Destination Truth is a weekly American paranormal reality television series that premiered on June 6, 2007 on Syfy. Produced by Mandt Bros. Productions and Ping Pong Productions, the program follows paranormal researcher Josh Gates around the world to investigate claims of the supernatural, mainly in the field of cryptozoology. In the United Kingdom, the show is known as The Monster Hunter and airs on Virgin1/ Living TV. Season three concluded on April 21, 2010 and currently holds the highest ratings ever for the series, which will continue with a fourth season, beginning on Thursday, September 9, 2010 at 9PM ET/PT.[1]
| Destination Truth | |
|---|---|
 Title screenshot of Season 3. | |
| Genre | Documentary Reality Paranormal Mystery Travel Adventure Outdoors |
| Developed by | Michael Mandt Neil Mandt |
| Presented by | Josh Gates |
| Starring | Josh Gates |
| Narrated by | Josh Gates Jerry Bishop (intro only) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | Transclusion error: {{En}} is only for use in File namespace. Use {{langx|en}} or {{in lang|en}} instead. |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 42 as of Oct. 28, 2010 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Michael Mandt (S1-present) Neil Mandt (S1-present) Lucia Gervino (S1) Rob Swartz (S1) Casey Brummels (S2) Brad Kuhlman (S2-present) Bischa Gholam (S3.0) Bobby Pura (S3.5-present) Josh Gates (S4-present) |
| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Production companies | Mandt Bros. Productions Ping Pong Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | Syfy |
| Release | June 6, 2007 – present |
Episode format
Each episode runs for about 45 minutes without commercials and features usually two investigations into the reports of paranormal creatures that are said to exist only in myth and superstition. Gates leads a group of fellow investigators and camera crew 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, usually after nightfall, in an attempt to capture firsthand evidence of the existence of these legendary creatures. Any evidence gathered is then sent to experts, generally in the United States, for further analysis.
The cases often rely heavily on the investigation of strange sounds and thermal camera heat-signatures. Typically, Gates' team members split up into two or more groups to survey an area, keeping in contact with walkie-talkies and relaying findings to a base camp. The editing of the show relies on a "suspense building mechanism", which typically involves team members becoming agitated or startled, asserting they have seen or heard something of interest, which then the show suddenly cuts to a commercial break. Conclusion of what happened is then revealed after the break.
Ratings
The season three premiere of Destination Truth hit a series high with 2.1 million viewers, the largest amount of viewers ever for an episode of the series and the first episode to be watched by over two million viewers.[1] 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.[1] The fourth episode broke the record set by the season premiere, with 2.3 million viewers. When season 3 continued on March 17, 2010, the show received its best premiere rating, with 2.2 million viewers.[2]
Episodes
| Season | No. episodes | Year(s) aired | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 2007 | |
| 2 | 13 | 2008 | |
| 3 | 15 | 2009–2010 | |
| 4 | TBA | 2010 | |
Season 1 (2007)
Season 1 was released on DVD on March 16, 2010.
| Episode | Title | Original Airdate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 101 (1) | "Iguanodon & Ri" | June 6, 2007 | |
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In Papua New Guinea, Josh searches for an Iguanadon in the jungles near the village of Tinganavudu. Next Josh hunts a mermaid like creature called the Ri in the waters off New Ireland. | |||
| 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 nāga-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 Nessie 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 18 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 3-foot-tall (0.91 m), 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 (2009–2010)
| 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 goblin-like 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 | |
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Josh goes on a dangerous ghost hunting investigation into the radioactive ruins of Prypiat, Ukraine near the Chernobyl nuclear plant and the evidence is later analyzed by Jason and Grant from Ghost Hunters. Afterward he goes to an Egyptian village in search of a wolf-like creature called the Sal'awa that locals claim is responsible for attacks upon children. | |||
| 305 (24) | "Alien Mummies/Lake Van Monster" | October 7, 2009 | |
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Josh and team explore a mine in northern Chile connected with UFO activity where tiny, unidentified, humanoid corpses are claimed to have been found. They themselves find an unrecognizable corpse and give it to local authorities. Later, the team journeys to Van, Turkey following recent reports and an eye-witness video of a large creature living in Lake Van. | |||
| 306 (25) | "Chullachaqui/Bermuda Triangle" | October 14, 2009 | |
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Josh goes to Peru to hunt for a devil-like creature called the Chullachaqui with Ghost Hunters International investigators, Robb Demarest and Dustin Pari joining the expedition. Next, he investigates magnetic anomalies in the Bermuda Triangle that focus the team on the mysterious and widely shunned island of Bimini. | |||
| 307 (26) | "Haunted Lost City/Thunderbird" | October 21, 2009 | |
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Josh and his team travel to Peru to investigate a lost Incan city with reports of ghostly activity and the video evidence is later reviewed by Steve and Tango of Ghost Hunters. Next, the team searches the arctic wilderness near the remote village of Manokotak, Alaska for a giant avian locals describe as a Thunderbird. | |||
| 308 (27) | "Werewolf/Arica Monster" | October 28, 2009 | |
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Josh goes to the Transylvania forests of Romania in search of a legendary werewolf creature. Next, the team travels to Arica, Chile to hunt down an alleged Velociraptor-like dinosaur. | |||
