 Ripley s Believe It or Not! is a curious format, sort of a  Guiness Book of Records -like magazine on TV. It has no permanent cast or storyline, just a presenting host in the castle-type LA residence who occasionally shows curiosities from  Ripley s vault  there, but usually simply introduces the topics shown in the various, rather short film sequences shot all over the world, in addition to which some weird facts (e.g. absurd laws) can be quickly reviewed. Each report -usually independent, follow-up is rare- is on something very unusual, surprising and/or spectacular, such as inventions, stunts and records, freak creatures and - accidents. Sometimes the title is taken literally when a few of the least likely items are bunched up for the viewer to guess which one isn t true.