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Destination Truth (Syfy)

common sense media says

Monster hunts seem more fun to film than watch.

parents & educators say
See all 6 reviews | Review it

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this show is all about finding real monsters in the real world. So anyone who's ever told their kids that there's nothing out there in the dark might have some explaining to do, because the host and his team take all of these legendary bogeymen very seriously. But despite the fact that they look hard for evidence, they don't find much -- though they do sometimes manage to run roughshod over the local residents. The good news is that other than the whole focus on monsters, there's not much to worry about content-wise.

Positive messages: Gates and his team may strike some as "typical Americans," as they brazenly stroll into remote, often poorly developed villages in remote corners of the world, and he sometimes seems pushy, demanding, or patronizing when interacting with local residents.
Violence: Some frenzied running from (or after) potential monsters, but nothing is actually caught, so there's no violence. That said, the idea of all of these monsters being out in the real world could scare some kids.
Sex: Not applicable.
Language: Occasionally a "damn" slips out, but for a team of monster-hunters spending time in very creepy locations, there are surprisingly few salty words.
Consumerism: Some airline names are visible when the team flies off to investigate rumors and legends.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Some people smoke in the countries the team visits. The Truth seekers are asked to chew betel nut. Some drinking.
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More on Destination Truth

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about how different cultures view monsters. How are legends similar around the world? Is Bigfoot the same in Malaysia as in the Pacific Northwest? Is the mysterious Argentine sea monster Nahuelito related to the Loch Ness Monster? Why do so many people in so many places develop such similar legends? People can also talk about the best way to prove -- or disprove -- these legends. Is the absence of physical evidence "proof" that a story is fake? Is a TV show the best way to chronicle this kind of search? Does it make you take the topic more or less seriously? Why?

What's the story?

What's the story?
In DESTINATION TRUTH, host Josh Gates travels the globe investigating local paranormal and supernatural legends. Each episode starts with a quick summary of the featured legend, usually originating in a far-off locale, and then the team heads off to investigate. Gates likes to hit the ground running, so when he meets someone who might have seen evidence of, for example, a living dinosaur in the jungles of Papua New Guinea, his first response is to visit the site immediately and set up cameras. As a result, much of the show consists of clips of Gates and his comrades visiting unusual locations, which may or may not have been the site of some kind of odd sighting, sometime in the past.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

Investigators of the paranormal and supernatural tend to fall into two camps: either true believers hoping to find evidence to support their hard-to-swallow claims, or hardened cynics looking for ways to definitively debunk a crackpot theory. But Gates seems to have a much more simple agenda -- he just wants to have some fun. As he darts around the globe, trekking through jungles and visiting remote villages to check out various monster sightings, it's clear that he and his team are having a great time -- what's less clear is whether he's actually doing much to either prove or disprove these mysteries. The team doesn't exactly follow scientific methods, and -- what a shock! -- they don't usually find much.

Gates also can seem somewhat abrasive, especially when he's interacting with local residents in these remote locations. When a villager confirms that, yes, he did see a mermaid swimming off the local reef that very morning, it's obvious that he's feeling intimidated by the sudden appearance of several loud Americans hauling high-tech electronics. Clearly, this eyewitness account should be taken with a grain of salt, but Gates demands that the villager take them out to the spot right away. (Care to guess how many mermaids the team spots?) In the end, Destination Truth is probably more fun to make than it is to watch, but that doesn't mean tweens who are into this kind of thing won't enjoy it -- and the good news is that there's not too much parents need to worry about in terms of sex, violence, or language.

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: NR
Network: Syfy
Cast: Josh Gates
Genre: Reality TV
Where to watch: Syfy
This review was written by Will Wade
 
 

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What parents & educators say

10

Most useful reviews by all members

realisticRon
adult
2
 
typical sci fi show- full of crap
Im fairly certain my IQ dropped significantly after watching this show.. It highlights the use of expensive technologies that are wasted on finding monsters that clearly don't exist. The episode I watched consisted of them looking for an underwater monster creature. During the daytime they dive and can't find anything. That night, they go to a different location, dive in the complete darkness where the camera's see virtually nothing, and yell things like "OH MY GOSH, I GIANT FISH JUST PASSED BY ME!!" This would be be kind of cool if the camera caught any of the "giant fish," but clearly not. You would think after such a breakthrough they would check out the same area during the day time when you can see.....anything. But the show ends there, as a 'mystery' If you want to watch a bunch of grown men scream like girls while throwing expensive night vision cameras at nothing, then this show is for you. But if you value any actual investigations that use things like the scientific method and common sense, I highly recommend anything on the Discovery Channel.
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oarpm
parent
8
 
A big joke, but good to sleep.
With no pun intended; most of the shows are a joke. Very little information is provided, just a compilation of semi-intense footage and audio that is edited in a way to create tension and arouse our primordial fears. I am surprised this show has more than a single season. Adding on to this is the fact the "team" spends just one night at each location. Where is the consistency in this data? ... after a whole night we flew back into LA... when did this ever become serious? The presenter's attitude towards foreign culture is oftentimes satirical, which in itself makes the show feel fictitious. Having traveled the world (assuming he actually has) you would expect a more serious attitude towards what in most cases are real concerns to populations completely un-aware of what they are being portrayed as. I had to see several episodes to be sure that the host is a completely un-reliable source of information (and an insult to american tourists travelling worldwide), and furthermore he has complete lack of sympathy and compassion for those not blessed for a higher education. It is a complete mockery of foreign culture and beliefs and of it's people thereof. What could of been an excellent program was unfortunately diluted into one more cheeky, teeny, bs documentary style based show which offers little to no (# 0 [zero]) information regarding the actual facts surrounding the investigations. Basically "all scary things are a thing of the past and have a reasonable scientific explanation" according to this show. Im hard pressed to believe that any of these people have actually felt fear for their lives at any given point during filming (except for the camera-man that fell down a hill). Overall a good show once, maybe twice. Expecting it to be better as the episodes pass is truly an unrewarding experience as it only goes to prove we are bigger sissys that we ever expected. Scared of things that dont exist (according to the progam). Truly truly unsatisfying.
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Plague
parent
11
 
Destination Truth
Not a bad show, but could use a bit more work.
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Katrina39
parent of and 14 , 16 , 17 year old
17
 
I love the show. there is one thing. We were watching the werewolf and the one when they were in chili. we saw something in the background.
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Surfer Sasquatch
teen, 14 years old
12
 
Only understandable to die-hard cryptid fans
This show is usually enjoyable to adults, kids, teens, or anyone who follows cryptozoology. It's essentially a cryptid version of Ghost Hunters, another paranormal reality on Syfy Channel. Most episodes focus on cryptids (the term for animals undiscovered to science) that most would be unaware of. It's usually not "Bigfoot Hunting" per se, as it is "Mokele Mbembe Hunting". Cryptids are usually only recognizable to those who are into this sort of phenomenon, and not someone randomly channel surfing. From far-off lake monsters, to strange, sodomizing, cycloptic batmen, you will not recognize ANYTHING. I can not stress that enough. As you could guess, many cryptids featured are frightening, and the occasional swear word slips out during a surprising or tense moment. Good for those who are into the paranormal, and enjoy an occasional fright. I personally enjoy both, and am looking forward to season 4.
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shysaway
adult
 
Can scare the little ones
I love shows like this and this guy does a really good job at what he does, but there are certain things on there that could little kids but older ones should not have a problem unless if they scare easy.
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