Is ‘Expedition Unknown’ Real? Fans Share Their Thoughts

Expedition Unknown has intrigued fans ever since its premiere on January 8, 2015. 

Mysteries and knowing the truth behind them have intrigued audiences for a long time. There are many shows and documentaries that revolve around this, and Expedition Unknown is one of them. 

What Is 'Expedition Unknown' About?

The show is hosted by Josh Gates, an archaeologist who goes to various locations known to have the biggest mysteries in the world. Gates explores them all and tells its history most interestingly. 

Some of the exciting cases he has looked into are Amelia Earhart, Nazca Lines, Bermuda Triangle, the origin of Jesus, Stonehenge, Vikings, the Dyatlov Pass Incident, and the infamous D. B. Cooper Case, among others. 

He has also explored the possibilities of time travel and extraterrestrial lives. Initially, the series aired on Travel Channel.

Josh Gates posing for a picture in Poland. (Source: Instagram)

However, after 2018, it moved to Discovery Channel. It has ten seasons where the first six episodes of season 10 premiered in the summer of 2021. The remaining will continue throughout 2022. 

Is Expedition Unknown Real?

While the show and its spin-off are interesting, many people wonder, "is Expedition Unknown real?" While a significant number of viewers believe it is real, others believe it is fake or staged.  

Most of them take social media to discuss it, especially the r/ExpeditionUnknown subreddit. A Reddit user wrote that they found the show cool but cheesy and fake. 

They explained their experience of watching an episode that discussed Nazi Gold to prove their point. In the episode, the cast members visit underground tunnels. 

When they were about to see where the tunnels led, they got scared about the radiation and got out of there. The user felt no danger, but the people "were just trying to be dramatic."

Fans discussing the question - is Expedition Unknown real? (Source: Reddit)

They also pointed out that Gates "always seems to make these huge discoveries while filming the show." As a result, they believed the series seemed "scripted and staged." 

Another user claimed that the show is "so fake it's painful." They strongly believed that only documentaries were real and others were mostly staged. 

Similarly, some pointed out that Search for the Afterlife was fake with no evidence. They called Bob Larson a con-man and accused him of taking advantage of mentally ill people. 

Others pointed out that these series were for entertainment only and were open to interpretation. Some people enjoy watching the show even if they think it's staged. 

One user noted that the Discovery series was about "chase and journey" rather than "the gold and the glory." They believed the viewers enjoyed the experience through Gates. 

Fans discuss if the series is real or fake. (Source: Reddit)

They advised to "enjoy the show for what it is" and discover unknown parts of the world. They suggested exploring histories and cultures via it and escaping every once in a while. 

In the same manner, another Reddit user believed that the series was "obviously staged." However, they wished Gates and his team would dive deeper into the topics they cover. 

They credited the show for introducing interesting subjects and helping them broaden their knowledge.

At the end of the day, until and unless the creators or Gates clarify themselves, we won't know for sure if the show is real or fake.