Hosted and executive produced by Golden Globe®- and Primetime Emmy Award®-winning* actor, William Shatner, this hit series from HISTORY® tackles subjects that have mystified mankind for centuries — from Japan’s ominous “Suicide Forest” to strange creatures like the Chupacabra to bizarre Voodoo rituals. With compelling contributions from scientists, historians, and first-hand witnesses, each episode seeks to shed light on how the seemingly impossible can happen, providing answers for some while leaving others . . . UnXplained.
In the intervening years between “Star Trek: The Original Series” ending in 1969 until “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” released in 1979, William Shatner essentially wandered the wasteland doing bit parts on television and in low-budget films. During that period of picking up odd jobs, Shatner also traveled the college circuit – including a stopover in Batts Hall at the University of Texas at Austin – where I witnessed him perform. The event consisted of little more than a recitation of various classical works followed by some engaging Q&A. Trained as a Shakespearean actor, Shatner mesmerized the admittedly modest, but nonetheless sellout crowd of eager college students, clearly yearning for the film or television return of the immortal Captain James T. Kirk. However, prior to audience questions, Shatner delivered a moving and poetic soliloquy that simply brought the house down with unbridled applause and cheering. At that moment – despite his then mixed bag of theatrical accomplishments – I recognized he was destined for greater things. The rest, as they say, is history.
Over the ensuing decades, Shatner has amassed an enviable record of film and television projects. Now 88 years old and still going strong, he functions for the History Channel as executive producer – along with Kevin Burns and Rob O’Brien – as well as narrator for Season 1 of “The UnXplained.” With his latest docudrama series, Shatner seeks to delve into a wide array of mysteries that continue to confound all manner of experts even today. From Japan’s decidedly ominous Suicide Forest to the strange creature known as the Chupacabra, to bizarre Voodoo rituals, a plethora of stories populate each of the eight episodes. Invariably starting in a compelling fashion, in many cases the brief accounts struggle to resonate, most likely due to the lack of a unifying theme. The producers jump – often erratically – from one topic to another without much of a logical segue tying them together.
As a docudrama narrator – most notably for “Rescue 911” running for seven seasons from 1989-1996 – Shatner remains peerless. His presence certainly elevates the material here. For good or ill, however, the subject matter runs all over the board, as if designed for an audience with attention deficit disorder. Though Shatner enthusiastically poses many questions, he provides far fewer satisfactory answers – perhaps by design in order to retain the sense of mystery.
Some of the episodes crisply document human nature, such as the life and death sporting displays of ancient Roman gladiatorial games or modern-day bullfighting. Along a related thread, Shatner examines ritual brutality in the form of kickboxing. Still, others include demonic possession, mysterious structures, strange creatures, life beyond death, and mysteries of the mind. These issues and more populate the highly eclectic collection of vignettes. Though the varied contexts can sometimes feel overly ambitious, the evidence presented remains captivating even so – bolstered in no small measure by Shatner’s irrefutable acting chops and narrative gravitas.
Available on DVD March 24th from Lionsgate
