The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch explained

Alt Name:Curse of Skinwalker Ranch
Genre:Reality
Narrated:Robert Clotworthy
Country:United States
Language:English
Num Seasons:5
Num Episodes:50
List Episodes:List of The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch Episodes#Series overview
Executive Producer:Kevin Burns (2019) Matt Crocco (2020-present)
Camera:Multiple
Runtime:60 minutes
Company:Prometheus Entertainment
Network:History
Last Aired:present

The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch is a reality television series that follows a team investigating Skinwalker Ranch, located in Uintah County, Utah, United States. The show began airing on the History Channel in March 2020 and to date has run for four seasons. Season Five began airing on April 23, 2024.[1] [2] [3] [4]

Overview

The series is set at Skinwalker Ranch, a 500-acre ranch that is the site of purported paranormal and UFO-related activities, and follows a team of investigators and skeptics investigating the reports. Team members include Brandon Fugal, the ranch's owner,[5] and aerospace engineer Travis S. Taylor.[6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

The show features the team utilizing technologies such as ground-penetrating radar to investigate purported anomalies such as ionizing radiation, dire wolves, UFOs and cattle mutilation.[12] The Pentagon UFO videos are also frequently featured. Guests on the show include SETI scientist Seth Shostak, journalist Linda Moulton-Howe, Colonel John B. Alexander, former Governor of Utah Gary Herbert, Utah senator Mike Lee, Attorney General of Utah Sean Reyes, Lunasonde CEO Jeremiah Pate, and others.[13] [14] [15]

Season four premiered with Travis Taylor revealing that he had secretly been working as chief scientist on the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF).[16]

Cast members

NameTitleThe Secret of Skinwalker RanchBeyond Skinwalker Ranch
Season 1
2020		Season 2
2021		Season 3
2022		Season 4
2023		Season 5
2024		Season 6
2025		Series 1
2023		Series 2
2024		Series 3
2025
nowrap Travis S. Taylornowrap Aerospace engineercolspan="3"
nowrap Erik Bardnowrap Principal investigatorcolspan="3"
nowrap Bryant "Dragon" Arnoldnowrap Security chiefcolspan="2"
nowrap Tom Wintertonnowrap Ranch superintendentcolspan="2"
nowrap Jim Segalanowrap Scientist colspan="8"
nowrap Brandon Fugalnowrap Owner of Skinwalker Ranchcolspan="3"
nowrap Jim Morsenowrap Ranch Managercolspan="2"
nowrap Tom Lewisnowrap Ranch caretakercolspan="2"
nowrap Kandus Lindenowrap Anthropologist / Ranch caretaker[17] colspan="2"
nowrap Kaleb Benchnowrap Securitycolspan="2"
nowrap Seth Shostak nowrap SETI colspan="2"
nowrap Linda Moulton-Howenowrap Investigative Journalistcolspan="8"
nowrap Ryan Skinnernowrap Author of Digging Into Skinwalkercolspan="7"
nowrap Cameron Princenowrap Founder of Tesla Universecolspan="2"
nowrap Casey Smithnowrap Qal-Tek Radiation Expertcolspan="2"
nowrap Ariel Bar Tzadoknowrap Rabbicolspan="7"
nowrap John B. Alexandernowrap Colonel colspan="6"
nowrap James Keenannowrap Former military specialistcolspan="5"
nowrap Jenn Rooknowrap Station manager and radio DJ at KCUAcolspan="6"
nowrap Gary Herbertnowrap Former Governor colspan="2"
nowrap George Knappnowrap television journalistcolspan="6"
nowrap Sean Reyesnowrap Attorney General of Utahcolspan="2"
nowrap Mocean Melvinnowrap Narratorcolspan="3"
nowrap Andy Bustamantenowrap Ex–CIA Intelligence Officercolspan="3"
nowrap Paul Bebannowrap Investigative Journalistcolspan="3"
nowrap John Bradshawnowrap Bob Brandshaw's Soncolspan="2"
nowrap Mason Bradshawnowrap Bob Brandshaw's Grandsoncolspan="2"
nowrap Robert Leonardnowrap Terra Exploration Group

Development

The series was developed by the producers of The Curse of Oak Island for the History Channel, which green-lit the show for air in 2019.[18] The first season premiered on March 31, 2020, and ran for eight episodes, concluding on June 2, 2020.[19] A second season was greenlit and began airing on May 4, 2021.[20] Season 3 followed with more publicity on January 26, 2022. Season 4 premiered April 18, 2023. Season 5 premiered April 23, 2024.

