The latest is Syfys Haunted Highway, a six-episode original series debuting on Tuesday, July 3 at 10 PM ET. It does not deviate from the formula. It features two teams of investigators traveling Americas back roads looking for paranormal activity and combines eyewitness interviews with evidence gathered by the teams (who utilize state-of-the-art equipment).
Episode one finds Jack (as in Osbourne) and Dana venturing to Bear Lake, Utah to look for the Bear Lake Beast while Jael and Devin head to Vergas, Minnesota to seek the Vergas Hairy Man.
If you have seen one of these shows, you know the drill. The investigators talk to local residents about the legends and eventually find an alleged eyewitness to tell their story on camera. Each team notes that the eyewitness seems credible and not crazy, as if pleading with the audience to take this seriously, which they most certainly do.
Then they launch their investigation, always at night since that is almost always when sightings occur. The Bear Lake Beast, a reptilian creature some 20+ feet long, lives in the water so Jack and Dana scour the lake before Jack goes diving to look for it. The Vergas Hairy Man, an 8-foot humanoid resembling Bigfoot, resides deep in the woods so that is where Jael and Devin conduct their search.
There is a lot of night vision and plenty of false alarms. The hosts think they hear or see something terrifying before cutting to a commercial. They claim to not be alone and talk of things that dont want to be found. There are unintentionally funny statements like Ive been on four Sasquatch hunts and this is the closest Ive ever come to seeing one.
And of course when the investigators recite their findings at the end, its always inconclusive. Basically, they cant prove that whatever is out there is not a serpentine creature some 20-30 feet long or a beast covered in hair throws rocks at people and responds to the sound of a snowmobile.
That said, if you enjoy this type of show, there is a lot of goofy fun to be had. There is some nice scenery (especially in the Utah segment) and unique local history is shared. For instance we learn that the Bear Lake Beast was first glimpsed in the 19th century while a Marine Biologist provides interesting information about the beautiful Bear Lake. And in Minnesota, sightings of the Hairy Man have increased 70 percent in the last two years.
The hosts work well together and have good rapport. Its amusing to watch them grow incredibly frightened every time they hear a branch snap or see the slightest movement in the water. You cant help but wish that they would find what they are looking for.
Haunted Highway doesnt break new ground, but its a well-made and entertaining show that will satisfy viewers with a fondness for paranormal investigations.
