UPDATE:

April 11th, 2016

NETFLIX has pulled FINDING BIGFOOT and no Seasons are currently available on the Streaming Service

HULU Plus has 3 episodes available to subscribers with links to ANIMAL PLANET

• Vic

“Finding Bigfoot” is now available on Netflix Instant Streaming! 

Animal Planet’s hit series FINDING BIGFOOT returns with all-new episodes, investigating compelling evidence that may prove the existence of the elusive creature. This season, investigations take the team farther across the globe and further into Sasquatch history than they’ve ever traveled.

“I’m going Squatchin!”

Vic’s Note: Season 3 is also available. Enjoy! / July 28th 2014

Vic’s Note: Only Season 2 is available currently on Netflix / April 11th 2014 

Animal Planet’s “Finding Bigfoot” is actually a lot of fun to watch. Yes, it’s flawed but I feel that overall as a Doc style show with real life people who have made it a career of looking for that most famous of elusive Cryptos – “Bigfoot” it works and gels pretty well. Unlike “Chasing UFO’s” from The History Channel, Finding Bigfoot surpasses most of these Doc style shows by being self deprecating and a bit tongue in cheek. The show is in it’s 3rd season and without trying to spoil the show I must admit right up front the show is called “Finding Bigfoot” so, yeah, they never really find Bigfoot. It’s not for a lack of trying though.

The now famous team from BFRO (Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization)  have had some very close encounters and some embarrassing moments alike. The team consists of –

Matt Moneymaker – Founder of the BFRO. This dude is one hardcore believer.

Cliff Barackman – A diligent and sturdy Bigfoot Investigator. An ex-school teacher.

James “Bobo” Fey – A very like=able, clumsy and stalwart believer and Investigator.

Then there is my favorite, the very cute and positively bad ass skeptic, Ranae Holland who is a Field Biologist and Researcher. Ranae is very keen and observant. She succeeds in giving the team the benefit of the doubt with each investigation. It can be a footprint, eyewitness claims or even video footage, you can count of Ranae giving her two cents on how and why such evidence can be explained off as either a prank or just someone in a bigfoot costume. What makes the show work is easily the dynamics and interaction of the four cast members.

They do get to travel quite a bit as well. From Utah to West Virginia to the Canadian Rockies, the team do not leave any stones un-turned. The locales and the great cinematography appeals to me greatly. Finding Bigfoot is a good looking show. In regards to the scenic locations and the way it is filmed using great establishing shots and incredible night-time photography is a plus for the production. The interview segments run the gamut unfortunately. Some of the people they ask about or interview regarding Bigfoot come across rather silly and somewhat made up. Some detractors even go as far as saying it’s all fiction disguised as the truth.

Others can be quite compelling like in a recent episode where a rancher captures a very scary pic of what seems to be a large Sasquatch mother holding a baby Sasquatch in her arm as they raid the ranchers Apple Tree at night. Yeah, the rancher did set up a night time cam in order to find out what has been raiding his Apple Tree. So, what are the odds of catching a Bigfoot on film? For the investigators it seems like the chances are great most of the time. First the team makes out a coyote then after it catches the ‘Squatch. It was one of the more compelling and creepy moments of the show.

I also enjoy the Town Hall meetings they air on the show. The team invites everyone to attend and answer questions or come forward with their Bigfoot encounters, The Town Hall segments are  staged well with either Matt of Cliff asking the Town Locals if they have ever seen what they think is a Sasquatch or Bigfoot. Just about everytime more than half of the Towns people raise their hands. Usually from here is where the team may single out one or two of the locals and dig a bit deeper into the sightings.

One episode involved some teenagers that claim they recorded a Sasquatch on an opposing cliff with their video camera. At first it seems like a hit but Ranae, always the wet blanket to the rest of the team sees things differently. She is why I feel the show is balanced. Where the men feel that just about everything that they think can be a Sasquatch (from a footprint to some broken tree branches) Ranae counters with her own opinion and keeps the show tethered in reality. She does want to believe but she needs proof. Don’t we all?

“Finding Bigfoot” has all the right ingredients for an a fun, interesting, and somewhat compelling Doc style series in the vein of “Chasing UFO’s” or “Ancient Aliens.” It can seem a bit way out and asks a lot of the viewer in regards to some evidence that is presented. The night time excursions are done well and I love the “Bigfoot Yells” (Ranae excels in doing some of her own cries that are near ear splitting) that the team make in order to provoke the monster. In one episode we hear what just may be one but the team never gets down to the nitty gritty and finds out what caused the noise. The arguments, night time chases and the town hall interviews are the best things about the show.

Unfortunately, like most of these “Crypto” shows like “Monsterquest“ and even “Is It Real?” we never get any definitive proof and the science is a bit wacky even if the evidence can seem very real and earnest. I do find the people who have experiences are being very truthful and as in one episode where it appears that a Bigfoot steals a candy bar, it can seem a bit goofy and hokey. Over the last Season and into the present one, I must admit the show has grown on me a bit. At this point I don’t really care if it’s all staged or not I just enjoy it for what it is and that is to showcase the hard work and dedication of some folks who either believe in Bigfoot or want to believe.