Reception

Author Jason Colavito characterized the myths about the ranch as "entirely a modern creation, fabricated in the late twentieth century". He described the Secret of Skinwalker Ranch series as "a slow-paced effort to reproduce Curse of Oak Island", a show that had been running since 2014 on the same network.[21]

Science writer Russell Moul criticized the show as presenting no actual evidence to support claims about the ranch. According to Moul, "The show is presented as attempting to bring a scientific approach to prove the existence of all the things that have apparently occurred at the ranch. And while it may be very entertaining to watch and has caused much excitement on social media, the team have yet to provide anything to back up their supposed experiences."[22]

Common Sense Media reviewer Stephanie Morgan criticized the show as unsuitable for children, saying that "the intention of the series is to create fear, sometimes by obviously staged scenes of people in peril. Pseudoscientific methods are presented as credible proof of paranormal activity. People carry guns and tell stories of encountering evil, other worldly beings". Morgan also criticized the experts presented by the show as "white men, many of whom take it upon themselves to 'explain' the history and beliefs of the Navajo and Ute Tribes in relation to the ranch".[23]

Episodes

Season 5 (2024)

Beyond Skinwalker Ranch

On June 6, 2023, the History Channel added a new series, Beyond Skinwalker Ranch, where investigators such as ex-CIA agent Andy Bustamante and journalist Paul Beban join Erik Bard, Travis Taylor, Dragon and Brandon Fugal to investigate ranches in other parts of the world and compare them to the one in Utah. The first season aired 9 episodes in 2023.[24] [25] [26] A second season of 8 episodes began airing June 4, 2024.

Season 2 (2024)

