On the Case with Paula Zahn (2009– ) User Reviews

it's hard to watch

[sybilhill · 6/10 · 12 April 2021]

Due to so many quick moving visual clips it makes it hard to focus on what the show is about. I wonder if it triggers people with convulsions.

Secret of Show is Zahn does not do face to face interviews

[bcrd500 · 6/10 · 5 September 2016]

An earlier review thought the interview process seemed fake as if Paula Zahn does not do face to face interviews. That is correct because I know someone who appeared on her show and he stated a team of producers ask the questions and Zahn is not present for the actual interview.

It is simply a matter of editing to have Zahn filmed asking the questions posed by producers to the interviewed person. It makes a viewer of the show question the decision that Zahn does not do the face to face interview since most crime shows do have the "star" of the show or at least an on-camera reporter sit with the person and ask the questions.

The actual show is okay and since it has been on for 7-8 seasons the production team believes in the process.

Background noise too loud!

[bdannh · 6/10 · 18 October 2021]

If I could hear the dialog on this show over the background sound track I would rate it a 10. I have to turn on subtitles to know what's being said half the time. VERY ANNOYING!!!

Music too loud and lenghty

[dachelealston · 7 December 2020]

I really liked this show. However, in recent seasons the "background" music is way too loud and plays for the entire episode. It has taken so much away from the show. I spent so much time trying to hear what was being said over that horribly loud and never ending music, I just stopped watching.

Great Show but 1 annoying question?

[coolbreeze-48387 · 9/10 · 1 December 2021]

On the case is a good show but every time Paula ask someone" did you kill this person? I cringe and laugh like really you think someone is going to say yes I killed that person Paula, on tv? You been asking that dumb question for 24 years and no one has said yes , it's the dumbest question you ask, sometimes you even ask the police, did you ask them if they killed that person and the police be like umm it ain't like they are gonna say duhh yeah I killed that guy lolol Also annoying is saying the case went cold a lot is also annoying, and asking ppl how they felt when they saw there loved ones murdered, but overall a good show at least you show a lot of murders solved that to years and you give the families and place to vent and talk about what happened.

No Crimes Against Men In Pc World ????

[jason-traz007 · 6/10 · 20 December 2018]

Paula Does A Good Show But Why Are There No Crimes Against Men On This Show In The Days of Pc Are There No Crimes Against Men In The World ???

Addicting

[AdrienneGrayceMusic · 10/10 · 26 January 2019]

I recently started my obsession for true crime shows because of my own best friend being murdered. I recently discovered the ID network and I can't get enough. I saw some episodes of forensic files in the past, but most of the murder cases they talked about on that show were super super old. I also couldn't stand the host's voice on that one. I actually like Paula Zahn and love how she calls people out on stuff when interviewing. I've watched a few episodes from each season. There's a lot to catch up on because I believe there were about 17/18 seasons total. To those saying that the cases talked about here are from forensic files and others, you are wrong. There are plenty episodes of this series that were never on any other series. And sometimes the cases that were also on forensic files, were changed up a bit on this show and more info was added, that wasn't on the other crime series. Its enough to keep me watching to where I binge watch..so that's a 10/10 for me, due to that reason.

Focusing on the Victim Not the Killer

[shelbythuylinh · 8/10 · 20 December 2021]

Really give guts to Miss Zahn for focusing on the victims and their families. And giving them justice and even the rare unsolved case. Plus that really one of the very few shows to do so there. Really wished that there were more shows like that. As the subjects are interviewed.

Retire please

[mls4182 · 1/10 · 12 September 2021]

Zahn smiles all through every episode. She's even cheery, except for a few scenes where she feigns sympathy. It is pretty revolting.

I love this show!

[jldivelbiss · 8/10 · 27 March 2022]

I love this show! Paula is a great narrator and interviewer. The show is well made and it's popular for a good reason!

My only caveat is the unsolved cases. I wish they would give the viewer a heads up ahead of time as I hate unsolved shows and sometimes that's the story they cover.

Other than that, a great true crime show!

Paula...please, take an acting lesson... or something

[spambin-52670 · 1/10 · 19 February 2021]

So clearly contrived and dramatized speech pattern. The questions are nothing but excerpts from a statement with a question mark at the end of them.

How and why she is considered anything but a bad actress is beyond me.

Paula: "Did you feel sad when you learned that your family had been massacred by the next door neighbor"?

Subject: "Yes".

Paula: "How did you react when you discovered that you next door neighbor had massacred your family...sad"?

Subject: "Very".

I really wanted to like this...

[QweenOfTheDarned · 1 February 2022]

Oh Paula, what have you done? This show covers some really interesting cases, and some of my favorites, but it is clear that she is not a skilled interviewer. Forget the fact that she's not even in the room, apparently, for these interviews... She asks questions that are very biased, are way too leading, and truly break some of the hallmarks of ethical and proper journalism. For someone as accomplished and awarded as she is, this is a mile-long journey in the wrong direction. It's good enough to put on when I just need something in the background, but nothing I take too seriously. If you really want to know about any of these crimes, there are much better avenues through which to learn about them. Take this with a grain of salt.

Paula is awesome

[leslierinaldi-60838 · 10/10 · 6 June 2022]

I grew up with Paula and her sister Leslie. Both are perhaps two of the nicest people you could ever meet and both strikingly beautiful. Without ever displaying any air of superiority, having come from an upper class background and an insanely accomplished family. I haven't spoken to them since high school but will never forget how genuinely kind they both were. I will forever be a fan.

On The Case

[mgmfcc · 10/10 · 17 January 2019]

Is a no nonsense true crime show. This is why I love ID.

Well known and top notch news lady does real hard crime reporting with interviews on real life hard cases!

