Destination Truth
| Destination Truth | |
|---|---|
 Opening sequence title/logo | |
| Developed by | Michael Mandt Neil Mandt |
| Starring | Joshua Gates Jael de Pardo (Season 3-) |
| Narrated by | Joshua Gates |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 28 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Michael Mandt Neil Mandt Jael de Pardo |
| Running time | apx. 45 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | Syfy |
| Release | June 6, 2007 – present |
Destination Truth is a weekly SyFy channel series that premiered on June 6 2007. The series follows paranormal researcher Joshua Gates around the world to investigate claims of the supernatural, mainly in the field of cryptozoology. The show is produced by Mandt Bros. Productions. In the United Kingdom, the series is known as The Monster Hunter and is shown on Virgin 1. Season three is currently airing in the United States, gaining the highest ratings ever for the series.[1]
Episode format
Each episode is about 45 minutes long, (excluding commercials), and usually features two investigations into the reports of cryptids, paranormal creatures that are said to exist only in myth and superstition. Gates leads a group of fellow investigators and cameramen in his treks to various locations around the world where he begins his investigation by interviewing witnesses, reviewing any evidence, and researching local history. Later, Gates and his team go into the field in an attempt to capture first-hand evidence of the existence of these legendary creatures. Any evidence gathered is then sent to experts, generally in the United States, for further analysis.
Reviews
After disappointing ratings for Psychic at Large and Sci Fi Investigates, critical reviews of Destination Truth have been positive, gaining a 7.9 out of 10 on TV.com.[2] Pat Dunn of Badpsychics.com has called the show "a refreshing change" and "the right show to follow SciFi's hit paranormal investigation program Ghost Hunters"[3] where he credits Josh Gates' witty, adventurous attitude. The Hollywood Reporter says "…don't watch this series… thinking you'll see the solution to a riddle of the universe. Watch it because Gates has a great sense of humor, never takes himself too seriously…"[4]
Episodes
Season 1 (2007)
| Episode | Title | Original Airdate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 101 (1) | "Iguanodon & Ri" | June 6, 2007 | |
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In Papua New Guinea, Josh hunts for a mermaid-like sea creature called Ri. In the next part, he searches for a dinosaur-like beast that lurks in the jungles near the village of Tinganavudu. | |||
| 102 (2) | "Haunted Village & Naga" | June 13, 2007 | |
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Josh joins a team of paranormal investigators in Thailand's Khon Kaen province to hunt ghosts reported by villagers, and later he hunts for the Phaya Naga, a naga-like serpent lurking in the Mekong River near the Laos border. | |||
| 103 (3) | "Ropen & Chupacabra" | June 20, 2007 | |
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Josh returns to Papua New Guinea, this time he is in search of a nocturnal, Pterodactyl-like creature called the Ropen. Next, he heads to Chile to find the legendary Chupacabra, a blood-sucking creature with glowing red eyes. | |||
| 104 (4) | "Bigfoot & Nahuelito" | June 27, 2007 | |
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Josh goes to Malaysia's Endau Rompin National Park to look into reports of Bigfoot sightings, then later, he goes to Argentina to find a lake monster called Nahuelito, reminiscent of Nessy that is supposedly lurking in Nahuel Huapi Lake. | |||
| 105 (5) | "Mamlambo & Tokeloshe" | July 11, 2007 | |
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Josh goes to South Africa and investigates the banks of the Mzintlava River where a horse-headed fish creature called the Mamlambo reportedly lurks. Then, Josh is off to Lesotho in search of the Tokoloshe, an ape-like being with enormous eyes said to appear and vanish like a ghost. | |||
| 106 (6) | "El Lobizon & El Pombero" | July 18, 2007 | |
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In Argentina, Josh searches for werewolves, which are of such a concern that the Argentinian president supposedly baptizes the seventh son born in a family to purge the curse. Afterward, Josh checks out reports near the same area, of a dwarf-like creature called El Pombero which is said to impregnate women with a single touch on the belly. | |||
Season 2 (2008)
| Episode | Title | Original Airdate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201 (7) | "The Yeti" | March 5, 2008 | |
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Josh and team head to Mount Everest in Nepal to search of the Bigfoot-like creature known as the Yeti. | |||
| 202 (8) | "Haunted Island & Devil Worm" | March 12, 2008 | |
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Josh and team go to the African island of Pemba which is reportedly haunted by the tortured spirits of former slaves. Then, he's off to the Gobi Desert to hunt for the Mongolian Death Worm, a creature, 4 feet (1.2 m) long, that reportedly secretes acid and shoots electricity. | |||
| 203 (9) | "Wild Man & Swamp Dinosaur" | March 19, 2008 | |
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Josh goes to Cambodia in search of ape-like wild man that supposedly held a local village girl captive for several years. Next, he ventures to Zambia to hunt down a sauropod dinosaur called the Mokele-Mbembe, said to be living in the swamps around Lake Bangweulu. | |||
| 204 (10) | "Sea Monster & Bat Demon" | March 26, 2008 | |
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Josh goes to Vietnam's Halong Bay in search of the Tarasque, a sea serpent described to be 30 meters long, and later he goes to the African island of Zanzibar in search of the Popobawa, a bat-like creature said to attack people at night. | |||
| 205 (11) | "Flying Dinosaur & Sloth Monster" | April 2, 2008 | |
