Review: In Search Of… The Complete Collection & Your Chance to Win! [UPDATED: Winners announced for In Search of... box set!] January 24, 2013
by Robert Lyons , Filed under: Review , trackback
Leonard Nimoy may best be remembered as Mr. Spock from Star Trek, but he also spent six seasons exploring the unexplained in the classic 70’s television series “In Search of…”. The show was recently released on DVD, and TrekMovie brings you a look at the series, it’s DVD release, and offers you a chance to win a complete collection of the paranormal classic. Our review and details on our contest follow the cut.
Leonard Nimoy is In Search of…
Back in the early 1990’s, I would spend the better part of my after-school time watching television instead of doing my homework. One show that featured prominently in my viewing habits was the classic Lenoard Nimoy series “In Search of…”. The series has been off the air now since 2002, but every last episode – including the precursor and successor series are now available on DVD in a massive boxed set from Visual Entertainment.
Listing for $149.99, you get an impressive box filled with twenty-one disks, presenting all 144 episodes hosted by Leonard Nimoy, as well as the Rod Serling narrated “In Search of Ancient Astronauts” and “In Search of Ancient Mysteries”. Also included is the short-lived 2002 SciFi Channel revival hosted by Mitch Pileggi (The X-Files, Stargate:Atlantis, Sons of Anarchy).
Rod Serling
Rod Serling’s voice and science fiction pedigree made him a perfect choice for Alan Landsburg when he adapted Erich von Däniken’s controversial bestseller “Chariot of the Gods?”. Serling serves up a pitch-perfect voiceover that really makes for an entertaining exposition of claims of ancient alien visitations on earth. While the scientific claims behind many of the program’s claims are loose at best, the program remained highly entertaining – if for no other reason than its exploration of early human mythology and culture. The success of this program lead to a second Serling-voiced special, which is also included in the DVD set. A third program, not bearing the “In Search of…” moniker, is not included. Serling was the first choice to host the series version of the program, but his untimely death in June 1975 left a gap that demanded an iconic presence. Enter Leonard Nimoy.
While the iconic Mr. Spock would never speculate on much of anything, the six seasons of “In Search of…” running from 1976 to 1982 were filled with speculative research, science, and mythological content. The series’ weekly introduction included the following memorable narration:
“This series presents information based in part on theory and conjecture. The producer’s purpose is to suggest some possible explanations, but not necessarily the only ones, to the mysteries we will examine.”
Plants responding to people’s thoughts? Ancient Phoenicians in New Hampshire? Two-thousand year old computer parts? Yes, “In Search of…” covered such topics, and while the premises were, in many ways, fantastical, Nimoy’s distinctive voice made everything seem at least plausible.
To be sure, the freaky and paranormal weren’t the only topics covered by this series. Segments on the famous hijacker D.B. Cooper, Grand Duchess Anastasia, Amelia Earhart, and the Titanic are among the lingering mysteries the series examined.
Also examined are cults and other religious / spiritual phenomenon, including the Jim Jones cult, reincarnation, Voodoo, Noah’s Flood, and the Garden of Eden.
Each episode featured somewhat stylistically produced re-enactments of historical (or supposedly historical) events, accompanied by a distinctive score and Leonard Nimoy’s excellent voice work.
Mitch Pileggi
When the SciFi Channel chose to revive the series in 2002, a paranormal revival of sorts was beginning to hit the television. The network already had John Edward’s program “Crossing Over” on the schedule, so “In Search of…” seems like it should have been a natural fit. Except that it wasn’t.
Where the Nimoy version of “In Search of…” felt like the natural evolution of the previous Serling specials, the Pileggi-hosted revival felt like any of a host of programs on the air, cramming brief segments into an allotted time slot, and never really doing justice to the subject matter. Instead of spending a half-hour on a single topic, the revival felt disjointed, with a single episode covering such disparate topics as hauntings, stigmata, and zombies in a single outing. Nothing of the feel of either predecessor survived in SciFi’s version, which – mercifully – lasted just eight episodes.
Typical imagery
The episodes are presented as they originally aired, and, in what is essentially their original audio and visual quality. The Serling and Nimoy episodes are of somewhat lower visual quality than the Pileggi episodes, which were shot with better video equipment. However, the visual quality of 1970’s filming techniques is one of the things that always made “In Search of…” an endearing program. Exotic locales glimpsed from airplanes and back roads… lost colonies… the look of the show gave them all a historical feeling, and yet one that drew you into the subject in a way that looking at a book rarely did.
To be certain, the wide range of topics covered in the run of “In Search of…” can be mind boggling, but even if the passage of time has solved some of the mysteries explored by the show, the DVD set still stands as an entertaining blast from the past that would well-grace the shelves of any fan of the paranormal, the unexplained, or of Leonard Nimoy.
Visual Entertainment provided a sampler for this review.
The complete box set
TrekMovie.com and Visual Entertainment want to share the DVD nostalgia that is “In Search of…” with you. Simply share a comment below regarding your favorite recollection from the Leonard Nimoy era of “In Search of…” and you’re registered to win. The contest ends Sunday, January 27, and a winner will be selected on Monday, January 28.
UPDATE: Winner Chosen for “In Search of…” Box Set Contest!
Congratulations to the first place winner of our ISO DVD contest. Andrew W. of Phoenix, Arizona captured the set with his comment:
In Search Of… surely helped make me the “Geek” that I am today. My friends and I looked forward to seeing it each week and being introduced to the bizarre and mysterious in our world. For a youngster, this fueled the heck out of our imagination.
