Destination: Proof

Over at Cryptomundo, Loren wonders what exciting things the folks at Destination Truth will do come Season 3.

I wonder, too.

Will we get more screaming reaction-shots of the "What the bleep was that?" variety? You know the type: close-up shots of those team members (whose purpose still eludes), heads frenetically turning every which way in reaction to the snap of a twig. It's all edited to such a rapid cadence, you'd think they frequently put in workman's comp claims for whiplash. Of course, the purpose is to adroitly up the tension with a subtlety previously reserved for horror flicks found in the $1.99 VHS bin at the Dollar Store.

Josh Gates - the show's sardonic host - maintains enough levity during these globe-trotting cryptid hunts to keep you guessing just how risible he thinks the whole thing is. Some might find him "clever," but it smacks of trying too hard to be cool. At the very least, it calls into question just how earnest the Destination Truth team is about discovering these creatures. Let's face it, they fly from L.A. to the Congo for (what seems) a couple of days to kick around the jungle, get some startled shots of the girls, make some wisecracks, and then pack it up with a "perhaps it is still out there, somewhere" denouement that leaves us empty-handed, as usual.

So, what will they explore next? Since they've hit so many of the big ones already, we can only assume that, like Monster Quest, there will be a lot of rehashing old material and throw-away episodes on things like giant catfish that swallow lake divers.

You may be saying to yourself, "well, they aren't going to get something EVERY time, and budget constraints prevent them from spending more time on location..." Yes, yes. This is all true. But does it negate the qualms I (and others) have with shows like these? If it can't be done right, should it be done at all? Have shows like Monster Quest, Destination Truth, Ghost Hunters, etc... trivialized the very fields they seek to glorify, doing more harm in the process than any wink-wink 10 o'clock news report ever could?

Food for thought.