MonsterQuest (sometimes written as Monsterquest or Monster Quest) is an American television series that originally aired from October 31, 2007 to March 24, 2010 on the History channel. Produced by Whitewolf Entertainment, the program deals with the search for various monsters of interest to the cryptozoology subculture and paranormal entities reportedly witnessed around the world. A spin-off show, MysteryQuest, which focuses on unsolved mysteries, premiered on September 16, 2009.
The purpose of the show is best described by the narrator, Stan Bernard, in the introduction:
Witnesses ("People" for Season 4) around the world report seeing monsters. Are they real or imaginary? Science searches for answers...on MonsterQuest.
History channel revived the MonsterQuest series for special episodes beginning on August 28, 2020. These special episodes did not feature new investigations but instead compiled scenes from the previous four seasons.
Reception
Rich Rosell of Digitally Obsessed gave the show a "B−", stating, "The good news is that this isn't a trashy reality show, eager to make everything overblown and sinister. Instead, it takes a seemingly well-researched approach, leaving viewers the opportunity to make up their own minds." He also believed that the "content is certainly nerd-worthy in an I-want-to-believe/Mulder kind of way".[1]
Cinematic Happenings Under Development (CHUD) gave the show a 5.9/10 review, saying that the show is "basically a rehashing of the 1970s/1980s TV show, In Search Of..." and "it leaves you with a sense of either 'been there, done that' or just a feeling of incompleteness because it basically raises as many questions as it tries to answer."[2]
Diablo Cody gave the show high praise in the October 24, 2008 issue of the magazine Entertainment Weekly. She says, "I found a minotaur in that labyrinth of suck: MonsterQuest...on the History Channel."[3]
Academics have noted that media often uncritically disseminates information from the pseudoscience and subculture of cryptozoology, including newspapers that repeat false claims made by cryptozoologists or television shows that feature cryptozoologists as monster hunters (such as Monsterquest). Media coverage of purported "cryptids" often fails to provide more likely explanations, further propagating claims made by cryptozoologists.[4]
Cancellation
In a statement made March 24, 2010 on the cryptozoological blog CryptoMundo, MonsterQuest producer Doug Hajicek announced that History Channel had canceled the series midway through 4th season. Hajicek said, "The official end of MonsterQuest did not happen because of any lack of topics or for lack of viewers. The Network has decided to go another direction to assure their future as a powerful force in television."[5]
A look into bizarre attacks upon a remote hunting cabin in Northern Ontario by suspected Bigfoot creatures and other reports of aggressive Sasquatch in the North Western United States.
The continued investigations of Bigfoot in Washington State and a digital enhancement study of the infamous 1967 Patterson–Gimlin film to find out if the film actually depicts a Bigfoot.
A look at reported sightings and physical evidence of Bigfoot-like creatures that may lurk in the eastern wilderness of the state of Ohio.
205 (19)
"Giant Killer Snakes"
June 25, 2008 (2008-06-25)
Researchers trek into the jungles of Venezuela on the search for man-eating anacondas; and later a trip to the Florida Everglades to look for massive pythons – where one was photographed swallowing a full grown alligator.
206 (20)
"Super Rats"
July 2, 2008 (2008-07-02)
A look at archaeological evidence that common rats grew to enormous size in the past and a look into recent reports from New York City that say these cat-sized rodents could be returning.
207 (21)
"Black Beast of Exmoor"
July 9, 2008 (2008-07-09)
The search for what witnesses say is a panther-like "black beast" that is killing livestock along an English countryside.
208 (22)
"Chupacabra"
July 23, 2008 (2008-07-23)
An investigation of the Chupacabra, or "goat sucker" – a mysterious bipedal, or in some reports, a dog-like, blood-draining creature said to be responsible for a rash of unexplained animal killings in Puerto Rico and Texas.
A look at the legends of vampires that haunted New England in the 18th century and interviews with modern-day, self-proclaimed "living vampires" who have a real craving for blood.
211 (25)
"Boneless Horror"
August 13, 2008 (2008-08-13)
A journey into the depths of the North Pacific in search of giant octopus like the legendary Lusca, where some over 200 feet in length, have been reported.
212 (26)
"Bigfoot in New York"
August 20, 2008 (2008-08-20)
A look into a 1976 Bigfoot sighting in upstate New York where several police officers encountered a creature known as the "Monster of Whitehall" that still haunts the area to this day.
213 (27)
"Lake Monsters of the North"
September 17, 2008 (2008-09-17)
The search for "Cressie", what Native Americans call the "Pond Devil" and say is giant eel that lurks in the depths of Newfoundland's Crescent Lake.
