Shot across the United States during 2018, the series tracks the history of the Bigfoot phenomenon and the search to find the elusive creature.

On the Trail of Bigfoot (2019) is a new mini-series about one of America’s longest-held myths, the urban legend of Bigfoot. Told in six chapters, the show follows intrepid explorers — the paranormal research group, Small Town Monsters, and show creator/narrator Seth Breedlove. Small Town Monsters are no small-town heroes when it comes to their paranormal research, with their other features such as Terror in The Skies (this summer) and MOMO: The Missouri Monster (this fall) funded via their Kickstarter campaign and slated for 2019 release, as well as having other well-received documentaries under their belt, such as their alien-themed feature, The Flatwoods Monster: A Legacy of Fear (2018). The first feature up from their 2019 releases, On the Trail of Bigfoot, is a fun and informative jaunt that is essential viewing for any monster and/or paranormal enthusiast.

The series starts things off by delving into the deep history of the myth of this elusive species. Similar legends captivate various cultures the world over, however, the American Bigfoot legend does not seem to serve a cultural purpose as far as teaching a lesson to children or it representing some ongoing societal anxiety, as this archetypal wild-man character typically does for other cultures that have it. Giving truthfulness to the legend begins with compiling corroborating evidence, and On the Trail of Bigfoot argues that historical record of past accounts and the consistency in the story of each sighting does just that. Focusing their search in the dense and sparsely populated forests of the Pacific Northwest, noting that most sightings occur between northern Oregon and southern Alaska, the hunters and scientists collaborate and expand upon their findings by investigating reports from both past and present.

In the early days of Bigfoot research in the Americas, John Willison Green, Grover Crance, Peter Byrne, and René Dahinden were essential figures who used their position in academics to do legitimate research. They were dubbed the “Four Horsemen” as they had tasked themselves with solving the Bigfoot riddle once and for all, despite none of them ever claiming to have experienced a sighting themselves. Like today’s researchers, such as NAWAC and the Olympic Project who are interviewed in these episodes, these weekend warriors compile audio recordings and anecdotal evidence from their frequent and extended research forays. In episode 4, “Origin of a Myth”, the show even delves into a harrowing incident possibly involving UFOs, pointing out that some sightings, some even from credible witnesses such as law enforcement, have seen portals and UFOs transporting ape-men.

Shot in 1967, the Patterson-Gimlin film is probably the most famous and accepted images of a potential Bigfoot sighting. According to Museum Curator, Loren Coleman, around the late 1960’s reportings of Bigfoot sightings went up, in his opinion, due to the release of the movie, The Legend of Boggy Creek (1972), and further still, news publications wanted to sell papers and so capitalized on this by participating in sasquatchploitation. Subsequent sightings seemed to mirror narratives of dime store horror books more and more, but even through obvious false reports, sightings like the Patterson-Gimlin video and the creepy audio recordings presented in On the Trail of Bigfoot’s episodes continue to motivate scientists and cryptozoologists to endure the hunt. The legend is captivating, as the wily creature, if it exists, must be intelligent enough to avoid capture and survive, and also, the idea of a Sasquatch figure is exciting as its existence would undoubtedly solve some of the mystery behind our own evolution and existence. It also speaks to the still unexplored corners of our habitat, one which we think we have mastered, and yet, there are still places in America where one can go to live and never be seen again.

If you didn’t know anything about bigfoot, you sure will after watching Small Town Monsters’ new feature, On the Trail of Bigfoot. This seems like a great piece for those new to the subject and an excellent overview for those already researching the topic. All this show is really missing is at least a little info on what skeptics and non-believers have to say about the research to offer us contrast and debate on this subject, and besides that, possibly the calming voice of Werner Herzog? That is splitting hairs though and probably would have put a dent in their already small budget of just $5,000 (estimated). Despite meager means, the team did a lot with a little as the information put forth and the obvious passion and adventure captured in solving this great paranormal mystery is all displayed in this series. From what I have seen from other Bigfoot documentaries, the frankness in On the Trail of Bigfoot’s delivery helps to make the subject seem less sensationalized (and the interviewers not seem like eccentric mountain people). Each episode clocks in at around a half hour, instead of a full-length feature documentary format, making the series either easily digestible in small bites or an easy binge to feast on for just under 3 hours.

You may just think twice about going into the woods after watching this series! Part very thorough historical and research piece, and part nature documentary as the team’s quest spans across the wilds of 14 beautiful American states, catch the refreshingly authentic docu-series, On the Trail of Bigfoot, now available on DVD and Amazon (as a two-part selection labeled the “The Legend” for episodes 1-3 and “The Search” for episodes 4-6), as well as Vimeo On Demand and VIDI Space.

Episodes

1. “Creatures of Legend” (25 mins)
2. “The Birthplace of Bigfoot” (23 mins)
3. “Rise of Monsters” (27 mins)
4. “Origin of a Myth” (29 mins)
5. “Area X” (34 mins)… particularly exciting episode
6. “Continuation of a Search” (26 mins)… ending on a spooky note