Legend Quest

The new Syfy Channel offering "Legend Quest" embarks on some excellent historically inspired adventures, but presents us with an overly dramatic portrayal of what real archaeologist do in the field, failing to show the research, planning and logistics that must be involved in such ventures. Ashley Cowie is a good solid host who brings us insightful thoughts which appear to be heartfelt. None the less, these very ideas are not ultimately backed up with discoveries that demonstrate accepted scholarly research within their hypothesis. Kinga Phillips has in this first episode been used more as "eye candy" or as a straight person requiring her to employ her acting skills rather than her accomplished journalistic credentials. Ashley Cowie's exuberant efforts to portray his historical assumptions are shown without substantive academically accepted proof lacking the appropriate historical and or biographical references.

I have only been able to catch 2 episodes of Legend Quest. It is a well choreographed and edited show and makes a good travelogue with gorgeous scenery and a good history lecture of ancient legends. But I have a problem with the conclusions at the end.

I was really upset when the host theorized that the spearhead that pierced Christ was secreted in Area 51. Though not admitted publicly, the spearhead recovered by General Patton was stored in the Fort Knox Gold Repository. The crown of King Stephan of Hungary was stored there as well but was better publicized, especially when President Carter decided to give it back to Hungary while the country was still under communist rule (which upset my Hungarian born wife to no end as she was afraid the communists would destroy it). It is logical to assume that many historical artifacts are stored at Fort Knox other than just tons of gold bullion. But don't try to sneak in there to look for it. You won't make more than 10 yards inside the fence before becoming history yourself.

Another episode was on the Stone of Divinity (or something like that). The search and scenery were well presented but heavily edited. The scene of finding what appears to be the stone was strictly dramatics. The flooring with the trap door is less than 20 years old (no mildew or dry rot on the beams) so the caretakers of the Castle on Iona have known a black monolith of some sort has been down there a long time.

Perhaps the best looking part of the show is Kinga Phillips. Though her biography shows her as being born in Poland, the name Kinga is Hungarian. That's the same name as my wife's Hungarian sister, and one of our nieces by her brother. She is a professional actress and not an archaeologist but works well with the host as well as being eye appealing.

So, if the endings and findings were done more realistically (such as the Iona custodian telling them there's a big black rock in that small room under a trap door), I wouldn't groan so much.

And as for Groom Lake Air Force Base (science-fictionally called Area 51), give me a break. You can see every building on Google Earth and read the runway markings. At best I think it's a decoy to keep UFO hunters busy and security personnel and procedures trained and practiced for real secret bases.

Yet I still like the show but mostly for entertainment rather than historical accuracy.

Apparently this show was written by children.

It's a truly pathetic attempt to make archeology more interesting by adding a legend quest theme. but it actually does more harm than good. It's as dumb and retarded as ancient aliens which also manages to take the hard work of scholars and regress it to mysticism and film flam.

I actually enjoyed it because I like to hate things and this show provided me with a non stop tirade of hatred.

It manages treat the audience like morons.

It uses editing techniques to add bad voice overs to scenes where there clearly wasn't any dialogue.

The editing in general is just awful. It's a mish-mash of extreme close ups and non-existent suspense. The episode I watched featured 3 close ups of spiders.

The Indiana Jones knock off host just pisses you off. He is arrogant and manages to lose his Scottish accent in favour of an American accent on numerous occasions seemingly in dramatic situations.

For a show that presents some adventure and history check out digging for the truth instead.

I have no idea how this show was green-lit, or how it got away with the shoddy work that it did. The editing is disgustingly terrible. The "evidence" they use to justify recording is laughable. It's a show that has nothing to show for its expense, yet they try to convince the audience that the team is perpetually on the verge of discovering something groundbreaking. It's insulting, and a perfect example of "investigative" reality shows on the paranormal that have gone too far.

Legend Quest is SyFy's attempt to create a modern Indiana Jones (with a bit if Dan Brown thrown in for good measure), and is about as historically accurate. Host Ashley Cowie certainly looks the part, right down to the 5 o'clock shadow and the shoulder bag (it's a satchel!) In a half an hour of television, this "archaeological explorer" (whatever that means) seeks to solve the great mysteries that have plagued historians and archaeologists for centuries. Along with him is Kinga Phillips, a buxom "field producer" who's sole purpose is to be a sounding board for Cowie's wild assumptions and theories. Some of his leaps of logic are laughable at best. "Hey, this two headed eagle has wings. The Ark of the Covenant had angels with wings. It must be a clue!".

The show's structure is much like a treasure map. "Take 20 paces to the the south west". One clue leads to another and another. If it were that easy, they would have solved these centuries ago. Rubish.