Expedition X Series Review: Interesting Stories And Exciting Locales

 

"Expedition X" is one of a several shows starring Josh Gates. See my review of "Legendary Locations" here.  Other series include: "Expedition Unknown", "Destination Truth", "Stranded", "Ghost Hunters", "Ghost Hunters International" as well as a number of specials. 

Eight seasons of "Expedition X" are available on Discovery, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc. The nineth season is currently airing on Discovery. 

The show began in 2020 and features two investigators in the field-- Phil Torres (a biologist) and Jessica Chobot (a paranormal investigator and internet personality). Josh joins the expeditions once in a while but mostly it's just Jess and Phil (with possible assists from locals, experts, or other teams such as the Ghost Brothers). At the beginning of each show Josh discusses the case with Jessica and Phil. He also provides details throughout the episode. Heather Amaro (a paranormal investigator) replaces Jessica beginning in season 8. Jess is currently working on something new for the Discovery channel. The details have not been released yet. 

I enjoy hearing about the various cases and like to visit the locations. TBH though they never really find anything. There are lots of suspenseful shots of them running around in the woods or wherever. Jess screams a lot. 

The episodes are listed below. I have made notes on my favorites:

Season 1:

1. Mothman Phenomenon- More Mothman please! I have been to Mt Pleasant WV in search of him (and visited the Mothman Museum). I didnt find Mothman but it's a really fun urban legend. Could the locals have mistaken Mothman for a large stork or other bird? Could the animal have mutated due to hazardous chemical from the old army depot? Whatever the explanation, Mothman is my favorite cryptid. 
2. Cambodia's Jungle Monster
3. Terror on Doll Island
4. Mystery of Mammoth Cave- The crew investigates reports of strange happenings in Mammoth Cave, Kentucky (the world's largest cave system). It has 25 known entrances. Phil and Jess spend two days exploring unmapped sections of the cave. I have been to Mammoth Cave a number of times and never saw anything strange (but then again I wasnt alone in restricted areas of the cave). My guess is what has been reported is actually auditory hallucinations caused by sensory deprivation. When you're in a cave, alone, in the pitch black dark, your mind can play strange tricks on you. 
5. Mt Adams' UFO Encounters
6. The Amazon's Cursed Ruins
7. Lake Of the Dead- Lake Lanier is located outside of Atlanta, Georgia. It is one of the largest manmade lakes in the country. When the government planned to create the lake in the 1950s. they had to move hundreds of people and the remains from some 20 cemeteries. Locals believe the paranormal activity is due to the deceased NOT being relcated (this also includes Native American sites that may not have been marked). Some 700 people have drowned in Lake Lanier since it was created. Phil dives to the bottom of the lake and finds a number of tombstones. Doesnt look like the government tried too hard to move everyone. Did they not see the movie "Poltergeist"? There is also an excellent episode of "Files of the Unexplained" on NetFlix about this. It takes about the mysteries of Lake Lanier in more depth (including the story of Oscarville-- an African American town that existed in the area before it was flooded). . 

Season 2:

1. Curse of the Ghost Town
2. Oregon Death Ranch
3. Terror of the Bell Witch- The Bell Witch is one of the earlier examples of American folklore. The "Authenticated History of the Bell Witch" was written by Martin V Ingram in 1894. As the story goes, the witch terrorized the Bell family btwn 1817 and 1821 at their home in Adams, TN. There's also a Bell Witch cave. This is said to be the inspiration for the movie "Blair Witch Project" as well as others. So what's the truth? Well the Bells were an actual family. Other than that, who knows?
4. Ghosts in the Swamp
5. Devil in the Forest- The team pursues the legend of the Jersey Devil. He supposedly lives in the Pine Barrens in NJ. This legend has been around some 300 years. I believe what they spotted might be a Hammerhead Bat. They have a 3 feet wingspan and a face like a horse. Someone Phil and Jess interviews explains how bats were stowaways on ships that traveled up the rivers to deliver goods. Could these bats survive the New Jersey winters though?
6. America's Lake Monster- Jessica and Phil go to VT to look for monster in Lake Champlain. Is this a hoax (they have at least one blurry pic) or is it a land locked dinosaur species that has managed to survive all these years?