214 (28)
"China's Wildman"
September 21, 2008 (2008-09-21)
An investigation into a Chinese government-led search effort for the Yeren–a wild man said to be covered in thick red hair, 5–7 feet tall, and supposedly lurking in the country's remote Hubei province.
215 (29)
"Giant Bear Attack"
September 24, 2008 (2008-09-24)
A look into horrific reports of bear attacks, from Alaska to New Jersey, focusing on witness accounts and physical remains that may be evidence of new hybrid bears of prehistoric size.
216 (30)
"Giant Squid Ambush"
October 8, 2008 (2008-10-08)
Return investigation to Mexico's Sea of Cortez to look at new research and evidence behind the existence of 100-foot-long (30 m) squids.
217 (31)
"Monster Spiders"
October 22, 2008 (2008-10-22)
A look at man's fear of spiders starting with the Solifugae, or "camel spider"–a large desert-dwelling arachnid of Iraq that may have been brought to Texas by American soldiers that served there, and then a trek into the jungles of Venezuela in search of other massive arachnids that some local villagers claim are large enough to eat a small dog.
A look at attacks on humans by the world's largest known lizards, the Komodo dragons, and an investigation into reports that an even bigger lizard, the supposedly extinct Megalania, may still lurk in Australia's Blue Mountains region.
220 (34)
"Sasquatch Attack II"
November 12, 2008 (2008-11-12)
A return investigation to the remote hunting cabin in Northern Ontario that was suspected to have been attacked by Sasquatch, and a new examination of the DNA evidence from blood stains found at the scene.
Season three (2009)
Episode
Title
Original Airdate
301 (35)
"Death of Loch Ness"
February 4, 2009 (2009-02-04)
A review of researcher Robert Rhines' claim that Nessie, if it existed, may now in fact be dead and its corpse is lying somewhere at the bottom of Loch Ness.
302 (36)
"Cattle Killers"
February 11, 2009 (2009-02-11)
An investigation into the unexplained mutilations of livestock in North America which are found drained of blood and with surgically precise wounds that do not match known predators.
A 60-person research team delves into the Pine Barrens of New Jersey in search of the legendary Jersey Devil, a horse-headed, bat-winged creature reportedly haunting the area for the past 250 years.
305 (39)
"Gators in the Sewers"
March 4, 2009 (2009-03-04)
A look back at a story from the 1930s that a swarm of sewer alligators was found living in the sewers under New York City, and a new delve into the sewer system to see if the creatures could still be lurking there.
306 (40)
"Snowbeast Slaughter"
March 11, 2009 (2009-03-11)
A hike into the Rocky Mountains in search of a Bigfoot-like creature that local ranchers believe is responsible for killing livestock and elk, and a look at fresh kills near Pikes Peak that could lead to the animal.
307 (41)
"Mega Jaws"
March 18, 2009 (2009-03-18)
A search off Mexico's Baja Peninsula for a reported 60-foot shark of possible prehistoric origin that terrified local fisherman call the "Black Demon."
308 (42)
"Monster Close Encounters"
March 25, 2009 (2009-03-25)
A look at some of the most compelling eyewitness accounts of close encounters with Bigfoot, from Minnesota to Washington state, witnesses are interviewed and evidence is tested to find out what people are seeing in the forests.
309 (43)
"Lake Demons"
April 15, 2009 (2009-04-15)
An investigation is launched upon British Columbia's Lake Okanagan using the latest underwater technology to search for evidence of the most documented lake monster known as Ogopogo.
310 (44)
"Sea Monsters"
April 22, 2009 (2009-04-22)
A look at legends of sea monsters and a close examination of video footage that captured an unidentified sea creature in the waters off the Florida coast and may be proof that some of these legends are true.
311 (45)
"Mysterious Ape Island"
April 29, 2009 (2009-04-29)
An expedition is launched on to British Columbia's Vancouver Island in search of a legendary Sasquatch that local native tales say would steal children who ventured too deep into the woods.
312 (46)
"Gigantic Killer Fish II"
May 6, 2009 (2009-05-06)
A look at an 1895 fish attack off the coast of Florida by a Goliath grouper, a massive fish that can weigh up to 1,500 lbs and a recent attack that may be evidence these dangerous fish are returning. Then, other attacks at the freshwater lakes of Minnesota by the no-less-aggressive muskellunge could be on the rise.
313 (47)
"Isle of the Lost Tiger"
May 13, 2009 (2009-05-13)
A review of over 350 reports from the Australian state of Tasmania that claim a vicious predator, once thought to have been hunted to extinction, has made a comeback—the Tasmanian Tiger, and how an Australian biologist is using preserved DNA of the animal in hopes of cloning a living specimen.
