Overrated and overhyped

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

As other reviewers pointed out, it's really easy to guess which stories are fake. Very little research is done on the U.S. locations, and it's clear they donno what they're talking' aboot. For instance, in one episode they say a city is in Maryland when the text on the screen says (Town), WA. There's no W in Maryland, c'mon guys.In one episode, the narrator pronounces conquistadors "con-kwiss- tadoors." It may seem pedantic but somebody got paid to make all these stupid mistakes, and someone else got paid to not correct them.There are innumerable bad puns and unnecessary alliterations. It almost seems like they took a script and then intentionally made it worse for each episode.

I love this show but now have to question all facts in it due to misinformation in this particular episode. Being that I live near one of the sites of one of their half truths since I recall the incident well and the news on the actual events.... the last tale in this trinity rang true up until the end and an adjustment in gang info it was a Latino gang initiation not always practiced and some of the Crips and Bloods do it too; I believe out of boredom. True it is an anonymous victim but it is to prove loyalty to your new family usually beginning with a gang beating, getting high and drinking then either shooting a rival target or random light flasher; aside from this it is also now against the law in Los Angeles County to flash your headlights if caught could results in a fine or jail time. The other difference was the victim was a Caucasian family of 4 that were killed and it was out on an desolate road that is normally very dark in a residential neighborhood near a freeway off ramp in a bad part of downtown L.A. so some urban legends may have sprung from the truth we also had freeway snipers prior to that also not an urban legend...how do I know? cause urban legends don't show the bloody mess on the news as it happens....

I'm only giving this show a 2 because the urban legend stories are sometimes interesting. Here's the problem: the "false" stories are TOO easy to identify because the "actors" in the story have major Canadian accents. Take some dude from Baltimore who, while out jogging, beats the crap out of another jogger who accidentally bumps into him. He thought dude stole his wallet, so he reclaimed it - only to get arrested because in fact, it was not his wallet, but the wallet of the guy who bumped into him and who he beat the crap out of. First, no young, good looking men in Baltimore would wear a bad wig (LOVE how at the end the actor's like "This isn't even my real hair what's that all aboot?!" SECOND, this guy and every 'actor' in the 'false' stories on the show have a thick Canadian accent!! IT IS SO OBVIOUS. I am from Philadelphia and I can tell! If you want to guess correctly which stories on this show are 'true' just pick the ones where A) The story derives from Canada (thus, Canadian accents) or B) the stories that derive from the United States have actual people in them (not actors) that do not have thick Canadian accents. Even the host has one - faint, but it's there. Accent aside, the actors are realllllly bad actors. I am sure, even with a limited budget, the show can at least do a little better than the worst. Where do you find these people?! Wait for it... while you're just 'out and aboot'?

This only takes some of the enjoyment out of this Canadian import currently airing on the SyFy channel. They are still interestingly told, especially since you've heard about them before and wondered for yourself if they're true or not. Each episode has three main stories told in some detail, at least one of which is fake, along with a couple of filler stories ("mini-myths") told in broad strokes.Ironically, the silly filler stories told with bobble-head Photoshop animation are harder to guess correctly. They sound ridiculous to a fault, but they are as likely to be true as not. It's amazing how often truth is stranger than fiction. The show offers swifter gratification on the outcome of the mini-myths, revealing the truth after the commercial break, while waiting until the episode's end for the reveal on the three main myths.The three main event stories, however, are much, much easier to guess. The giveaway is the actors. The Canadian actors in the interview sections just cannot hide their pronunciation of "about." It sounds like "aboat." Every time I hear that distinctive pronunciation from a supposed interviewee, I am sure the story is fake, and lo and behold, it is.This is still a good show to have on in the background while you're doing other things. It's a good conversation starter.