There wasn’t a true crime documentary I was less interested in watching than No One Saw A Thing. I held off for a long time on this because the story of Ken Rex McElroy getting gunned down in the middle of town, in the middle of the day, and surrounded by dozens of people who have never spilled the beans just didn’t seem to have enough substance for me to devote time to a documentary.
I know, I know. It is a pretty fascinating story. But because I already knew the outcome, I didn’t think No One Saw A Thing would have much more to offer.
The more documentaries I do watch, the more I realize you can always get something different from it. I’ve seen multiple documentaries on the Murdaugh Murders. I’ve watched at least three that I can remember about Lori Vallow. Willing to take a chance, I watched No One Saw A Thing. Today I’m handing out an award for Unexpected Favorite.
No One Saw A Thing is a brilliant documentary because it’s about more than Ken McElroy
No One Saw A Thing ended up being about far more than one mysterious murder. This documentary is about the town McElroy terrorized and how other unsolved crimes have led to some tight lips. No one saw a thing when McElroy was gunned down. No one saw anything when other crimes were committed either in Skidmore, Missouri.
Heinous crimes or at least disappearances committed against three others are examined. One woman who is beaten to death, the disappearance of a young man, and the murder of a pregnant woman with the purpose of stealing her baby are all said to be a curse put on the town by McElroy. This isn’t told in a paranormal way. It’s more about how the town reaps what it sows. You let people get away with bad things, more bad things will inevitably happen.
I’m not writing up a full review of No One Saw A Thing because this is in my archives of films/series I’ve watched. The specifics of what was really good or not have since left me. All I remember is being totally impressed with how the filmmakers put together something completely unexpected.
The opening theme music is terrifying and sets the mood perfectly. It feels like a 1980s horror film. That’s kind of what this is. The murder of McElroy took place in 1981 and through plenty of grainy footage we see interviews with townspeople who probably know more than what they’re saying. No One Saw A Thing felt a lot like an episode of Unsolved Mysteries. And as any true crime fan knows, Unsolved Mysteries is the GOAT of daytime television.
Enjoy your award, No One Saw A Thing. You impressed me.
Practically Trouble 
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