How you like your archeology may well be how you determine if Expedition Unknown is for you. This is archeology light as entertainment and in that guise it seems to succeed well under the tour guidance of Josh Gates. Gates is closer to a travel guide with a specialty of important archaeological finds. In other words, he takes viewers to some very remote places while enlightening us to some history science with a high entertainment quotient. Introducing us to what some of the heavies in the field of history and archeology have recently been up to is much more palatable because Josh Gates is truly a charismatic explorer complete with some seriously snappy commentary related to both the sublime and absurd people and places he encounters. This guy is as close to a TV Indiana Jones as is likely to be in existence. I mean this a compliment because it is likely he'll inspire more than a few young minds and cause us older folks to laugh while sometimes being amazed.
Admittedly I'm writing this only seeing the first two installments of Expedition Unknown. With that in mind I've enjoyed both shows. The first was about possibly finding new evidence of Amelia Earhart. While this first episode was good, it shed little new light on what actually happened to Amelia, her navigator, and plane. Still, it was interesting and worth a look. Expedition Unknown, however, hit a sweet spot with it's second episode. Trekking to a remote part of Cambodia Josh's expedition of a recently discovered lost city was amazing...plus, he made it seem like a true grand adventure complete with his trademark truly funny humor as well as very real danger. This found city was only able to be revealed with the latest 21st century LIDAR technology. The site is being protected because it may reveal some of the most amazing and historical finds in modern times. This city is over 1300 years old and likely hasn't been seen in, perhaps, one-thousand years plus.
So many so-called reality historical shows are hollow, but this one seems to have something more which is to say some importance as far as history goes. It definitely has much more fun due to the truly charismatic Josh Gates. I do not know how many of this first season's episodes will reveal amazing history as the second episode, but this is a well thought out and realized adventure show with more than a just a guise of science. I'd call it a recommended watch for any armchair adventurer and history buff. So far, so good definitely comes to mind.
Addendum: The third episode is keeping up with the excellent start and even better second installment. This time the story is all about the Russian "Amber Room" from Catherine The Great's castle which was pilfered by Nazis in the early forties. Lots of really interesting locales giving pieces to the clues of what may have happened to the dismantled room. Josh's humor provides just the right "comic relief" as to the sometimes absurd things he observes. Great episode shedding some light on a still elusive priceless treasure that may, or may not, remain to be discovered.
Admittedly I'm writing this only seeing the first two installments of Expedition Unknown. With that in mind I've enjoyed both shows. The first was about possibly finding new evidence of Amelia Earhart. While this first episode was good, it shed little new light on what actually happened to Amelia, her navigator, and plane. Still, it was interesting and worth a look. Expedition Unknown, however, hit a sweet spot with it's second episode. Trekking to a remote part of Cambodia Josh's expedition of a recently discovered lost city was amazing...plus, he made it seem like a true grand adventure complete with his trademark truly funny humor as well as very real danger. This found city was only able to be revealed with the latest 21st century LIDAR technology. The site is being protected because it may reveal some of the most amazing and historical finds in modern times. This city is over 1300 years old and likely hasn't been seen in, perhaps, one-thousand years plus.
So many so-called reality historical shows are hollow, but this one seems to have something more which is to say some importance as far as history goes. It definitely has much more fun due to the truly charismatic Josh Gates. I do not know how many of this first season's episodes will reveal amazing history as the second episode, but this is a well thought out and realized adventure show with more than a just a guise of science. I'd call it a recommended watch for any armchair adventurer and history buff. So far, so good definitely comes to mind.
Addendum: The third episode is keeping up with the excellent start and even better second installment. This time the story is all about the Russian "Amber Room" from Catherine The Great's castle which was pilfered by Nazis in the early forties. Lots of really interesting locales giving pieces to the clues of what may have happened to the dismantled room. Josh's humor provides just the right "comic relief" as to the sometimes absurd things he observes. Great episode shedding some light on a still elusive priceless treasure that may, or may not, remain to be discovered.
