Animal X (TV series)
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Animal X is a TV series airing in more than 120 counties. It began it's life in 1998 with the first series of 13 half hour episodes. In 2002 Discovery Channel in the US co-produced a second series of 13 half hours episodes with the creators of the series Australia's Storyteller Productions, for Animal Planet. At this point Animal X episodes generally had 3 stories. With one exception: The Skookum Cast. It was a joint expedition between Animal X and the BFRO which discovered the now famous Skookum Cast.
In 2004 Animal X spin off, the Natural Mystery Unit was born. Again a co-production between Discovery US and Storyteller which 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, Daniel Searle and Natalie Schmitt. They visited locations of cryptid sightings and provided background on the possible existence of the legendary animals. A 'controller' character played by veteran actor (84 years old) Bill Kerr who tells the story, provides directions and gives orders to the team. In wonderful Vaudeville style Kerr looks into the camera and address the viewing audience directly, calling them "darlings" in comments such as: "Now that is truly frightening, darlings!" 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 Classic (as the first two series have become known) and Animal X Natural Mystery Unit are slickly produced in entertaining segments that often feature eye-witness testimony. AX NMU episodes routinely show the Animal X Team planting motion-activated infrared video cameras to try and 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 featured outright skeptical viewpoints. In 2007 the show is on air in various countries including Poland, Norway, USA (re runs starting again soon)and soon to be available on the web through Google Video and others.
[edit] Cryptids Featured on Animal X
Episodes of Animal X (show) covered:
- The Queensland Tiger
- The Tasmanian Tiger
- Thunderbirds
- Mothman
- Reptilian humanoids
- Bigfoot
- Howick Falls Monster
- Chupacabras
- Magic Cows
- Phantom Black Dogs
- Killer Crocodiles
- Fizo
- Lake Monsters
- the Rainbow Serpent
- Killer Wolves
- and many other Cryptids
[edit] Series Facts
Series Premiered: UK: Channel Five 1998, US Discovery Channel (reversioned with the "spookeyness" removed) then in its original form on Animal Planet worldwide. It has been seen in more than 120 countries.
