Review: Expedition Unknown and Josh Gates

My first exposure to Expedition Unknown, a series on the Travel Channel, was the episode where Josh Gates, executive producer and host of the show (who “has a degree in archaeology”), went to Yonaguni, Japan to investigate the “ruins” there. I’ve written on these in the past and I’m probably due for an update, but I haven’t noticed any new data on them. They’re still just underwater geology that has curious shapes, angles, and patterns.

I started the episode expecting to shout at the television and ultimately turn it off before my head exploded from the stupid. Instead, I was rewarded with a fairly interesting show. Gates started out seeming to accept the claims of ruins at face value and even dove on them with a camera crew. He spoke with true believers and at least one skeptic and ended the program by saying (I’m paraphrasing) that he found the formation under the waves to be completely fascinating but that he couldn’t accept that they were man-made.

The show itself was well-produced, it had humor, good travel video, exposure to native cultures and peoples, and a core purpose (explore the underwater formation). Not only did I not turn the TV off or shout at gates, I then resolved myself to seek out other episodes. Since that time, I’ve followed Gates to Nepal where he looked at the legend of Shangri-La, to Mexico where he explored Teotihuacan, to Norway in search of Viking sun-stones, and even Cambodia in search of linga stones. Each of these episodes was interesting, colorful, and rich with fun travel video of distant places my bank account prohibits visiting myself. I found myself continually surprised at the fair shake Gates gives each of the legends he investigates, though a few times I was a bit put off by his humor at the expense of locals which was almost cliche for the arrogant American. But most of the time, the locals appeared in on the joke and seemed to be having fun themselves, so I forgave his antics pretending to be an ice cream vendor in Mexico or trying on hats in some shop.

However. I’m glad I didn’t start with the first episode of season 1, which was the search for Amelia Earhart. I was disappointed that he didn’t follow up on a bone discovery under a house in Fiji–and that he was poking around there willy-nilly to begin with. And I was also disappointed that he didn’t follow up on the Gardner Island lead where an aluminum panel that matched her plane was recovered along with other artifacts. But, as Jason Colavito mentions in his review, perhaps Gates was unable to get to the island because of budget, timing, or red-tape.

Another episode that rankled me a bit was the one of the ones where he visited Peru, “Secrets of the Nazca.” Overall, it was interesting but there was a moment when he was with Brien Foerster, the pseudoarchaeologist/tour guide, that made me throw up a little in the back of my throat. I have to give Foerster some credit however, at least he put the human skull he so casually and callously picked up from a local cemetery back on the ground and gently covered it with soil.

All in all, I’m a fan of the series. As long as Gates doesn’t go too over the top with the silliness at the expense of locals, continues to keep a skeptical view, and remains ethical in his “expeditions,” I’ll continue to watch as time permits.

About Carl Feagans 396 Articles
Professional archaeologist that currently works for the United States Forest Service at the Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area in Kentucky and Tennessee. I'm also a 12-year veteran of the U.S. Army and spent another 10 years doing adventure programming with at-risk teens before earning my master's degree at the University of Texas at Arlington.

2 Comments

  1. This show has to be the biggest waste of time I have ever seen. This gentleman has never found anything of any material affect it is an insult to intelligence play logic. He Hypes up emptiness in his searches. Please take it off the air.

  2. The show started off interesting but has now become so predictable its ridiculous. First thing he meets someone then they introduce him to someone whos doing an exploration of whatever hes looking for. So je travels around until he finally goes on an exploration. He then finds a small artifact(probably placed there by crew) then comes an excuse as to why they have to stop exploring. I seen an episode where he found a nazi coin dime size underwater on some wreckage that was completly covered with see moss or whatever its called. No way he couldve seen it. Then he makes a good closing statement and its over. Same scenrio every show and he never finds anything hes looking for. Although it does promote good traveling sites. The egypt thing ws a joke. Funny how when the show was over they were advertising tours with the guy who was on the show.lol…really all this show does is show great visit places and some history behind things that for sure have been explored by someone alot more powerful than discovery channel.

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