As a child I was captivated by books and comics that explored strange and unexplained phenomena like UFOs, Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monster, Witchcraft and Demons, or Jack The Ripper, or what I like to call “Unnatural Mysteries.” Then in 1977, an investigative TV serial program premiered that brought all these topics right into my bedroom on a weekly basis: ‘In Search Of.’ The series was produced by prolific TV content creator Alan Landsburg, and presented by Leonard Nimoy. (The series would also inspire a half dozen books written by Landsburg with forwards by Nimoy) The show’s opening clearly suggested that the program was based on “theories” and “conjecture” and that “the producer’s purpose is to suggest some possible explanations, but not necessarily the only ones to the mysteries we will examine.”

Of course that caveat did little to lessen the program’s impact on an 11-year-old’s inquisitive mind as these otherworldly incidents provided an escape from the vast urban blight that permeated New York City’s South Bronx at the time.

Now, the HISTORY Channel (simply rebranded as ‘HISTORY‘) is set to go down the speculative path with its upcoming new original drama series ‘Project Blue Book,’ which does a double take on the historical UFO phenomena based on the United States government’s top-secret investigations code-named Project BLUE BOOK, that officially delved into Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) and related phenomena conducted by the United States Air Force from 1952 to 1969. The series includes some lavish period recreations and reenactments, which we can imagine is set against the Cold War era as a ever looming backdrop.

The possibilities of this kind of programming takes me right back to my ever curious adolescence. Based on the trailers and clips, the program looks promising and is set to premiere on January 8, 2019. Coincidentally (or perhaps not), in July 2018 HISTORY revived the original In Search Of series on its network. That acquisition may have been the catalyst for this new venture. And perhaps there will be more as HISTORY genuinely needs an infusion beyond the myopic reality-based fodder it has churned up during the past decade. (!)

Really looking forward to snuggling into a warm couch as I watch the episodes unfold. I hope it holds up to the nostalgic hype I’ve built up in my own head…Did we mention that the series is produced by Robert Zemeckis? 🙂