On Destination Truth

Josh Gates: "In my travels I have seen some unexplainable things and I've done things I can't quite explain."



When this show first came out, I thought, "Oh no, not another run of the mill paranormal investigative show!" In fact, I didn't even bother watching any episode at all! I mean hasn't this genre been tapped time and time again already? I would say so. From the days of Sightings and The Extraordinary, to current shows such as Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters International, Most Haunted Live, Monster Quest, Paranormal State and the upcoming Ghost Adventures; Destination Truth seemed an insignificant show not even worth watching. Even to someone who finds the concept of cryptozoology, its main subject of focus to be somewhat intriguing, I just wasn't willing to put in the effort. Furthermore, not being a fan of TV in the first place, it never even occurred to me to bother tuning in. However, TV and Movies do, every once and while, surprise you with a show or film that is something completely different than what you expected or better than you could have imagined and I quickly found this was the case with Destination Truth after I ran across a posted episode online.

So what makes this show so spectacular? Is it the cryptozoological monsters they chase, or the ghosts they investigate? Honestly, though interesting at times, this really does take a back seat to the more fascinating aspects of the show, which are the exotic locations, the weird foods they often partake in, the sightseeing, travel difficulties, encounters with dangerous animals and their rather hilarious tampering with foreign cultures. The social elements of each location they visit are explored with often humorous results and commentary by the shows host, Josh Gates.

What really makes Destination Truth worth watching is the cast and, in all honesty, I believe it to be one of the funniest shows on television with Josh Gates providing most of the humor in his travels, narration and mishaps. Although, it seems to be, to steal a phrase from Obama, "more of the same," in reality Destination Truth, which I am convinced is one of the most underrated programs on television, comes out being one of the best and most original, for it seems to contain a bit of every genre available, which you can't say about most of the TV programs out there. In fact, even elements of danger are represented at the hands, paws, teeth or fangs of local wildlife.

The show, is of course centered around unexplained mysteries, however it is often approached with a scientific, skeptical mind that seems to surpass any other show of this particular genre. Each case investigated, from the Mongolian Death Worm to the Icelandic Elves, is done so with the aid of things ranging from scuba gear to thermal imaging cameras, which makes watching the investigations extremely interesting as well. Again though, the humor is the main element the show provides, which makes it come out so high on my rating system. I give Destination Truth, Josh Gates and the crew, four out of four Mongolian Death Worms.

Destination Truth airs Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m. on the Sci-Fi Channel and you can find full episodes of Destination Truth online at Scifi.com.