5 Part History Channel Series on Zodiac out 11/14

[texas21]

Worse still what if they extend this show beyond the five episodes? You've got two things which they could wrap up (the DNA and this supposed solution to the 340 cipher) but in terms of time I just can't see them pulling everything together. This is The History Channel and they have nursed the Oak Island thing along for several seasons. They also made national headlines with an Amelia Earhart special where the big discovery was a photo supposedly showing her in the Marshall Islands which turned out to be from two years before her flight. They don't have to quick to a conclusion and they don't have to be right. They just have to tease enough of an audience along to stay in production. I could see them offering a dubious 340 solution as a rationale to pursue still new lines of approach. It keeps the franchise going and they could go to Vallejo (what a novel idea) to search for the killer. The best case scenario is whatever the DNA testing showed from the first episode. They may give us a definitive link to Sullivan. But finding the Zodiac? Don't think we'll see that. The 340 solution premise is peculiar. Here they have spent four episodes talking about this computer and does the computer yield a solution? No, it's one guy who thinks he is inside Zodiac's head. I don't see it.

[Tahoe27]

We filmed for several hours and had a great time doing it.

That was you! Awesome. That was definitely the highlight of the episode. My wife and I were literally saying that we wished the whole show was about you hunting the Zodiac instead of the cops. Season 2?

Thanks for the kind words. I would never want be a part of the POI stuff, that much I know. I'm too opinionated. They wanted detectives who had a fresh look at the Zodiac case, not tainted by "stuff", but a little birdie along side would have been nice. Hey, maybe I can be their "Scully"..

***

In response to your other post, the Tahoe cops should have never given them the reward poster in the first place. They had to have known who created it! The SLT detective should have easily put 2+2 together to know it wasn't a 50 year old poster...even if he doesn't realize who made it. And who funded all that?

[texas21]

We filmed for several hours and had a great time doing it.

That was you! Awesome. That was definitely the highlight of the episode. My wife and I were literally saying that we wished the whole show was about you hunting the Zodiac instead of the cops. Season 2?

Thanks for the kind words. I would never want be a part of the POI stuff, that much I know. I'm too opinionated. They wanted detectives who had a fresh look at the Zodiac case, not tainted by "stuff", but a little birdie along side would have been nice. Hey, maybe I can be their "Scully"..

***

In response to your other post, the Tahoe cops should have never given them the reward poster in the first place. They had to have known who created it! The SLT detective should have easily put 2+2 together to know it wasn't a 50 year old poster...even if he doesn't realize who made it. And who funded all that?

Your part was one of the few redeeming bits from what we've seen so far. It strengthened the idea whoever adopted the Zodiac persona drew from many commonly available sources. I've thought, for example, his reference to the prison in Montana was just something he picked up from reading about the Deer Lodge prison riots which I've read was prominently featured in Time or Life (I forget which). My guess is he immersed himself in a fantasy world around police magazines, the Mikado, the movies, and whatever else he read along the way and when that was no longer satisfying he began his attacks.

[R Vance]

Your part was one of the few redeeming bits from what we've seen so far. It strengthened the idea whoever adopted the Zodiac persona drew from many commonly available sources. I've thought, for example, his reference to the prison in Montana was just something he picked up from reading about the Deer Lodge prison riots which I've read was prominently featured in Time or Life (I forget which). My guess is he immersed himself in a fantasy world around police magazines, the Mikado, the movies, and whatever else he read along the way and when that was no longer satisfying he began his attacks.

I have to agree. At first blush it would seem zodiac was older than Sullivan...the 1941 magazine and the 1939 movie. On the other hand, I'm only 64, but I grew up in the old black and white TV days when the movies we saw on TV were all quite old. I think at the time, they had to be at least 10 years old before they were allowed to show them on TV...at least that's what I was told at the time. Anyway, I remember watching Charlie Chan movies on television. I had no idea they were already 20+ years old when I saw them because we were not wealthy enough to go to a lot of movies at the theater, so I wasn't exposed to many current films.