[blanbrn · 8/10 · 20 September 2016]

Again one of my shows I watch on ID discovery since I'm a real life buff on watching shows about real crimes and unsolved murders is "On the case with Paula Zahn". I remember Paula from her early days on CBS then onto her big prime days on CNN, I will tell you Paula is one of the best and provocative and attractive journalist around and it's nice she gets to do her own show now! This series focus is on crimes of murder and abduction and they are real life cases which include interviews with family members and police detectives and even the victims and the cases are portrayed thru recreated acts and the footage is shown like it really happened. And many of these cases have a happy ending with the kidnapped victim being found or the killer being brought to justice overall good little series.

Paula Annoying Zahn.

[gdicamillo · 1/10 · 17 November 2021]

Don't give her credit. She does no investigating reads from a script, isn't even in the room with the person interviewed! Not to mention the over emphazing of words. Lately it's not as bad but go back to former shows and it will make you cringe. This would be a good crime show if they ditched Paula .

Excellent and well crafted

[qormi · 10/10 · 17 September 2022]

Paula Zahn is really great as the host, narrator, and interviewer. She is very professional and does her job well.. she tells a story and is skilled at making it even more interesting and riveting. . These cases follow law enforcement as they unravel false leads, dead ends, and confusion to piece together what really happened and ultimately nail the suspect. Scary how so many killers continue to lie and maintain their innocence after having been convicted with airtight proof of guilt. The arrogance and evil on display is scary.

The research into little known and fascinating crimes from all over the country make this series fascinating. Home videos and interviews are used, and actors used to portray the true life characters are matched to closely resemble them.

Boring and fake Paula Zahn

[dianeteleskjones · 1/10 · 27 December 2019]

Agree with other review. Can she be more fake? Can she enunciate her words any worse? Can she be more unsympathetically dramatic. She sounds like an idiot. Bad bad bad. Nod ur head elsewhere. Give it up Paula. BORING.

Overall good crime show (but)

[lakotta-354-343882 · 8/10 · 8 April 2020]

I like the show I like the narration it's one of my favorite true crime shows. The only thing I don't care for is the leading questions she asks it's always like Paula is trying to hard to show she is right or smarter than the people who worked the case. More statements than questions

It's still awesome but I do always cringe when it happens it feels like she is targeting the people you find at Walmart at 3am . Its beneath her

Keep it up Paula

[Bronco46 · 8/10 · 7 June 2015]

Ms. Zahn continues to crank out interesting and fact filled shows covering crime in the United States. I've been watching her "On the Case" show for many years. I hate to bring this down to a base level. But Paula looks much the same as she did more then 10 year ago. It's hard to believe she's been at it that long. The episodes fly by. And because to the amount of time put into research the stories really hold your attention. The show is done in much the same way as other crime shows. Paula narrates. She interviews people in law enforcement to get the details of the investigations. She also spends time with the families, friends, suspects, and even a few perpetrators. To give us an idea how enforcement is effected by the crimes they see everyday. And how family and friends cope with what has happened to their loved ones. An excellent show with an excellent host.

S-Tier ID gabage.

[rednercaske-00158 · 9/10 · 16 November 2021]

It's everything a tacky murder show should be. Paula dominates every interview by asking really long, yes or no questions and never letting anyone get a word in. She's still amazing, though and has worked hard to be where she is now and and no one will outclass her. Diane Dimond? Hard pass, since I have 8000 episodes of this show with Paula! Drinking game: take a shot every time an old, white cop says something like "well, this girl didn't deserve to be horrifically murdered, she went to church!" I see, Officer, so am I to infer there are people who deserve it. Almost every sentence uttered by these detectives could be construed as "this is a safe, white community! These crimes belong in the city where all the non-whites prefer to hang out!" This sounds like I'm hating on the show and I'm really not. Virtually all ID shows fall victim to the same cliches: "she lit up a room," "we never locked our doors," "this overkill seems personal." And since the show has been on for 100 season, there's plenty of content if hearing about horrible murder helps put you to sleep, like it does for me.

It's pathetic

[laurielynn-06592 · 1/10 · 11 May 2020]

Paula Zahn pretending to interview the people involved in these cases? I am not fooled, nor anyone else with half a brain, I'm sure. I find this show almost painful to watch . The questions are ridiculous! "How frustrated were you?" Answer: "I was VERY frustrated." Really? How could I have guessed the answer to that obviously stupid question? It goes on and on...One ridiculous question after another. It should be embarrassing to her, how bad it is. This is roll-your-eyes t.v at its finest!

What Happened

[dkmartin-77292 · 4/10 · 19 June 2021]

I used to LOVE On The Case & Paula Zahn was great at narrating......was has happened? Paula has a definite speech impediment.....which she didn't used to have so it's tough to listen to her narrate. And she doesn't seem to feel anymore or have feelings.

Missing so many details...

[StarrKitty · 4/10 · 16 March 2020]

I would like to give a show a higher rating, but a lot of the cases are missing so many details that are important, I can't do it. I end up looking up the cases and finding out tons of things that didn't make it into the show and it makes me question what kind of viewpoint they are angling for.

One of the worst true crime series

[michael-mcgeehan · 2/10 · 4 September 2015]

Not only is Paula Zahn like a robot when she interviews these witnesses, family member and officials, I believe it is totally fake. She is NOT in the same room as these people; she's just edited in later. This just adds to the unauthentic nature of these exchanges. How self-absorbed not to get off her butt and actually meet these people face to face. The only positive aspect of the show is that they don't use really bad actors to re-enact scenes like most of the other really awful ID shows. However, there are really bad clichés repeated over and over and the same footage is shown repeatedly. Only could stomach one episode.