Mountain Monsters: Who thought this show up???

I like shows looking for unknown or unusual animals. Monster Quest has a few good episodes and River Monsters rocks. So I am not a hater from the get-go.

HOWEVER...

I have been watching a few episodes of Mountain Monsters.

america.discovery.com...

If you haven't seen it, a group of West Virginians tries to hunt down and trap every spooky critter said to be roaming the hills. The Mothman, Wampus Beast, Wolfman, etc. They build traps and try to drive the elusive creatures into it at night. Daytime will not work for some reason. Apparently where these guys live is Cryptid Central as there is no shortage of monsters stalking the poor hill folk.

Yeah, it is entertainment and the American public must love stereotypical hillbillies running a-muck in the wilderness at night chasing beasties. The show has been signed for a second season and is very popular. Zeke and Cletus building Scooby-Doo traps must resonate with the audience. Of course the crafty antagonists never get caught (although I think they did catch some Devil Dogs - whatever they are - at least they had their feet on film).

I do not want to call the show an outright fake as that might burst some bubbles and that is not what this is about.

My question is: Why? If there are so many unknown animals out there (science discovers them all the time), why does the public spoon up this nonsense? Did this show idea focus-group better? Are "real" monsters boring? Does it simply feel better to feed the notion that those who think there is still something unknown must be a knuckle-dragging mouth breather?

Am I on my own on this one? Is my bar too high?

It's entertainment. There's various levels of the intelligence behind the entertainment too, personally I enjoy silly shows like this one (I haven't seen it yet, but thanks for bringing it to my attention.)

Other shows in this category might be destination truth, finding bigfoot, JR questions everything etc... I couldn't tell you why I like these shows I just do.
I watch them when I feel like satisfying that silly mystery seeking person in me. And don't get me wrong, I'm a fairly intelligent person, I can watch a serious show on black holes or anything that takes my interest really.

A show like that is a hell of a lot more entertaining than say Idol or Big Brother.

The hillbilly aspect is just humorous, especially to non-americans like myself

Keeping them entertained stops them thinking too much.
The only monsters on this planet are those who control us.

Originally posted by VoidHawk
Keeping them entertained stops them thinking too much.
The only monsters on this planet are those who control us.

Lol... So "TPTB" intentionally air shows of degrading intelligence to dumb us all down from thinking too much?

Shows like Mountain Monsters is a deliberate conspiracy to calcify our pineal glands I suppose?

I think you both take life WAY too seriously

reply to post by ABNARTY

I tuned in today out of curiosity and was left with the same questions. I think that network suits must have combined one of cable's new reality staple, the American Hillbilly, or "Mountain Folk" as they prefer to call themselves, with another reality staple, the "paranormal crap that must ALWAYS be hunted in the dark with night vision cameras" stuff.

The most amusing thing about the show was how the Hillbillies were nonchalantly carrying presumably loaded firearms through the woods IN THE DARK! In all likelihood, with their unkempt beards and such, I am amazed they didn't try to shoot one another thinking "it might be a DevilApeTardBeast" or whatever made up stuff they see when they drink too much shine...

Originally posted by ABNARTY

Yeah, it is entertainment and the American public must love stereotypical hillbillies running a-muck in the wilderness at night chasing beasties.

Does it simply feel better to feed the notion that those who think there is still something unknown must be a knuckle-dragging mouth breather?

Am I on my own on this one? Is my bar too high?

In a word, YES.

You do understand that the world is full of people who derive all of their emotional satisfaction from artificial sources. It's not about being the best person you can be. It's simply about feeling that you are better than the lowest common denominator.

It's the emotional equivalent of outrunning your companion instead of having to outrun the bear.

People used to go to the state fair and the circus to see the low end of society performing. To see "freaks" and oddities. This made their own small lives feel less small.

Now they have it served up on TV for everybody to wallow in on a daily basis.

Americans eat up "Reality" TV like dogs eat their own vomit.
It's gross for the rest of us to watch but the dog doesn't seem to mind at all.

Originally posted by Nomad451
Lol... So "TPTB" intentionally air shows of degrading intelligence to dumb us all down from thinking too much?

How on earth can any sane individual come to any other conclusion?

Television is the biggest WMD the world has ever seen.

TV = Weapon of Mass Deception.

reply to post by Nomad451


It's not 'taking life too seriously' but simply trying to understand the context of the shows success.

While you may find it entertaining and nothing more, we can't extrapolate that to all viewers. There are more than plenty of fluffy shows out there to keep even the most cerebrally-shallow numb with glee.

As we have seen the invasion of reality shows covering every aspect of human existence, perhaps it is no great mystery that is bleeding over to shows about science. It is with great trepidation I mention Mountain Monsters in that category.

reply to post by the owlbear


Right?

I have yet to see them shoot at anything though. Perhaps that is a rider in the shows insurance policy.

Hillbilly and especially reality shows do bring the ratings on cable TV, not surprised they'd have a show as such. Paranormal reality TV has it too. Though, would catch vids of the show for such as the Wampus Beast, not familiar with that term for a cat-like beast, or just info and Youtube on the beast. It may just be "big cats" that turn up in areas where they are not currently known to thrive.

A 500 pound Wampus Beast is killing the cattle in Pleasants County, West Virginia. Now a group of expert hunters and trappers are using their backwoods knowledge to protect their livestock and catch the Wampus Beast.

Cryptomundo

reply to post by badgerprints


Not a bad way to look at it, the dog and the vomit thing.

After watching these guys tear around the woods at night, hopefully not shooting each other, who could not help but feel superior in some way?

It is good for a laugh sure, but it just got signed for another season. Just how many monsters do folks think are running around those hills?

reply to post by ABNARTY


Nope, you are not alone.

These shows couldn't catch a cold in winter, much less legendary critters who've, assuming they exist at all, evaded hunters for centuries.

They aren't even good comedy for the most part.

reply to post by Nomad451



I agree....I must confess I laugh my a$$ off at "TurtleMan" on "Call of the Wild" (animal planet) you know....the toothless hillbilly who catches critters with his bare hands while screamin "Live Action Baby!"

reply to post by dreamingawake


Well I watched that episode and I literally laughed out loud when they showed the clip a "hunting cam" showed of the wampus "walking" along a ridgeline. It looked totally like a mockup, like a cardboard cutout or made of plyboard. Moved several feet and the tail didn't even move. So obvious...

But then again you have people out there that believe "wrestling" is not fake.

I still maintain that as a society... we are doomed.

reply to post by Terminal1


Wait....what....

Professional wrestling is fake?

Easily the best monster hunter show ever

originally posted by: Thorneblood
Easily the best monster hunter show ever

Shame they barely find anything.

a reply to: ABNARTY

The same reason they make "UFO Hunters" and "Ghost Hunters".

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: ABNARTY

The same reason they make "UFO Hunters" and "Ghost Hunters".

hey those are real damn it!! Okay, maybe really entertaining, but still fun to watch!

Has everyone checked out "Survivor Man" hunting bigfoot?

It's not like I go hunting for these shows, I have teenage boys in the house.

a reply to: ABNARTY

But it's okay for Bobo and his band of misfits to hoot and holler out in the woods? Heck, I remember watching one of them rolling around in the grass saying it smelled of Squatch! I have yet to see them West Virginia boys do anything like that.

Besides, it's entertainment and nothing more. Leave them good Ole boys alone!