Plot: What’s it about?
The world is home to countless legends of mystical creatures, rarely seen, but often spoke of. The legends tell of underwater monsters, beasts that wander the forests and mountains, and countless other variations. Are these just legends however, or is there some truth to the claims made? In Monster Quest, these legends are explored from the inside out, to find out how much, if any truth lies behind the stories. You’ll hear from witnesses who claim to have seen the creatures, scientists who conduct DNA tests and other methods of deduction, experts on the legends, and numerous other sources. These interviews are combined with known visual and audio evidence, as well as CGI recreations, to form a complete picture of each legend. If you’ve ever wondered if these legends were real or not, don’t miss Monster Quest.
This is one awesome show. I’ve always been fascinated by creatures of legend and cryptozoology, so Monster Quest was a show I knew I would love. The show manages to avoid falling into the pitfalls most programs like this tumble into, such as focusing on the fantastic over the facts. Monster Quest lets the locals, experts, and witnesses voice their stories, then lets the scientists come in and see what they can uncover. The result might not be definitive or shocking, but you do leave each episode with a better understanding of the legends, to be sure. If you believe in these creatures or not, the stories are quite interesting and the legends are given respect here, even if just as cultural lore. I plowed through this first season in no time and was never bored, thanks to a great selection of legends to examine. So if you’re into beasts of myth and legends, Monster Quest: The Complete Season One is a release that is well worth a look.
Video: How does it look?
The episodes are presented in 1.78:1 non anamorphic widescreen. I still have no idea why these History Channel releases are not anamorphic, but it makes no sense. The visuals still work well, but if enhanced, we’d have a sharper and more convenient image to take in. The recreations look good, low rent CGI aside, while the various interviews and on location footage looks good too, so no serious complaints. The colors are solid and contrast is fine, while sharpness is decent. I do think we’d have less shimmer and such if this were anamorphic, but the series still looks passable.
Audio: How does it sound?
No issues with the stereo soundtracks, as the episodes sound fine. This kind of show doesn’t require much pop, so the tracks are rather basic, but that is adequate. The narration is clear, interviews sound good, and the assorted other elements come across well, with no problems to mention. I don’t have much else to report in this section, the audio sounds good and while not memorable, the material has very basic audio requirements.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The lone extra is a behind the scenes piece, but it does contain some worthwhile footage. You’ll see some additional scenes from some episodes, which proves to be worth a spin. I would have loved some dedicated documentaries on the prominent legends, but the material might be overlapped, given the episodes involved.
