Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction
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| Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction | |
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| Also known as | Beyond Belief |
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| Genre | Science fiction Paranormal Anthology |
| Created by | Lynn Lehmann |
| Written by | Marc Cushman Thomas C. Chapman Melody Fox Naomi Janzen Lynn Lehmann Mike Scott Robert Tralins Robert Wolterstorff |
| Presented by | James Brolin Jonathan Frakes |
| Narrated by | Don LaFontaine Campbell Lane |
| Theme music composer | Al Kasha |
| Composer(s) | Al Kasha Mark Northam David E. Russo Tim Simonec |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 45 (List of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Barry Adelman Dick Clark Al Schwartz |
| Running time | 60 mins. (approx) |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | FOX |
| Original run | May 1, 1997 – September 5, 2002 |
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction? is an American anthology series produced and aired by the FOX network from 1997 until 2002. Each episode features five stories, all of which appear to defy logic, some of which are allegedly based on actual events. The viewer is offered the challenge of determining which are true and which are false. At the end of the show, it was revealed to the viewer whether the tales were true or works of fiction. The majority of stories on all shows were adapted from published and previously unpublished original material written and researched by author Robert Tralins.
The series was hosted by James Brolin and later by Jonathan Frakes. The show was narrated by Don LaFontaine (from 1997-2000) and Campbell Lane (2002).
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[edit] Format
The stories told in the program all had some connection with the supernatural, with ghosts, with psychic phenomena, with coincidences, with destiny, and/or with other such unusual occurrences. Each episode, and every story within, were introduced and ended by the host with a pun, or some witticism, pertaining to the theme of the episode or story, and they always had the underlying moral that not everything that we perceive as truth and falsehood are as such, and that often it proves difficult to truly separate fact from fiction, hence the title.
The stories that proved to be fact were usually based on the first-hand research of author Robert Tralins, whereas some of those that proved to be fiction were modern-dress retellings of urban legends.
[edit] Popularity,cancellation,and return
It has gained a cult following; the show had often aired sporadically, sometimes going for weeks or even months between airings. Note that there is a one-year lag between Don LaFontaine's and Campbell Lane's stint as narrator for the show; during this time, it was believed that the show had been canceled only to be brought back for another go-around in 2002. It was finally canceled for good after its 2002 season. Re-runs of the show are occasionally aired on the Chiller Network.
[edit] Episodes
See List of Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction episodes
[edit] Syndication and DVD release
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction aired in syndication on the Sci-Fi Channel until August 22, 2005. It currently airs on Zone Reality (UK) and Chiller (US). The first season was released on DVD on Region 1 DVD in the United States on August 28, 2007.
[edit] International airings
The show is very popular in Germany, where it is known as X-Factor: Das Unfassbare and re-broadcasts in nonstop syndication. German TV channel RTL II even produced a spin-off, X-Factor: Wahre Lügen, which rather addressed more logical and bizarre, but plausible cases, like a hotel for dogs or a huge treehouse. It was canceled after three seasons.
