So, I watched a couple episodes of Finding Bigfoot last night. I think they were both reruns, but it’s been awhile since I’ve watched this awesome show. My critique consists of a game called "What Are the Chances?" I’m going to compare the Finding Bigfoot crew members' theories about their findings to the first alternative that pops into my head. Then we ask are ourselves, what are the chances that their theory is correct opposed to my alternative.
1. FACT: After listening to a tape of timber wolves howling that was recorded in the wild, they notice that one of the wolves sounds slightly different. It is more guttural.
Their theory: Squatches are smart. In order to evade detection by humans, they disguise their calls to each other by closely imitating the sounds of other fauna in the environment. Only the trained human ear can detect these variations and pick out the squatch call.
My proposed alternative: Maybe all wolves don't sound exactly alike.
2. FACT: The crew was walking through the woods late at night. In order to attract a bigfoot, they are banging pieces of wood together (ironically while whispering to each other). In the distance, they hear a loud splash coming from a stream.
Their theory: The shy, reclusive bigfoot thought that a good response to a couple of clowns banging sticks together would be to throw a big rock into the water.
My proposed alternative: They scared a beaver.
3. FACT: They heard a whistle.
Their theory: Obviously it was a sasquatch.
My proposed alternative: It was a bird.
4. FACT: There are many reports of squatch sightings by campsites at which the campers are sitting around a campfire playing guitars.
Their theory: Based on these reports, squatches are attracted to human made music. Despite their fear of humans, this is a good way to attract sasquatches for observation.
My proposed alternative: Generally speaking, the hippy campers making these reports are stoned out of their minds at the time and they are seeing trees.
5. FACT: It is dark. After making some bigfoot calls, one of the crew see an “eye shine” looking at them from the tree line. The eyes are at about human level.
Their theory: It’s got to be sasquatch.
My proposed alternative: It’s a bear. But that’s pretty boring for the “what are the chances game.” So instead, let’s say it is a local resident’s escaped pet chimpanzee, which is conditioned to human voices and came to investigate.
Based on this exercise, I’ve come to the conclusion that the stupidest person on the show is Renea, the skeptic. She is constantly stumped to provide an alternative explanation for what the crew experiences. She remains skeptical, but…… how to explain the weird noises and things they see? She should start with the presumption that, “It could be ANYTHING other than a sasquatch.”
One last thought on the show. How great would it be if one episode, they hear a noise, see a large heat signature on their infrared camera, and take off in pursuit. After a few minutes of stalking the beast (actually crashing clumsily through the woods), the bear they're following turns around and attacks them?
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