314 (48)
"Killer Jellyfish"
May 27, 2009 (2009-05-27)
A look at the rising concern of poisonous jellyfish, from New York's Hudson River, to the beaches of Spain, these animals have become floating deathtraps in the world's oceans, and their population explosion may be the result of mankind's changes to their ecosystems.
315 (49)
"Flying Monsters"
June 3, 2009 (2009-06-03)
A deep trek into the jungles of Papua New Guinea which could be hiding a flying creature local villagers call the "Demon Flyer", whose description is very similar to the pterosaur of prehistoric origin.
316 (50)
"The Curse of the Monkey Man"
June 10, 2009 (2009-06-10)
An investigation into the reports of attacks by the "Monkey Man", a half-man/half-beast that has caused mass-panic around the city of New Delhi, India, where a massive search was undertaken by authorities to find the creature. Then later, the show follows an expedition into the Garo Hills to look for evidence of another possibly unknown primate, the Mande Barung.
317 (51)
"Killer Crocs"
June 17, 2009 (2009-06-17)
A look at the 40-foot-long (12 m) prehistoric "SuperCroc" Sarcosuchus imperator an ancestor of today's crocodiles which can be up to 20 feet long, but witnesses are claiming modern crocodiles are getting much bigger. The show delves into Florida's swamps in search of record-sized crocs that could be returning to their prehistoric size.
318 (52)
"The Last Dinosaur"
June 24, 2009 (2009-06-24)
The following of an expedition deep into the jungles of Cameroon in search of evidence of the Mokèlé Mbèmbé–a creature local villagers identify as a long-necked sauropod thought to have gone extinct over 65-million years ago.
319 (53)
"Critical Evidence"
July 8, 2009 (2009-07-08)
A review of the best evidence of Sasquatch, from amazing videos to footprint castings and compelling eyewitness reports gathered from around the United States, and how the latest state-of-the-art technology and scientific analysis could prove once and for all if these creatures really exist.
320 (54)
"The Real Cujo"
July 22, 2009 (2009-07-22)
A look at the rising number of attacks by feral dogs as more and more canine pets are abandoned to the wild and returning to their pack hunter instincts. The series follows a team of investigators in St. Louis, Missouri to track these animals and to find out just how dangerous they can be.
321 (55)
"Terror from the Sky"
July 29, 2009 (2009-07-29)
A look back at a series of mid-20th-century reports of bizarre flying humanoids that caused waves of panic in small towns across the northern United States and recent encounters in Mexico and California. The investigation also analyzes a strange corpse and video evidence to identify what people are seeing.
322 (56)
"Killer Chimps in America"
August 12, 2009 (2009-08-12)
A look at the popularity of chimpanzees, once big attractions at circuses and zoos in America, and now popular exotic pets, but reports of chimp attacks from Florida may be evidence that some of these dangerous animals have escaped captivity and are surviving in the wild.
323 (57)
"Tigers in the Suburbs"
August 19, 2009 (2009-08-19)
The series follows a group of investigators into New York's wilderness in search of what area residents claim are big black cats, possibly escaped jaguars and panthers, that are stalking the local deer population.
324 (58)
"The Real Moby Dick"
August 26, 2009 (2009-08-26)
Following the reports of attacks that inspired the Moby-Dick tale from classic literature, an investigative team searches for albinosperm whales to see if there is any truth to their aggressive nature.
325 (59)
"Abominable Snowman"
October 25, 2009 (2009-10-25)
This 2-hour episode looks into the reports and evidence gathered over the past century of the existence of the legendary Yeti, and follows an expedition into the Himalayas in search of the nocturnal creature, which is reported to attack local villagers and slaughter their animals. Note: This special was also released as part of History Channel's In Search of History DVD series.
Season four (2010)
Episode
Title
Original Airdate
401 (60)
"Monster Sharks"
January 13, 2010 (2010-01-13)
A look at the increasing number of attacks by great white sharks along our beaches. The investigation follows a team of researchers who are trying to determine why sharks are becoming more aggressive.
402 (61)
"Hillbilly Beast"
January 20, 2010 (2010-01-20)
A trek into the foothills of North Western Kentucky to search for a Bigfoot-like creature that is said to make terrifying, wild screams. Investigators analyze a tooth, photographic and audio evidence, and venture into the remote wilderness in an attempt to identify the source of these mysterious sounds.
403 (62)
"Giant Pythons in America"
January 27, 2010 (2010-01-27)
Investigators study the adaptability of giant pythons in Florida as their habitat spreads into heavily populated areas such as Miami, and north where they could hybridize and spread into every state in the country.
