Legend Quest

Legend Quest is SyFy's attempt to create a modern Indiana Jones (with a bit if Dan Brown thrown in for good measure), and is about as historically accurate. Host Ashley Cowie certainly looks the part, right down to the 5 o'clock shadow and the shoulder bag (it's a satchel!) In a half an hour of television, this "archaeological explorer" (whatever that means) seeks to solve the great mysteries that have plagued historians and archaeologists for centuries. Along with him is Kinga Phillips, a buxom "field producer" who's sole purpose is to be a sounding board for Cowie's wild assumptions and theories. Some of his leaps of logic are laughable at best. "Hey, this two headed eagle has wings. The Ark of the Covenant had angels with wings. It must be a clue!".

The show's structure is much like a treasure map. "Take 20 paces to the the south west". One clue leads to another and another. If it were that easy, they would have solved these centuries ago. Rubish.

The new Syfy Channel offering "Legend Quest" embarks on some excellent historically inspired adventures, but presents us with an overly dramatic portrayal of what real archaeologist do in the field, failing to show the research, planning and logistics that must be involved in such ventures. Ashley Cowie is a good solid host who brings us insightful thoughts which appear to be heartfelt. None the less, these very ideas are not ultimately backed up with discoveries that demonstrate accepted scholarly research within their hypothesis. Kinga Phillips has in this first episode been used more as "eye candy" or as a straight person requiring her to employ her acting skills rather than her accomplished journalistic credentials. Ashley Cowie's exuberant efforts to portray his historical assumptions are shown without substantive academically accepted proof lacking the appropriate historical and or biographical references.

WTH was SyFy thinking when the green-lighted this show? The greatest salesperson in the world is whoever convinced the suits that this was a good idea.

The premise itself is interesting and had potential: someone scouring the world to find long-lost items of great interest and historical significance. The problem, as other reviewers have already pointed out, is that said protagonist is hunting for things that probably NEVER existed! Excalibur? Come on; it's a legend, a fairy tale. Someone resembling Arthur may have lived (doubtful, though), but there was no Camelot, no Merlin, and definitely no Excalibur. And has he every actually found any of these legendary items he's sought? You get one guess.

I could go on, but you get the point.

Common! This nothing has with archeology, it's fake by fake. How you can trust anybody, who breaks in any place, trying to find "clue", oh yes, and suddenly he sees wings of angels or cross or labyrinth or stone in bull-corner or anything like this and knows where to go then? "See, it looks like skull - definitely skull of Mayan children or priests who hidden talking cross!" - "Oh, amazing! It's too small for coffin it must be arch of covenant!" - "Superb, thus sculpture looks like little box, it is clue pointing to this door!" Really funny. And what is surprising - they found nothing! Arch of covenant is hidden beyond wooden wall, so we leave it. Mayan talking cross is definitely hidden beyond stone block under water. Etc. And what this really annoying editing? I know spectators could have lower IQ but not all are stupid.

Apparently this show was written by children.

It's a truly pathetic attempt to make archeology more interesting by adding a legend quest theme. but it actually does more harm than good. It's as dumb and retarded as ancient aliens which also manages to take the hard work of scholars and regress it to mysticism and film flam.

I actually enjoyed it because I like to hate things and this show provided me with a non stop tirade of hatred.

It manages treat the audience like morons.

It uses editing techniques to add bad voice overs to scenes where there clearly wasn't any dialogue.

The editing in general is just awful. It's a mish-mash of extreme close ups and non-existent suspense. The episode I watched featured 3 close ups of spiders.

The Indiana Jones knock off host just pisses you off. He is arrogant and manages to lose his Scottish accent in favour of an American accent on numerous occasions seemingly in dramatic situations.

For a show that presents some adventure and history check out digging for the truth instead.