Animal X (TV series)

Last updated
Animal X
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of series2
Production
Running time22 minutes
Release
Original network Discovery Channel
Original release1997 (1997) –
2002 (2002)

Animal X is an Australian made documentary/reality television series that aired in The USA and Australia and is now available worldwide via various streaming services both free and premium. It began in 1997 with its first series of thirteen half-hour episodes. In 2002, Discovery Channel in the U.S. co-produced the 2nd series of 13 half-hour episodes with the creators of the series, Australia's Storyteller Productions, for Animal Planet. [1] At this point Animal X episodes generally had 3 stories, with one exception: "The Skookum Cast". This was a joint expedition between Animal X and the BFRO which discovered the Skookum Cast, said to be an imprint of the body of a bigfoot. According to Ranker, Animal X, when compared to all TV shows featuring Cryptids of fictional, documentary and reality-based types, ranks 22nd, based on public voting. [2]

Contents

Animal X: Natural Mystery Unit

In 2004 Animal X spin off, the Natural Mystery Unit, was born. Also a co-production between Discovery and Storyteller, it was again aired on the Animal Planet Network in the United States, as well as numerous other networks in countries around the world. AX NMU features a male and female investigation team composed of Daniel Searle and Natalie Schmitt. [3] They visited locations of cryptid sightings and provided background on the possible existence of the legendary animals. A 'controller' character played by the actor Bill Kerr [4] His character tells the story, provides directions and gives "orders" to the team. Kerr always ends the show with the same line; "There are stranger things in Heaven and Earth. And you've just seen one of them on Animal X."

'Animal X Classica' (as the first two series have become known) [5] and Animal X Natural Mystery Unit are produced in segments that often feature eye-witness testimony. AX NMU episodes routinely show the Animal X Team planting motion-activated infrared video cameras to try to capture evidence of the creatures they seek; or discovering some form of physical evidence which they would then send off for analysis. Even so, episodes are careful to avoid making definitive conclusions and the new evidence presented by the Team is usually described as inconclusive or unable to be classified. Animal X adopts a cautious believer approach to Cryptids and rarely features outright skeptical viewpoints.

It is available for free streaming on Tubi [6] and for pay on Amazon Prime. It is also available for free on Youtube via Storyteller Media's Storyteller Channel [7]

A new, web-based version of the show, called Animal X UnCut is available through the shows official website. The website states that: "Animal X UnCut is a unique new web based series where you can watch interviews and sightings from Animal X and Animal X Natural Mystery Unit – uncut." [8]

Episode list

Series One

  1. Chupacabra, magic cows, Black Dogs
  2. Killer crocodiles, Fizo, Inkanyamba
  3. Rainbow Serpent, Lake Van Monster, killer wolves
  4. Cattle Mutilations, croc horror, Black cat
  5. Dingoes, fish, Bigfoot
  6. Komodo dragon, ghost lions, Canadian Lake Monster
  7. Cat worshipers, alien animals, killer bees
  8. Salawa, dolphin therapy, Jersey Devil
  9. Goatman, Phar Lap, psychic animals
  10. Beast of Bodmin, Giant Squid, psychic animals part two
  11. Yeti, hypnotising dog, Thylacine
  12. Mad elephants, Biblical lions, Yowie
  13. Caddy, Red Heifer, big cats in Australia

Series Two

  1. Chupacabra in Puerto Rico, Panthers in Essex, Dogs who diagnose disease
  2. Marsupial lion, Thunderbirds, Animals sealed in stone
  3. Megalodon, pets that save lives, plagues of animals
  4. A Bigfoot special
  5. New England sea serpent, hominids around the world, Beaching whales
  6. Skunk Ape, animal emotion, frog and fish rain
  7. Incredible dog journeys, thylacine, Swedish lake monster
  8. Carnivorous herbivores, Megalania, Animal memories
  9. Animal heroes, Yowie, Telepathic parrot
  10. England's sea monster, Singing whales, Gremlins
  11. Moa, Animal superstitions, Drain Monster
  12. Minnesota Iceman, Psychic pets, Golden frogs
  13. Giant Squid, Animal Phantoms, and Kamikaze sex

Natural Mystery Unit

  1. Animal Ghosts
  2. Monster or Murderer
  3. The Mystery of the Thylacine
  4. Texas Bigfoot
  5. Winged creatures (Winged Humanoids, Mothman, Thunderbird)
  6. Monsters of the Deep (Bloop, Sea Serpent, Altamaha-ha)
  7. Reptilian creatures (Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp, Aliens)
  8. El Chupacabra
  9. Australia's Alien Big cats
  10. Animal Super Powers

See also

Related Research Articles

Cryptozoology is a pseudoscience and subculture that searches for and studies unknown, legendary, or extinct animals whose present existence is disputed or unsubstantiated, particularly those popular in folklore, such as Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, Yeti, the chupacabra, the Jersey Devil, or the Mokele-mbembe. Cryptozoologists refer to these entities as cryptids, a term coined by the subculture. Because it does not follow the scientific method, cryptozoology is considered a pseudoscience by mainstream science: it is neither a branch of zoology nor of folklore studies. It was originally founded in the 1950s by zoologists Bernard Heuvelmans and Ivan T. Sanderson.

Chupacabra Legendary creature; first purported sighting in Puerto Rico

The chupacabra or chupacabras is a legendary creature in the folklore of parts of the Americas, with its first purported sightings reported in Puerto Rico in 1995. The name comes from the animal's reported vampirism—the chupacabra is said to attack and drink the blood of livestock, including goats.

Karl Shuker is a British zoologist, cryptozoologist and author. He lives in the Midlands, England, where he works as a zoological consultant and writer. A columnist in Fortean Times and contributor to various magazines, Shuker is also the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Cryptozoology, which began in November 2012.

The Skookum cast is a plaster cast showing the imprint of what appears to be a large animal’s left forearm, hip, thigh and buttocks. It was discovered in a muddy wallow near Mount Adams in the southern part of Washington state in the year 2000 and is argued by some to have been made by a Bigfoot.

Loren Coleman is an American cryptozoologist who has written over 40 books on a number of topics, including the pseudoscience and subculture of cryptozoology.

Yowie Creature from Australian folklore

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In Australian folklore, the Queensland tiger is a creature said to live in the Queensland area in eastern Australia.

Benjamin Radford American writer, investigator, and skeptic (born 1970)

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Richard Freeman (cryptozoologist)

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<i>Proof</i> (comics) 2007–2010 comic book series

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References

  1. ↑ "Animal X - Series One, Two, Three (The Natural Mystery Unit)". Storyteller Media Group. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved April 11, 2008.
  2. ↑ Ranker: The Best TV Shows About Monsters & Cryptozoology Accessed viathe internet June 3, 2022
  3. ↑ The Investigators Archived July 8, 2008, at the Wayback Machine from AminalX.Net, the Official Series Website. Accessed April 11. 2008
  4. ↑ Bill Kerr, Australian actor and radio star, dies aged 92 BBC NEWS: Entertainment & Arts (online) 29 August 2014 Last updated at 05:44. Accessed online August 29, 2014
  5. ↑ AnimalX.Net Supporters: Archived February 14, 2008, at the Wayback Machine A message of thanks from Mike Searle Creator and Executive Producer of Animal X (page is dated 2004) Accessed April 11, 2008
  6. ↑ Tubi: Animal X: Natural Mystery Unit accessed online May 31, 2022
  7. ↑ Storyteller Media Accessed via internet June 4, 2022
  8. ↑ Animal X files are being opened with Animal X UnCut. A unique, new web based series. accessed via the internet May 30, 2022
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