Last night, Jen and I tuned in to watch the 1,000th episode of America's Most Wanted. It was a special show to commemorate the series unusually long run (it is now the longest running program in FOX's history; beating The Simpsons!) and its many accomplishments. Throughout the episode, AMW was congratulated by the U.S. Marshalls, the FBI, and finally, Barrack Obama in a feature interview.
For over 22 years, John Walsh has been the sole host of this show. AMW has captured over 1,100 fugitives and found over 60 missing children. You really have to give the show its props. Unlike its long time lead-in, COPS, which arguably exploits its subjects and trivializes police work, America's Most Wanted aims to provide a public service and make a difference. It is motivated by a desire to help victims, or at the very least, provide closure.
Jen was in tears by the end of it. Although it is often made fun of for its sensational presentation, it really can be an emotional show at times. My lovely girlfriend was especially kleenex-seeking when the show had a look back at families being reunited with the children AMW had helped find.
Viewers also saw the real John Walsh. He's usually sports the "tough-on-crime, no mercy" demeanor on the show, but he was much more soft spoken during the interview with President Obama. He was notably shaky when discussing the death of his beloved son, Adam.
And that, in my opinion, is why I think the show has lasted. If it was just some host, I don't think audience's would buy it. But John Walsh really does have a credibility as a victim's right advocate and crime-fighter. He wants justice, and when you hear is story, you (the viewer) want to help him.
Million dollar ideas are rare in the entertainment industry, folks. Trust me. By today's standards, a TV show is a success if it makes it to season 2. In a time when TV was already expensive to produce, someone came up with a show that cost almost no money, could be made very quickly, and had a concept that really got the ratings: interactive TV. Minimum investment, maximum return: AMW wrote the book on that one, and it helped push the the new FOX network as a serious contender on broadcast TV. And true to its roots, by the time one of the profiles had concluded on this anniversary episode we were watching, a breaking news banner hit the screen announcing that the fugitive had been caught. Whoever came up with the concept of AMW, they deserve the paycheck.
But beyond that, the show really has made a difference. It's hard to believe looking back on it, but the show has solved some BIG profile cases including John List, The Texas Seven, and perhaps their most famous case: the recovery of Elizabeth Smart and the apprehension of her captors.
It seems like there hasn't been a real "American Hero" in forever. We don't really look up to our leaders anymore, and I think the same can be said about a lot of other public figures: athletes, movie stars, etc. But given his incredible contributions, it's safe to say that John Walsh is truly an American Hero that we can look up to. I can think of no other ordinary person that has done so much to help so many. When interviewed about the landmark number, Walsh admitted he never believed it would last this long: "I don't think anybody did," he said. "It's kind of mind boggling." It is indeed. So congratulations to him on this truly "mind-boggling" accomplishment.
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