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Thursday, January 31, 2008

Sci-Fi's UFO Hunters - A Review

So, we discussed History Channel's UFO Hunters, as well as why there are two shows with the same name and why they both premiered on the same night in the same timeslot. This is the review of Sci-Fi Channel's reality show, UFO Hunters.

From the same guys that bring us Ghost Hunters, UFO Hunters is a reality show featuring NY-SPI (New York Strange Phenomena Investigators) and the cases they investigate. Dedicated to UFO sightings, Ufology, and abduction cases, NY-SPI was founded in 2006 and is based in Manhattan.

They take what they do extremely seriously and all of the members are highly-trained in other fields. They bring their knowledge of these related fields, including psychology and research, to bear on their investigations along with top-notch equipment, and the result is a truly interesting addition to Sci-Fi's growing Hunters series.

Like the other programs in the line, UFO Hunters showcases two investigations in 30-minute slots. Last nights' were interesting, though I found the whole abduction angle in the second one to be reaching (to say the very least). Of course, I am still very much on the fence when it comes to UFO abductions; I thoroughly believe some people have had genuine contact and were the victims of abduction, but I also believe investigators are far too quick to jump at such cases.

Abductions, or "close encounters of the fourth kind," are the "Holy Grail" of ufology and every time I am confronted with such a case, I cringe. Again, I honestly believe some people have had some sort of abduction experience, but I would venture to say less than 25% of those who are thought to have had such close encounters actually did. I have no way of verifying/proving this and no statistics to back me up; this is just a number I suggest - about 1/4 of those who claim, or are thought, to have been abducted actually have. With this in mind, I did not appreciate the latter half of the show.

There really isn't much to say about Sci-Fi's UFO Hunters. It is exactly what you think it is: Ghost Hunters with UFOs. The set-up, the premise, the production, the format, the presentation - all the same as the other programs in the Hunters line. And just like those shows, the investigators are earnest, dedicated, serious-minded, and professional - same show, different "monster."

All in all, I have to say I prefer History Channel's UFO Hunters to Sci-Fi's, but since Sci-Fi rushed this one episode out the door for legal purposes, I do not believe that it is a fair assessment. If it makes it to the airwaves on an extended basis, I will definitely be covering it, so for now, I will simply say that History Channel's UFO Hunters is more in-depth, better put-together, and simply more interesting. This one will be more popular with younger audiences and the mainstream crowd, though.

Again, temper this with the fact that I tend to dismiss 75% of all abduction claims out of hand.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

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