Season 3:

1. An American Werewolf
2. The Beast of Bray Road- a werewolf like creature in Wisconsin
3. UFOs Over New Mexico
4. Ghosts in the Canal
5. Canyon of the Apes
6. Aliens Of the Deep- Military exercises were being conducted off the coast of Catalina Island (southern California). They detected a number of Tic Tac shaped objects that moved faster than our tech and apparently disappeared into the ocean. Phil and Jess meet with a top Pentagon UFO expert but he can't say much due to his security clearance.
7. Into the Alien Ocean- TOP RATED- A continuation of the previous episode. I am open to believing in UFOs but not sure I'm buying that they like to hide in the ocean. 

Season 4:

1. Terror in Appalachia- The team investigates possible cryptids or feral people in the Smokey Mountains. I am from this area and have sometimes heard stories of bigfoots or feral people. I have spent a LOT of time in these woods and never saw anything for myself. However, I wouldnt rule out the possibility though. There are vast uninhabited areas of wilderness along the TN/NC border. There could be lots of things in there we dont know about. 
2. The Van Meter Monster
3. Thailand's UFO Cult
4. Graveyard of the Great Lakes
5. Ghost Fort of the Civil War- TOP RATED- Fort Morgan Alabama is the site of the August 1864 Civil War Battle of Mobile Bay. A number of shipwrecks also occurred off the coast (including the Tecumseh in which 93 soldiers perished).  The Confederates were outnumbered with 600 men in the old fort while the Union had some 5500 men. After a two week battle, the Confederates surrendered. This cut off one of the few remaining Confederate supply routes and eventually led to the fall of the City of Mobile in April 1865 (which occurred very close to the end of the Civil War). Some say the forst is one of the most haunted places in Alabama. There have been some 1000 deaths there since the forts inception (that's a whole lot of tragedy). Did Jen and Phil find any paranormal activity? Some would say yes but I'm still a skeptic.
6. Civil War Ghosts in the Bay- Continuation of the previous episode. Phil and Jess are joined by Josh and two paranormal investigators (Amy and Adam from Kindred Spirits). 

Season 5:

1. Ring of Fire UFOs
2. The Ozark Howler
3. Mexico's Haunted Cenotes- An asteroid impacted Earth in the Yucatan Peninsula some 66 million years ago. It wiped out 3/4 of all animal and plant life (including dinosaurs). It also created the Mexican cenotes (limestone sinkholes that are filled with water).These are considered by the Mayans to be portals to the underworld. A number of people currently report paranormal activity around the sites. Mayan mythology also includes the legend of the Alux. They are a 3 foot tall race of sprites similar to fairies, leprechauns,  brownies and possibly goblins. They are generally associated with natural features such as caves, etc. They may ask for offerings and if their demands arent met, they may wreak havoc on a farm. 
4. Avalanche Ghost Train
5. Alaskan Lake Monster
6. Mother of the Amazon
7. The Beast of Andros Island- The Lusca is believed to attack the people in the blue holes in/around Andros Island in the Bahamas. Could these blue holes hold a prehistoric creature that travels through the holes to the sea? The Lusca is described as half shark and half octopus-- which is a strange combination indeed. One supposedly washed up on shore in St Augustine Florida. It became known as the St Augustine Monster. 

Season 6:

