The iconic series Monster Quest has rebooted for its 5th season in 2026. I’ve watched the first three episodes, so I can give you my opinion on the new framing. Unsurprisingly, the AI sequences are the least misleading part of the presentation.
As a scientist, researcher of cryptid history, and lifelong consumer of monster TV, I can confidently say that very few TV shows about mysterious phenomena will hit a high bar for quality. Monster Quest in its original form was cringey. The new version is different, but also cringey in the usual ways. Just to be clear, the original producer Doug Hajicek is not involved, and the format is changed. Fans of the original show might hate this new one, or they might eat it right up because it tastes like the usual paranormal fare.
Format is similar to typical paranormal shows
This new series features episodes that are not about a subject “monster”. The themes are grouped by categories of people. The first two episodes – about policeman and military servicemen (no women) – are transparently designed to highlight courageous individuals who were faced with unexplainable situations that scared them out of their wits. The other episodes are themed by those who are seemingly “trespassing” (such as campers or hunters).
From Executive Producer Jared McGilliard:
Each episode of MonsterQuest is themed, not by the type of creature, but by who the witness is (such as police officers or former military) or the type of encounter they had.
Each episode is made up of reenactments and interviews with people who have had experiences. The encounter is always dramatically described as terrifying, with the creature being menacing, even life-threatening. Yet, somehow, the stories are hollow and shallow, missing detail and coherence. Scenes and camera shots are repeated and don’t match with the narration.
The tropes come fast and furious:
- The wilderness is vast and must still contain unknown monsters (with glowing eyes).
- Police or military persons are trained to deal with danger, so the incident in question must have been something extraordinary to scare them so much.
- Memories can be carried for decades without changing.
- Burial grounds are haunted.
- “I’ve never heard/seen anything like that”.
- Night time incidents where the person feels oppressed are paranormal (no mention that these are textbook cases of sleep paralysis).
The first episode on “cops vs cryptids” was mildly entertaining if you like the typical paranormal witness shows. However, “cryptids” is used in the broadest meaning. The season is heavy on ghosts, shadow people, and general evil entities, even bringing in UFO encounters. Physical evidence is poorly presented. The viewer is left with a hundred questions about what happened, as things just aren’t coherent. As the episodes continue, I’m getting more and more annoyed.
It’s probably just me, but I detest the commonly used format of random spokespeople filmed in rented event space reading copy in an exaggerated manner as if they have researched this material. They are not given credit for writing, so it feels like they are being told what to say. The faces are familiar – Micah Hanks, Holly Frey, M.J. Banias, Hakeem Oluseyi, Don Wildman. While some of these people are actual researchers on these topics, the rest are not. Sorry, but I don’t appreciate an “astrophysicist” telling me that Native Americans have a centuries old tradition of giants in the woods. These talking heads over-gesticulate and enunciate and often sound ridiculous. But, as I usually note with this popular material, I am not the audience for this show. Your mileage may vary, etc.
The audience must suspend critical thinking
The audience would be Millennials nostalgic for The Lost Tapes, and Fact or Faked Paranormal Files, looking to be entertained. There is no science or rationality here, just stories. Stories retold in this manner are unimpressive to me, but I can see why some viewers would be captivated. The witnesses are real people and with believable tales of experiences that they interpreted as paranormal. However, I lost my patience in episode 3 that features cultural/medical anthropologist Kenneth Joholske. He concluded that Bigfoots are living in a park adjacent to the heavily populated area of Gaithersburg, Maryland (a suburb of Washington, DC). He dwells on the explanation that they are unknown hominids, but, dude, this makes zero sense.
He displays natural rocks (which appear to be common quartzite) that he and the narrator refer to as “handcrafted tools” supposedly associated with a Bigfoot feeding site. This is absurd and misleading BS. I can unequivocally tell you that Joholske’s claims are ludicrous; I do not consider him to be credible – he is a true believer, regardless of MQ framing him as a scientific person. I took some screenshots, because, damn, this is stupid.
As I’m watching, I’m picking up other stunningly wrong “facts” that are presented by the narrator or scripted spokespeople. This is a given for paranormal TV, which is for people who don’t know much about history, science and nature. It works on viewers who eat it up unquestioningly. These shows can make you dumber.
Yes, of course I would not like this show. I didn’t particularly care for the original MQ even though I love the subject matter. Yet, I can’t be harsh towards those who find this entertaining. We will always have monster and ghost stories. Harping about the lack of rationality and skepticism does little good. My point, instead, is that it doesn’t take that much to do a better job, but these producers are uncreative and uninformed. They hardly try.
While many online fans of the previous MQ are apoplectic about the use of AI in this new series, I’m not fazed by it. It’s fairly unobtrusive (there is a symbol that appears in the lower left when AI generated content is shown). I expected worse. People are in such a tizzy about the use of transparent AI (to replace the old-timey CGI of the past seasons); shouldn’t they be more irritated by the obvious absurdity of some of the claims and misleading “facts” presented as real?
Season 5 Episode 3 narration described Florida’s Skunk Ape as having a stripe down its back, like a skunk. This is completely made up and may indicate that they use AI for cryptid descriptions. In no legitimate cryptid reference can I find this description. Just bonkers.
The “real monsters” genre is super-popular
The new MQ is banking on the explosion of interest in cryptids and monsters. [See Pop Goes the Cryptid]. This proliferation of monster media will continue. A+E just announced a spin-off of MonsterQuest on YouTube called MonsterQuest: Origins. The digital series starting January 27, 2026 is hosted by “occultist” Sapphire Sandalo, and aims to “tackle the real histories behind the nation’s most chilling cryptid legends,” such as the Rougarou, Wendigo, Jersey Devil, La Llorona, and Dark Watchers.
I bet you can tell that I’m making this face.
Again, not appreciating an “occultist” narrating history for me. Get some actual experts already! Actual folklorists and historians have written about these topics. That’s whose voices deserve to be heard. Histories of folklore monsters are socially complex and nuanced. I have no confidence that we are going to see a useful treatment that does them justice. But, I will check it out to see if my guess is wrong:
MQ’s new season is only available on History Channel, so the audience is not widespread right now.
I want a GOOD monster show. Monsters deserve better than Monster Quest.
The original Monster Quest did have at least one episode that had merit (GASP!) which dealt with the alleged phenomenon of “flying rods”. Perhaps, Sharon, you remember that one. They used a high speed camera to debunk the theory that these strange corkscrew like things caught on cryptid hunters’ cameras were fairies. The highspeed clearly showed they were bugs.
I was approached by Bill Munns and Doug Hajicek a couple of years ago when they were pitching a possible reboot of MQ, then again in late in 2025 be an independent producer for the same thing. He was after sources for one of my films and wanted me to sit down with Ben Hansen in LA for an interview. My response was a polite no thanks followed by a curt reminder of copyright.
I share your disdain for the new series. It relies heavily on an appeal to authority and referenced incidents I am familiar with that didn’t get the facts right.
Thanks for your well written revue.
I do remember that episode. The original MQ was not 100% bad. It was more useful than this version.
I haven’t found a TV producer that was worth talking to. They all seem awful.
I love these posts .. always interesting and thoughtful..I loved Monster Quest when it first came on ..but then it just became the same old thing , every episode..and of course they never find anything, just rehash what we already had read ..
As someone who grew up in Montgomery County, MD, the notion that Bigfeets might be living in Gaithersburg is hilarious. There are parts of Maryland where an active imagination might think of weird creatures living there, but not Montgomery County.
Another famous trope: “Trust me, bro”.