404 (63)
"Giant Killer Bees"
February 3, 2010 (2010-02-03)
A look back over 50 years ago when South American scientists tried to make a hybrid bee that could produce more honey–instead they created swarms of large aggressive bees that have been plaguing Mexico and the southern United States with evidence that they are adapting to colder climates and spreading into northern states.
405 (64)
"Mothman"
February 10, 2010 (2010-02-10)
A look back to the 1967 reports of the Mothman–a mysterious winged creature that terrorized a small West Virginia town and believed to be an omen for disasters such as the collapse of the Silver Bridge over the Ohio River that killed 46 people. Sightings of the creature are reported to this day, and a team of investigators use the latest forensic and night-vision technology to try to determine what people are encountering.
406 (65)
"Piranha Invasion"
March 3, 2010 (2010-03-03)
A look at the growing number of South American piranha that are appearing in U.S. lakes and streams. A team studies how they are adapting and collects evidence to determine if the predatory fish are becoming a new threat to fresh water environments.
407 (66)
"Lizard Monster"
March 10, 2010 (2010-03-10)
A look back at a 1952 Flatwoods, West Virginia encounter of a supposed reptilian creature that appeared in a strange hovering craft and attacked witnesses with a noxious gas. Investigators follow a wave of new sightings that are being reported of the Flatwoods Monster to try and uncover what people are encountering.
408 (67)
"Sierra Sasquatch"
March 17, 2010 (2010-03-17)
Bigfoot researchers trek into California's Sierra Nevada following Native American stories and petroglyphs of a supposed family of hairy man-beasts; they examine recently found footprint evidence and a compelling 1991 video of a supposed Sasquatch encounter in Mono Lake.
409 (68)
"America's Wolfman"
March 24, 2010 (2010-03-24)
Investigators head into the isolated wilderness of the Midwest United States in search of a legendary creature described as half-man/half-wolf; guiding them are various eyewitness testimonies and a recently surfaced, but suspicious video of the purported beast.
DVD Releases
Season 1
Released 2008 contains 14 episodes running approx 600 minutes
1. America's Loch Ness Monster
2. Sasquatch attack
3. Giant Squid Found?
4. Birdzilla
5. Bigfoot
6. Mutant Canines
7. Lions in the Backyard
8. Gigantic Killer Fish
9. Swamp Beast
10. Russia's Killer Apemen
11. Unidentified Flying Creatures
12. The Real Hobbit
13. American Werewolf
Note: Due to a production error, "Giganto - The Real King Kong" was not included on the DVD release. It has been listed that an episode titled "Tree Man" appeared on the DVD release as episode 14. But no evidence can be found to support this on any of the worldwide DVD releases.
Season 2
Released 2009 contains 20 episodes running approx 900 minutes
1. Bigfoot In New York
2. Black Beast Of Exmoor
3. Boneless Horror
4. China's Wildman
5. Chupacabra
6. Ghosts
7. Giant Bear Attack
8. Giant Killer Snakes
9. Giant Squid Ambush
10. Jaws in Illinois
11. Lake Monsters of the North
12. Legend of the Hairy Beast
13. Mega Hog
14. Monster Spiders
15. Ohio Grassman
16. Real Dragons
17. Sasquatch Attack 2
18. Super Rats
19. Vampire Beast
20. Vampires in America
Season 3
Released 2009 contains 25 episodes running approx 1100 minutes
1. Death of Nessie
2. Cattle Killers
3. Swamp Stalker
4. Monster Close Encounters
5. Snowbeast Slaughter
6. Mega Jaws
7. Devils in New Jersey
8. Lake Demons
9. Gators in the Sewers
10. Gigantic Killer Fish 2
11. Critical Evidence
12. Killer Jellyfish
13. The Last Dinosaur
14. Flying Monsters
15. Sea Monsters
16. Mysterious Ape Island
17. Terror from the Sky
18. Killer Chimps in America
19. Tigers in the Suburbs
20. Abominable Snowman
21. The Real Cujo
22. The Real Moby Dick
23. Isle of the Lost Tiger
24. Curse Of The Monkey Man
25. Killer Crocs
26. Giant Pythons in America
27. Monster Sharks
28. Mothman
29. Lizard Monster
30. Hillbilly Beast
31. Sierra Sasquatch
32. Piranha Invasion
33. America's Wolfman
34. Giant Killer Bees
Movie Monsters
Released 2009 contains 4 episodes running approx 188 minutes
^Lack, Caleb W. and Jacques Rousseau. 2016. Critical Thinking, Science, and Pseudoscience: Why We Can't Trust Our Brains, p. 170, cf. 159-160. Springer. ISBN9780826194268