What I'm getting at is that Zodiac's interest in stuff like this doesn't mean he's contemporary with the magazines or films. I remember reading magazines like that, which were likely just as old because my mother would often pick up a box of old books or magazines at garage sales or auctions for maybe 25 cents and bring them home to read. She was a voracious reader, which is probably what led me to become one. What she read, I read, often though it was well above my "reading level." That probably explains why I always maxed out on the vocabulary sections of standardized tests. Not due to my genius, simply due to my exposure to the words.

This line of thought leads me to believe that Zodiac was quite possibly grew up as lower to middle income, much like me. He may have been exposed to this type of thing by a parent, grandparent, or other relative, perhaps even a neighbor, during his childhood. This could explain is rather wide range of interests. As long as I'm supposing here, I would also add that it is quite possible he was also a working class adult. I think I read somewhere that someone thought perhaps he had a day job which was why most of his crimes took place on the weekend. This might also help rule Ross Sullivan out of the picture as it doesn't seem he was very adept at holding down a job. Even his known occupation, dishwasher, could have made weekend forays difficult since places that employ dishwashers tend to do the bulk of their business on the weekend.

Sorry if I'm rambling here, but Tahoe's segment struck a chord with me at the time, and I just rewatched it. The bulk of Episode 4 was crap...again...but not her part. In fact, I'm going to hazard a guess that the information she provided may have lead to Craig's solution.

Let's hope we actually learn something worthwhile next week.

[4on4off]

After pausing the show at the end when it is showing clips from next weeks episode you can see what Craig has for his partial solution, maybe there is more that will be revealed during the show next week. Anyone can pause for themselves and see what is there.

I am not impressed but I am hoping there is more to be revealed.

[CuriousCat]

I have to agree. At first blush it would seem zodiac was older than Sullivan...the 1941 magazine and the 1939 movie. On the other hand, I'm only 64, but I grew up in the old black and white TV days when the movies we saw on TV were all quite old. I think at the time, they had to be at least 10 years old before they were allowed to show them on TV...at least that's what I was told at the time. Anyway, I remember watching Charlie Chan movies on television. I had no idea they were already 20+ years old when I saw them because we were not wealthy enough to go to a lot of movies at the theater, so I wasn't exposed to many current films.

What I'm getting at is that Zodiac's interest in stuff like this doesn't mean he's contemporary with the magazines or films. I remember reading magazines like that, which were likely just as old because my mother would often pick up a box of old books or magazines at garage sales or auctions for maybe 25 cents and bring them home to read.

Agreed. And good point. I'm 9 years younger but remember those Charlie Chan movies. There was a used book store here in my town I used to frequent when I was a kid, with a quarter you could leave with a whole armload of old comics and magazines.

This comic/magazine connection is strong, I'd say. That get up he wore at LB looks like something a comic book villain would wear. I'd venture Zodiac saw himself as such, inspired by those old images he saw and books he read.

[texas21]

Even with "The Mikado" there were contemporary links. Two movies (1939 and 1967). Some comments I've read on various sites seem to imply Zodiac had a degree of sophistication because he quoted "The Mikado" but I think the availability of the movies suggest you didn't have to be well read to be aware of the story.

[CuriousCat]

Being new to this in depth look at the Zodiac I have been reading through older threads here seeing what others have already found. I saw this thread last night about and old Detective Magazine story with a killer who called himself Z and made phone calls saying "this is Z speaking". Very interesting if you are not aware of it, as I was.

The thread

viewtopic.php?f=96&t=3424


Link to the actual magazine, story starts on page 36

http://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=37092

[Tahoe27]

Thanks Texas21 an R Vance. There was so much more...

In regards to the detective magazines and "This is the Z speaking"...I will reserve further comment until after the next episode. jic

Also, in regards to the Mikado, please see this thread: viewtopic.php?f=62&t=216

[checkmate]

After pausing the show at the end when it is showing clips from next weeks episode you can see what Craig has for his partial solution, maybe there is more that will be revealed during the show next week. Anyone can pause for themselves and see what is there.

I am not impressed but I am hoping there is more to be revealed.

From the top - his solution appears to be:

Here it is I Kill
both night and day I live
by the gun barrel (spelled barel) aim
So quit wishing for game to be over pigis