JCS, aka Jim Can’t Swim, is arguably the biggest true crime YouTuber on the circuit, having racked up 5.5 million subscribers despite dropping just one or two videos a year. Recently, the channel shared a new mini-documentary, but with it came an unexpected apology.
While there’s plenty of true crime content to dive into on the various streaming services each month, YouTube has become a huge rival to mainstream channels. From That Chapter to Rotten Mango, there’s a wealth of vlogger content to choose from, often covering stories at a faster rate than networks can.
JCS, however, is an anomaly. Known for its calm narration and in-depth psychological breakdowns of police interrogations, the channel’s content was one of the first to turn raw interrogation footage into thoughtful, almost forensic-style case studies.
The team is often credited with sparking an entire subgenre of analytical true crime content on YouTube, with countless other creators mimicking their tone, pacing, and style. But the channel has faced a slew of accusations over the years, culminating in a recent apology.
Why did JCS apologize to true crime fans?
Firstly, a little context. JCS has always been somewhat of a mystery – not only for their rare uploads, but for their flip-flopping presence across platforms. At various points, fans have followed JCS from YouTube to Patreon and back again, often left in the dark about where or when new content might appear.
The long gaps between uploads – sometimes over a year – have spurred rumors about burnout, legal issues, or even that the channel had been sold or abandoned altogether.
JCS has alluded to issues with YouTube monetization in the past, but in their latest video, ‘Husband tries to act his way out of a murder charge’, they pinned the following apology in the comments section:
“Sorry for letting you guys down… The channel wasn’t sold, and we haven’t quit. We just been dealing with some outside YouTube-related stuff.
“We’ll make it up to you and start putting out consistent content, if you’re willing to give us a second chance. But in any case, love goes to you all. I still cannot believe you got us this far.”
The comment and video were shared on April 3, 2025, four months after JCS uploaded and then removed the mini-doc ‘Newlyweds tell on each other’.
JCS narrator clears up AI confusion
This video sparked accusations that JCS had started using AI narration instead of their usual narrator, YouTuber Kizzume, with true crime fans suggesting the overall quality of the new drop was far lower than usual.
After the take down was spotted, one wrote on the JCS subreddit, “Yeah the video was nowhere near the same pedigree as before, AI voices were odd and it’s mostly just footage without commentary.”
Another wrote, “I suspect most of the original team is no longer behind the channel. Obviously, they aren’t working with Kizzume for narration anymore.”
A third added, “It just wasn’t very good. Not sure why they thought they could throw us some low-quality content that isn’t even as good as their imitators after this long of an absence.”
Many commenters speculated that JCS had been sold to an entirely new team, hence the quality shift. With accusations coming in thick and fast, Kizzume himself was on hand to clear up any confusion.
“Look, there are people saying things that are just incorrect about JCS and myself. JCS got my permission first to use AI regarding my voice, and I am also being compensated word for word like I normally would,” he wrote.
“They’re simply not screwing me over. And their future uploads should have my actual narration on them.”
Kizzume went on to say, “The AI was used to save time. They’ve been gone for two years due to personal struggles and wanted to get the videos out quick. But it is understood now that it was a mistake and they will take more time to create videos with my authentic voice.”
As you’ll see in JCS’ latest upload, the quality appears to be back on track, with many fans sharing their support. In response to the apology, one wrote, “It’s ok goat. Welcome back.”
“We will always give you a second chance,” said another, while a third added, “I knew you would be back, this feels good.”
For more true crime news, read about where Rex Heuermann is now, find out when the next episode of Good American Family drops, and check out the most shocking details in the Karen Read docu-series.
Source link