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Josh goes into the Amazon Rainforest in search of the Mapinguary, a giant ground sloth-like creature that is depicted as having a single eye, a mouth located on its stomach, and emitting a foul odor. Afterward, he returns to Zambia in search of the Kongomato, a Pterodactyl-like creature that reportedly attacks people at night in their homes. | |||
| 206 (12) | "Giant Anaconda" | April 9, 2008 | |
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Josh and team spend two nights along the Amazon River in Brazil, in search of giant anacondas reportedly 60 feet (18 m) or more in length, and powerful enough to kill an ox. | |||
| 207 (13) | "The Yowie & Haunted Mosque" | September 3, 2008 | |
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Josh and team explore the Blue Mountains region near Sydney, Australia, Australia to find evidence of a Bigfoot-like creature called the Yowie. Afterward, the team camps out at an allegedly haunted mosque deep in the Malaysian jungle to record evidence of paranormal activity. | |||
| 208 (14) | "Orang Pendek & Worm Monster" | September 10, 2008 | |
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Josh and team search for the elusive Orang Pendek, a three foot tall, bipedal, primate said to lurk somewhere on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Later, he searches for the monstrous Lagarfljót Worm supposedly lurking in Iceland's Lake Lagarfljót. | |||
| 209 (15) | "Haunted Cave & Burrunjor" | September 17, 2008 | |
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In Indonesia, Josh and team go ghost hunting in a rumored haunted cave that local villagers are afraid to enter. Afterward, they go in search of the Burrunjor, what local aborigines and cattle ranchers claim is a carnivorous bipedal lizard, 25 feet (7.62m) long that stalks the Australian outback. | |||
| 210 (16) | "Ahool & Pinatubo" | September 24, 2008 | |
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Josh and team explore the Indonesian island of Java in search of the Ahool, a giant bat reportedly with a 12-foot wingspan. Next, he enters the rain forests of the Philippines, risking capture by armed rebels and exposure to mercury-contaminated water to find the Pinatubo, a strange river creature. | |||
| 211 (17) | "Aswang & Haunted Forest" | October 1, 2008 | |
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Josh and team go on the hunt in the Philippines for the mythical Aswang, devilish ghouls that are said to haunt an old tree, take the form of various animals, and attack those who enter a nearby church. Later, Josh goes on to the Aokigahara forest of Japan, located at the base of Mt. Fuji, where countless people have gone to commit suicide. | |||
| 212 (18) | "Issie & Icelandic Elves" | October 8, 2008 | |
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Josh goes in search of Japan's version of the Loch Ness Monster which is called Issie and supposedly lurks in Kyūshū Island's Lake Ikeda. Then, on to Iceland in search of the Icelandic Elves, rock dwelling little people, first appearing in Viking legends and still believed by most of Iceland's population to exist today. | |||
| 213 (19) | "Ninki Nanka & Kikiyaon" | October 15, 2008 | |
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Josh and team conduct a simultaneous investigation in The Gambia as they try to hunt down two mythical creatures at once – the Ninki Nanka - a giant, dragon-headed lizard and the Kikiyaon - a giant owl creature. | |||
Season 3 (2009)
The season three premiere of Destination Truth hit a series high with 2.1 million, the largest amount of viewers ever for an episode of the series and the first episode to be watched by over two million viewers. [5] The second episode of the season broke more ratings records, despite formidable competition, and achieved 2.021 million viewers, the second episode of the series to have more than 2 million viewers, and the second episode in a row to do so. [6]
Note: Season three is currently airing the information below is subject to change.
| Episode | Title | Original Airdate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 301 (20) | "Haunted Forest/Alux" | September 9, 2009 | |
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Josh hunts for ghosts in Romania's Hoia Baciu Forest and the evidence is later analyzed by TAPS founders Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson of Ghost Hunters. Afterward, Josh investigates the legend of the alux in Mexico's Yucatán state. | |||
| 302 (21) | "Island of the Dolls/Lusca" | September 16, 2009 | |
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Josh ventures to a Mexican island to investigate a haunting attributed to a drowned girl and the evidence is later analyzed by TAPS members Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango of Ghost Hunters. Next, he goes in search of the lusca, a giant octopus rumored to lurk in the blue holes of Andros Island in the Bahamas. | |||
| 303 (22) | "King Tut's Curse/Swamp Ape" | September 23, 2009 | |
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Josh and team conduct the first ever nighttime, ghost hunting investigation of King Tutankhamun's Tomb in Egypt's Valley of the Kings near Luxor. Next he conducts the show's first stateside investigation into the swamps of Florida's Big Cypress National Preserve to search for a legendary primate creature called the Skunk ape. | |||
| 304 (23) | "Ghosts of Chernobyl/Sal'awa" | September 30, 2009 | |
| 305 (24) | "Alien Mummies/Lake Van Monster" | October 7, 2009 | |
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N/A | |||
| 306 (25) | "Chullachaqui/Bermuda Triangle" | October 14, 2009 | |
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N/A | |||
| 307 (26) | "Haunted Lost City/Thunderbird" | October 21, 2009 | |
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N/A | |||
| 308 (27) | "Werewolf/Africa Monster" | October 28, 2009 | |
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N/A | |||
| 309 (28) | "Yeti 2: Return to Nepal" | TBA | |
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N/A | |||
Cast and crew
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