More on Lost Tapes - Animal Planet

Animal Planet's Lost Tapes

I intend to go into more depth on the new Animal Planet series, Lost Tapes, but having just been introduced to the new show last night, I'm reserving my comments for one, very good, reason: It's not real.

The disclaimer at the opening of the show proclaims: "The following is story inspired by the possibility that hidden creatures may exist." However, the entire premise of the show is that we are seeing actual, "lost" tapes of such.  One episode even claimed the tapes featured in the episode were later found by aborigines right outside their village... 

Further, Animal Planet intersperses the "lost" footage with actual footage (that is, footage collected by cryptozoologists which is purported to be, at the very least, not hoaxed material -- insofar as expert analysis can tell), and actual lore, zoological facts, and other, credible, science.  As they launched tonight's episodes with two, pretty good, stories focused on the more scientific approaches to both Champ and Bigfoot (episodes which originally appeared on other Discovery Network channels), it even further occluded the series' fictional basis.

I instantly began searching for the names of the people who were featured and, as others noted on the boards [discussions removed - ed.], it was to no avail -- because they never existed.  While I realized much of the footage was "reenactment" stuff featuring actors, the question remains as to whether or not any of these stories are actually based on real events. 

I feel certain that, if ever a game warden named Rachel H. Glen actually captured an unknown cryptid -- possibly Bigfoot -- image on film, I, of all people, would be able to find at least a mention of it somewhere online.  Especially when so much of the episode was centered on her alleged "podcasts." I say this because I already ferreted-out the better sites collecting such things a while back, and I try to stay on top of such developments because... well, this blog and shit.

I have no problem with Lost Tapes being a mockumentary; I have a problem with it being intentionally passed-off as, you know, possibly real -- maybe -- with that tongue-in-cheek, "What do you think?" intonation that's supposed to absolve them of any responsibility.

Shame on you, Animal Planet!  Shame on you for your new, twisted "M" logo, and your focus on lurid, pandering material (such as the new "animal deaths" show they promoted so heavily tonight).  If you want to get in on the cryptozoology game -- and why not, it is your cup o' tea, after all -- do what the other networks did: Throw a little money at it and actually make one!  Heck, just do what all the rest of them did to make that money: Compile a show or two from existing evidence!  Throw in a couple interviews for $20-50 a pop, and heap on some flashy, "twisted-M" computer graphics in post, and voila!

It ain't rocket surgery.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Animal Planet Gets in on the Cryptozoological Boom

I mean, it's about time, don't you think? While one can understand Sci-Fi's predilection for UFOs and History Channel's obsession with legends and lore, Animal Planet - the cable channel dedicated to all things wildlife - seems the perfect home for cryptozoological oddities. Of course, we phenomenalists understand that certain factions wish to distance themselves from the subject, but Animal Planet is a TV station, for goodness' sake! They want ratings!

Of course, the subject of cryptozoology brings harsh opinions from both sides. Like all subjects covered by the broad "phenomenal" term, there are Believers and Non-Believers (Skeptics), and then there are Phenomenalists; phenomenalists often claim to be "mere collectors" of these inexplicable events, but I submit that most of us are a bit more "Believer" than "Skeptic."

Still, the actual term, cryptozoology, is very acceptable simply as a term: its literal definition is "The study of unknown animals/creatures." ¹ This term was popularly coined by zoologist, Bernard Heuvelmans, though he attributes it to fellow zoologist, Ivan Terence Sanderson, a Scottish explorer whose personal encounter with a giant bat in Africa led him into studies of unknown creatures. By any rate, Heuvelmans became the accepted "father" of the branch and credited the origin of the study to the book, The Great Sea Serpent, by zoologist, Anthonie Oudemans.

In his book, Oudemans suggests all "sea serpents" (lake monsters, et.al.) are actually a previously unknown species of seal, which he dubbed Megophias megophias. While reception from the scientific community was cool, Oudemans' other papers were very well received, and he had a celebrated and respected career. While the reception is understandable, as Oudemans' theory is overly simplistic and largely baseless, the reception of The Great Sea Serpent was a harbinger of things to come, as the larger scientific community has continued to deride the pursuit and its pursuers, regardless of their accreditations.

Heuvelmans established the ISC - the International Society of Cryptozoology - which drew several members from the zoological community, as well as others (and Heuvelmans himself noted the branch needed to be "interdisciplinary"). The ISC basically died-off with Heuvelmans' 2001 passing, though it was said to be choking along as late as 2002. Many networks and communities sprang-up in its wake, notably with the advent of the Web.

Animal Planet showed a spate of cryptozoological shows tonight, the first two of which were actually from sister stations (Animal Planet is a Discovery networks channel). However, the last one, Lost Tapes, is an original series. I'll have more to say on tonight's episode in another post, but wanted to note that two episodes will be shown next week. You can learn more by following the link to the site, provided above.

¹: Technically, it's all Greek to us: the very literal translation is the "study of hidden animals." CONTINUE

© C Harris Lynn, 2008