Beyond Skinwalker Ranch

This show is not the same as SOSW. I generally enjoy shows like this, particularly SOSW. Andy Bustamante is just plain irritating. Both hosts just seem to be trying way too hard to take the show seriously and have developed use of trying to coin sophomoric phrases like "high strangeness" which in itself is hard to take seriously. Not surprisingly, on this show, they immediately have success finding abnormalities, and also not surprisingly, using much more modern equipment than their sister show, SOSW. These exceptionally more modern experiments would be more exciting on the original show.

I like the concept of exploring other sites that experience UFO-like abnormalities, but this show falls too short. Perhaps a new set of hosts and a less rushed pace. When Travis makes appearances on the show, even he has a "ahhh, sigh" look on his face when dealing with these guys. Do yourselves a favor and stick to the original show.

This show has a slightly different feel than 'The Secret...' but I love it just as much, particularly since it includes Eric and Travis for a brief time in the beginning and the end (I love those guys.)

I have loved Paul Beban and his mind since 'Paranormal Declassified,' a wonderful series of episodes of his brilliant investigative journalism dealing with a number of topics which interest me. This series also first introduced me to the wonderful Jonathan Dover, who has become an important part of the whole Skinwalker Ranch extended crew.

The pairing of Paul with Andy Bustamente works fine, and they take on a variety of places (and people) with great entusiasm and creative investigative vigor, using many of the main show's extended crew's technologists and experts. I think this show is an important part of the overarching investigation into the mysteries of our land. Love 'Beyond..' and want more, more, more!

I had the sensation of feeling stupid when I watched Episode 1, and I'm uncertain as to how to prevent this. Watching through a sideways squint with wrinkled nose did not seem to help; nor did watching over the top of my glasses with fingers pressed together. Part of it is certainly the cliche "ominous music" (as I'm sure the closed cation would say on Netflix) which is known to accompany any serious scientific investigation. The people in it seemed more like overpaid actors than investigators. And it made me go to Google to see if they had any credentials they were selling out. And I don't mean to denigrate the stories under investigation themselves.

But it's a shame, because I came to this series on the word of Chris Bledsoe, whom I find to be a sincere author and experiencer (whose property will be investigated in a later episode). I had read how Chris and his family were mistreated by a years-ago Discovery/MUFON documentary, which revealed itself to be a cynical sham for ratings. Well, based in this History show, it seems ratings are still king, though this time they may be targeting the gullible rather than the cynical.

So when I heard about this series and how it's a spin-off of The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch, I thought I need to see this! I seriously enjoy watching that series.

But watching episode episode 1 of Beyond Skinwalker Ranch was a cold shower. I binged two more. I just felt it didn't have what the Skinwalker Ranch series had. I felt the Skinwalker crew was just introduced so now and the to piggyback off of it's succes.

I left a 2 or 3 star review and I was done with it. I thought about it a couple of weeks later again. I figured it can't hurt to watch one more maybe and I had spare time. And this time I felt completely different! Episode 4 was far out! YES!! I was so happy about that. I had 5 more to look forward too now.

I'm halfway episode 5 now, and it's actually growing on me. But you must have gathered that much already. I just had to stop and write a review before I forget it. Probably will edit this review in the end but I was so happily surprised that I decided to give it another try.

I've heard about the episode with Chris Bledsoe, episode 8 I believe. And that's the one I'm curious about most. I've seen many podcasts and interviews with him and he just strikes me as this kind and honest man. And he has such a beautiful and exciting story. I'm 100% convinced he's telling the truth. So I don't need to see them testing his statements but I do just want to see more about him. He mentions being in this series on History Channel quite often and how he's happy with it. Discovery Channel did a docu about him back in 2007 or 2008 but they edited it so that it made him look like the town clown and it pretty much ruined his and his family's live for 5 years or so. The town's people mocked them and they got excommunicated from the Episcopal Church of which they were a member. Just all kinds of nastyness. Discovery Channel did a real number on them. I looked that docu up and he's right. It didn't make him look good. So unfair as he thought he could tell others about these events this way. So this on History Channel made it good. Haven't seen it yet but he mentions it so often in interviews. He also wrote a book called UFO of God and that's on top of my to read list. And they'll be making a movie of his live. Good stuff.

I digressed a bit right there but bottom line is, give it a chance. Don't expect exactly the same as The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch. Go in open minded. Don't stop after episode 3 because it will get better.

Cheers.

First of all, Andy Bustamante is a hack. He was on the Shawn Ryan show and spent three hours talking about nothing. He was introduced as retired Air Force which he is Not retired! He got out without fulfilling qualifications for retirement. Retirement=pension, at least get that part right, Paul.

Paul Beban is frankly a terrible host, he really adds no value to the show what so ever. He's in the background like a mushroom, staring blankly at the camera.

Their equipment always seems to fail and the key moments and sorry, dude, you're in a fricken desert, there's a lot of heat! The use the gamma cam, and genius Paul says "where there's Radon, there's probably Uranium". Geez, Paul, you are officially an idiot. There is ZERO correlation between the presence of Radon and the presence of Uranium. Radon frequently travels through the ground water, so smoke doesn't necessarily mean fire.

The whole thing is so obviously staged, it's painful to watch and takes so much away from the original show.

Hard pass. It's another Oak Island, endless drama about nonsense.