1. Ghosts of Eloise Asylum, Part 1  Eloise Asylum in Westland, Michigan was once one of the largest psychiatric facilities in the United States. It opened in 1839 and was originally a poor farm. It then expanded to include a TB hospital, a general hospital, and a psychiatric facility (which contained a wing for the criminally insane). At it's height Eloise had 78 buildings on 902 acres with 10,000 patients and 2000 staff. The facility became seriously overcrowded and conditions greatly deteriorated. Eloise closed in 1984 (as part of President Regan's administration cutting funding to hospitals). Most of the buildings at Eloise have been demolished. Now just D building stands. The nearby cemetary has some 7000 people buried there-- most in unmarked graves. The current owner bought the facility for $1. He and his family have had a number of paranormal encounters. If you're near Westland, MI they also have a haunted house, escape rooms, opportunities for paranormal investigators (including night tours), space rentals and other offerings. Sounds like a great time.
2. Ghosts of Eloise Asylum, Part 2- see above. 
3. Beast of the Bayou
4. Witches of Mexico
5. Ghost Town
6. Hellfire Club- The Hellfire Club describes several clubs that existed in Ireland and Great Brian in the 1700s. The ultra exclusive meeting places for the upper crust who wanted to dabble in forbidden activities-- debauchery, drinking, sex, religious mockery and some say-- worshipping Satan. Montpelier Hill in Dublin Ireland was one such locale. Ther known members of the club include: Richard Parsons, Francis Dashwood,  Henry, 4th Baron Barry of Santry, Simon Luttrell, Lord Irnham, Colonel Henry Ponsonby, Colonel Richard St George and Colonel Clements. Benjamin Franklin is said to have joined some meetings.  Their moto was "Do What Though Wilt"-- meaning do whatever you want. Montpelier Hill is said today to be the center of much paranormal activity. Our team doesnt find much except for some bats. There is also the Hellfire Caves in West Wycombe. Sir Francis Dashwood owned this area too and is said to have created the caves as another meeting place. These locations are great stops for tourists interested in the supernatural. 
7. Skinwalker Valley
8. Valley of UFOs

Season 7:

1. Transylvanian Terror- Josh says the Hoia-Baciu Forest in Transylvania is the MOST frightening place he has EVER visited. They did an episode of "Expedition Truth" there 15 years ago. His Director of Photography was violently pulled back and scratched during the session. One of the strange stories about the area is the disappearance of a 5 year old girl who was picnicing with her family. She wandered off and no one could find her. She showed up five years later and had not aged a day. 
2. Killer Sasquatch
3. Death Island- This is a two parter. The team investigates Mackinac Island in Michigan after the tourists leave for the season. Apparently the island and the waters around it are teaming with paranormal activity. Lots of bloodshed has happened there. Several Native American tribes used the island as a burial ground. Then the French, British and Americans fought over it during various battles. The team investigates a haunted B&B, a lighthouse and a shipwreck (the Cedarville) off the coast. 
4. Secrets of Mackinac- See above. The Ghost Brothers (Dalen, Juwan, and Marcus Harvey) join Jess and Phil in the investigation. 
5. Ghost of WW2
6. Beasts of Britain
7. Niagara Nightmare
8. Nuclear UFOs

Season 8:

1. The Madhouse- Heather joins the team (as a replacement for Jess). She, Phil and Josh travel to the Trans Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, WV. It's been on my bucket list FOEVER. It opened in 1864 and closed in 1994.  It is the second largest hand cut masonry building in the world (only behind the Kremlin).The site is considered a National Historic Landmark and reopened as a tourist attraction in 2008. Along with the previously visited Eloise Asylum, TALA also performed a large # of icepick lobotomies. Estimates of the number of people who died here is as high as 30,000.
2. Trapped in the Asylum- TOP RATED- A continuation of the previous episode. 
3. What Lurks In The Loch Ness
4. Haunted Savannah- TOP RATED
5. City of Ghosts
6. Beast of the Everglades
7. Castle of Terror
8. The Dogman Conspiracy

Season 9:

1. Chateau of Horror- Heather and Phil visit what may be the most haunted chateau in France-- Chateau de Veauce. The chateau is over 1000 years old dates back to 808. A previous owner and his son died in prison during the Reign of Terror (1972-1793). It is estimated that btwn 30,000 and 100,000 people died during the French Revolution (1789 thru 1799). Much of the castle is in disrepair but it's still a lot of fun. 
2. Beast of Boggy Creek- TOP RATED
3. Secrets of the Nazi Occult
4. Nazi Occult Underworld Revealed
5. NOT RELEASED YET

Photo Credit: https://www.discovery.com/shows/expedition-x

GMonsterTV
TV: Heavy On Horror, Sci Fi, Fantasy & Adventure

February 26, 2025

7:53 AM