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Gonzalez. Shivani. What's on TV This Week: 'Catch and Kill' and the MLB All-Star Game. The New York Times. 12 July 2021. 2 September 2022. 2 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220902140128/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/12/arts/television/whats-on-tv-this-week.html. live.
  2. News: Forgie. Adam. Post Malone visits Utah's 'Skinwalker Ranch,' most-studied paranormal hotspot on Earth. KUTV. 23 February 2021. 2 September 2022. 2 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220902140128/https://kutv.com/news/local/post-malone-visits-utahs-skinwalker-ranch-most-studied-paranormal-hotspot-on-earth. live.
  3. News: Wynne. Kelly. The 3 Craziest UFO, Odd Creature and Unexplained Happenings From Utah's Secretive Skinwalker Ranch. Newsweek. 31 March 2020. 2 September 2022. 2 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220902140129/https://www.newsweek.com/3-craziest-ufo-odd-creature-unexplained-happenings-utahs-secretive-skinwalker-ranch-1495313. live.
  4. News: Siegfried. Jensen. Utah's most infamous UFO sightings will have you believing in the unexplained. KSL.com. 15 January 2022. 2 September 2022. 2 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220902140129/https://www.ksl.com/article/50326113/utahs-most-infamous-ufo-sightings-will-have-you-believing-in-the-unexplained. live.
  5. Web site: 2021-05-25. Why The Secrets of Skinwalker Ranch Don't Stay on Skinwalker Ranch. 2021-06-18. Den of Geek. en-US. 14 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210614204315/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-secret-of-skinwalker-ranch-season-2-hitchhiker/. live.
  6. Web site: 2021-06-03. The Secret Of Skinwalker Ranch Season 2 Cast Guide & Team Roles Explained. 2021-06-18. ScreenRant. en-US. 24 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210624200144/https://screenrant.com/secret-skinwalker-ranch-season-2-cast-team-roles/. live.
  7. News: Stone. Zara. The strangest tech to come out of Utah: September edition. Utah Business. 13 September 2021. 15 August 2022. 19 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211119192118/https://www.utahbusiness.com/strange-utah-tech-companies-september/. live.
  8. News: Jenkins. Mark. Site long associated with tales of the paranormal is the focus of a decidedly earthbound photo show. The Washington Post. 23 June 2021. 15 August 2022. 24 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220724164810/https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/museums/skinwalker-ranch-portfolio-university-of-maryland-art-gallery/2021/06/22/9f46af3c-cf7b-11eb-8014-2f3926ca24d9_story.html. live.
  9. News: Mencimer. Stephanie. Utah wants to build an oil railway through a wilderness area. High Country News. 3 May 2022. 15 August 2022. 5 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220705123328/https://www.hcn.org/articles/climate-desk-utah-wants-to-build-an-oil-railway-through-a-wilderness-area/. live.
  10. News: Nelson. Russ. UAH scientists brave curses, spooky anomalies to unravel secrets at Skinwalker Ranch. The University of Alabama in Huntsville. 26 May 2020. 15 August 2022. 28 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220728222908/https://www.uah.edu/news/news/uah-scientists-brave-curses-spooky-anomalies-to-unravel-secrets-at-skinwalker-ranch. live.
  11. News: Walter. Meg. Flying high with Utah's most mysterious mogul. Deseret News. 10 August 2022. 15 August 2022. 15 August 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220815093934/https://www.deseret.com/2022/8/9/23198503/flying-high-with-utahs-most-mysterious-mogul. live.
  12. Web site: 2020-04-01. Why One Secret Of Skinwalker Ranch Scientist Doesn't Like The Word Paranormal For History Series. 2021-06-19. CINEMABLEND. 17 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210617051324/https://www.cinemablend.com/television/2493659/why-one-secret-of-skinwalker-ranch-scientist-doesnt-like-the-word-paranormal-for-history-series. live.
  13. Web site: History Greenlights Paranormal Nonfiction Series 'The Secret Of Skinwalker Ranch'. Denise. Petski. 21 June 2019. 12 February 2021. 25 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210225144118/https://deadline.com/2019/06/history-greenlights-paranormal-series-the-secret-of-skinwalker-ranch-ufos-1202636371/. live.
  14. Web site: A+E Networks. www.aenetworks.com. 12 February 2021. 28 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210228163841/https://www.aenetworks.com/article/history-greenlights-new-nonfiction-series-the-secret-of-skinwalker-ranch-wt-from-executive-producer-of-the-curse-of-oak-island. live.
  15. https://www.techbuzz.news/brandon-fugal-and-the-secret-of-skinwalker-ranch-on-the-history-channel/ Why Utah's Brandon Fugal Bought an Otherworldly Ranch, and What He's Seen There: Part 1
  16. News: Kloor . Keith . Pentagon UFO study led by researcher who believes in the supernatural . July 19, 2022 . Science . June 29, 2022.
  17. Web site: Cast – Kandus Linde and Tom Lewis . History.com . 22 February 2024.
  18. https://deadline.com/2019/06/history-greenlights-paranormal-series-the-secret-of-skinwalker-ranch-ufos-1202636371/ History Greenlights Paranormal Nonfiction Series ‘The Secret Of Skinwalker Ranch’
  19. Web site: 2020-03-30. History's The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch Tasks Scientists to Investigate Paranormal Ranch. 2021-06-19. Den of Geek. en-US. 24 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210624200937/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/history-the-secret-of-skinwalker-ranch-tasks-scientists-to-investigate-paranormal-ranch/. live.
  20. Web site: 2021-06-02. Will There Be A Secret Of Skinwalker Ranch Season 3?. 2021-06-19. ScreenRant. en-US. 24 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210624201453/https://screenrant.com/secret-skinwalker-ranch-season-3-release-date-story/. live.
  21. Web site: Colavito . Jason . Review of The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch S01E01 . jasoncolavito.com . . 2 June 2023.
  22. Web site: Moul . Russell . Skinwalker Ranch – Bastion For The Paranormal Or Hoax? . iflscience.com . IFL Science . 21 February 2024.
  23. Web site: Morgan . Stephanie . Parents' Guide to The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch . commonsensemedia.org . Common Sense Media . 21 February 2024.
  24. Web site: Breaking News - The History Channel Expands Investigation of Unexplainable Phenomena in New Nonfiction Series "Beyond Skinwalker Ranch" Premiering Tuesday, June 6 at 10PM ET/PT TheFutonCritic.com . 2023-05-21 . www.thefutoncritic.com.
  25. Web site: History Channel sets paranormal series spin-off "Beyond Skinwalker Ranch" . 2023-05-21.
  26. Web site: Beyond Skinwalker Ranch - Episodes . history.com . History Channel . 21 February 2024.

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