| 309 (28) | "The Bhutan Yeti" | November 4, 2009 | |
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Josh returns to Himalayas, this time to the Kingdom of Bhutan, on another hunt for the Yeti. Hair samples gathered during the investigation revealed DNA from an unknown primate adding to some of the best evidence yet for the existence of the creature. | |||
| 310 (29) | "Ghosts of Masada/The Leprechaun" | March 17, 2010 | |
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Josh and team go ghost hunting in the ruins of Masada, Israel; a place where in 1st Century AD, nearly 1,000 Jews committed mass-suicide to prevent capture by the Romans. The evidence is later analyzed by Jason and Grant from Ghost Hunters. Later, Josh journeys to Doolin, Ireland on the hunt for Leprechauns. | |||
| 311 (30) | "Ghosts of the Great Wall/Israeli Mermaid" | March 24, 2010 | |
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Josh and team go ghost hunting along a portion of the Great Wall of China near Beijing and the evidence is reviewed by Jason and Grant from Ghost Hunters. Next, he and his team go looking for mermaids off the coast of Kiryat Yam, Israel, which offers a $1,000,000 reward for proof of the creature. | |||
| 312 (31) | "The Jersey Devil/The Yeren" | March 31, 2010 | |
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Josh heads into New Jersey's Wharton State Forest and teams up with Kris Williams from Ghost Hunters to search for the legendary Jersey Devil. In the next segment, he and his team go to China's Hubei provence in search of a Bigfoot-like creature called the Yeren. | |||
| 313 (32) | "Haunted Mining Town/The Taniwha" | April 7, 2010 | |
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Josh teams up with guest Allison Scagliotti of Syfy's Warehouse 13 and goes ghost hunting in two abandoned mining towns–Humberstone and LaNoria in northern Chile. Next, Josh goes to Rotorua, New Zealand to search for an eel-like monster called the Taniwha. | |||
| 314 (33) | "Ghost of Petra/The Lizard Man" | April 14, 2010 | |
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Josh hunts for Djinn (Arabic for ghosts) that are said to haunt the ancient ruins of Petra in Jordan, and the evidence is reviewed by Jason and Grant from Ghost Hunters. In the next part, Josh visits Bishopville, South Carolina in search of the Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp. | |||
| 315 (34) | "Spirits of Easter Island/The Moa" | April 21, 2010 | |
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Josh and the team seek spirits that are said to haunt the Moai statues of Easter island. In the next segment, the team travels to New Zealand's South Island to investigate reported sightings of the extinct Giant Moa. | |||
Season 4 (2010)
Note: Season four is currently airing and the information below is subject to change.
| Episode | Title | Original Airdate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 401 (35) | "Poltergeists of Pompeii/Nandi Beast" | September 9, 2010 | |
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Josh explores the volcanic ruins of Pompeii in search of spirits that may still echo the terrified screams of those who died during the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius. He later reviews the evidence with Jason and Grant from Ghost Hunters. In the next part, Josh and team visit Kenya in search of the brain-eating predator known as the Nandi Bear. | |||
| 402 (36) | "Spirits of Angkor Wat/Canadian Lake Monster" | September 16, 2010 | |
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Josh and team try to attract paranormal activity with a sacred offering in the Cambodian temple of Angkor Wat. In the next segment, the team heads to Canada's Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, on the hunt for a famous lake monster known as Ogopogo. | |||
| 403 (37) | "Ghosts of Haboro/Mngwa" | September 23, 2010 | |
| 404 (38) | "Ghost Fleet/Japanese River Monster" | September 30, 2010 | |
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Josh and team go to the Chuuk Islands of Micronesia to conduct the world's first underwater ghost hunt in the wrecks of Japanese warships sunk during World War II. The evidence is later reviewed with Jason and Grant from Ghost Hunters. In the next part, Josh goes to Japan in search of a turtle-like river monster called the Kappa which is popular in Japanese folklore. | |||
| 405 (39) | "Siberian Snowman" | October 7, 2010 | |
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Josh and team travels to the end of the earth to search for the Siberian snowman. | |||
| 406 (40) | "Ghosts of Menengai Crater/Kalanoro" | October 14, 2010 | |
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TBA | |||
| 407 (41) | "Haunted Island Ruins/Moroccan Succubus" | October 21, 2010 | |
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TBA | |||
| 408 (42) | "Guam Zombies/Fangalobolo" | October 28, 2010 | |
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TBA | |||
Cast and crew
A feature of Destination Truth is that along with Josh Gates, who heads up the investigations, members of his production crew also directly participate in the cases and double as his research team rather than remaining behind the scenes and off camera.
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Guest appearances
Over the seasons, Gates has built a relationship with the TAPS team from SyFy's paranormal show, Ghost Hunters and frequently brings his own ghost hunting evidence to them for review and comment. Likewise, Gates has been on their programs, frequently hosting their Halloween specials and other live events.
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References
- ^ a b c "Syfy's Destination Truth season premiere hits series high with 2.1 million viewers". TVbytheNumbers.com. 2009-09-10. Retrieved 2010-04-12.
- ^ Seidman, Robert (March 18, 2010). "Syfy's "Destination Truth" Scores Its Best Season Premiere Ratings Ever". TV by the Numbers.
External links
- Official website by Syfy
- Official website by Mandt Bros. Productions
- Official website by Ping Pong Productions
- Destination Truth at IMDb
- Template:Tv.com