then went to USA ?

Yeah man, that's another bit that confuses me. This whole documentary thing can all just be a fiasco for ratings, after all.

 

[Combat]

A bit of a worry that Americans would want to claim credit for Jack the Ripper.

Not seen it but was the guy American first and went to London or Brit who then went to USA ?

Holmes was an American. He may or may not have gone to England around the time of the Ripper murders. The primary basis for that claim was discovering one of Holmes' many aliases used in a ship log around that time. Of course it could just as easily have been a person with that name since tens of thousands made that trip. The other piece of "evidence" was the lack of any legal documentation relating to Holmes presence in Chicago at the relevant time. As a world class swindler, he was often being sued for debts. But apparently no such litigation could be found during the Ripper murders to place him in Chicago. Meaning perhaps he was elsewhere (although it could have been anywhere). Not exactly a convincing case. Particularly when the time frame for the beginning and end of the Ripper murders is open for debate. Extended much one way or the other and it would exclude Holmes.