But perhaps the most enduring memory from then is that of sitting around a dinner table with my friends eating spaghetti and meatballs while we hummed the iconic theme to he show and impersonated Nimoy’s deep, deep voice, inventing our own episodes. I remember saying “In Search Of…Nick’s brain” as I held up a fork with a meatball on it.
It’d be cool to see those episodes again. Maybe I’d even invite the old gang to watch and make a dinner party out of it (you can guess the menu).
Andrew has promised to send along photos if he can get that dinner party arranged… and here’s hoping that we’ll finally locate Nick’s brain.
But wait, there’s more! Visual Entertainment was so excited about all of your enthusiasm for “In Search of…” that they’ve asked us to pick a SECOND winner for another box set giveaway! Congratulations to Starfleetmom, the second place winner of our ISO DVD contest who won us over when she said:
I don’t think I ever saw it, so I don’t have a favorite recollection. Perhaps that’s why I should win! I need to see it!
Well, you don’t have an excuse any more! We look forward to hearing what your NEW favorite moment is from “In Search of…”!
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Comments
Great Show for its time
In Search of fueled my love of both science and religion. I know many think those two are at odds with one-another. I’ve always thought that the former tells us how while the latter tells us why- and thus they are very much in dialog with one-another.
Not that I want to start a religion debate, so I’ll leave it at that.
With the Outer Limits and the Twilight Zone being two of my favourite TV series, (and similarly Fringe). In serach of was kinda like a mix of reality and fiction or even science fiction.
A lot of memories are stirred reading this article. I may just have to purchase the series and invest a few weekends.
Leonard is a treasure and i wish they would of used him in the new Star Trek and have him on Regular Shows
I don’t think I ever saw it, so I don’t have a favorite recollection. Perhaps that’s why I should win! I need to see it!
Oh man I am a bit young for the original run, but when I would come home from middle school it was on A&E and I used to watch it all the time. I especially liked the one on Coral Castle, since I lived in Florida. Also, I really enjoyed the Mayans and the Bermuda Triangle. Just a few fun memories, thanks for posting this.
a classic!
nice ’70′s sideburns on Nimoy ;-)
i think the Bermuda Triangle episode was most memorable for me =)
I just remember being creeped out by some episodes (hey, I was SIX at the time). Whether it was UFOs or Bigfoot, Nimoy made it VERY hard for a young kid with a big imagination to go to sleep!
I was 3 when this series started, so while I likely saw it (thanks to my mom), I don’t remember it. But I’ve heard so many people talk about how much influence this show had on them, so I’d love a chance to see it.
I remember catching these much later in syndication and seeing the new one a few times. At a young age it wanted to me to explore the unknown. UFOs, ghosts and cyrptozoology are things I liked when I was younger and still do. The tone and atmosphere of the “creepy” episodes were my favorite, the re-enactments and Nimoy’s voice helped capture my attention. More of a fascination now but with Nimoy hosting it it was nice to have that “Star Trek” feel there.
I used to watch it with my Mom when A&E would show reruns back in the 80s. That was my first introduction of some of History’s greatest mysteries.
I LOVED that show! I never missed an episode and loved the fact that the actor who played my favorite character from Star Trek was narrating. I remember the creepy nature of most of the episodes especially the ones dealing with cryptozoology. The bigfoot episode still lingers in my memory after it creeped me out as a kid.
It’s a tough show to find these days. I’m glad to see they’ve finally decided to give it the treatment it deserves and it’d be great to be able to sit down and watch ‘em all again!
That theme music was just classic, can’t read this article without having it run through my head :) Great nostalgia for this show.
The Abominable Snowman!!!
Really any episode concerning a bigfoot, like creature. The idea of a ape-man creature always grabbed my attention when i was a kid. “In search of” had unsettling quality to it. Leonard Nimoy’s narration provided such a mysterious tone, and the sizzle and crackle of the audio provide an erie sense.
Love them!!!
“Good night and pleasant dreams.”
In Search Of helped fuel my interest in exploring our planet and all of its mysteries. Stories of Mayan archaeological digs, Egyptian pyramids, Nessie, and bigfoot helped me to decide to become a scientist so I could attempt, at least, to make make a living traveling around the world to learn about all of its wonders.
If I recall correctly, there was an episode about the Amityville Horror house. There was a shot where a demon’s face can be seen in the fireplace. Very, very creepy!
The series never caught my interest at all, though I must have tried watching it a dozen times.
But that Serling ANCIENT ASTRONAUTS show blew me away when I first saw it in junior high. Had all that Von Daniken stuff (some of which Thor Heyerdahl pretty firmly refuted by bribing Easter Island natives into putting up a small face in no time at all) which fueled a lot of my interest in things speculative.
Definitely the Bermuda Triangle episode for me, but they were all brilliant. A favorite show of my youth!
In Search Of… surely helped make me the “Geek” that I am today. My friends and I looked forward to seeing it each week and being introduced to the bizarre and mysterious in our world. For a youngster, this fueled the heck out of our imagination.
But perhaps the most enduring memory from then is that of sitting around a dinner table with my friends eating spaghetti and meatballs while we hummed the iconic theme to he show and impersonated Nimoy’s deep, deep voice, inventing our own episodes. I remember saying “In Search Of…Nick’s brain” as I held up a fork with a meatball on it.
It’d be cool to see those episodes again. Maybe I’d even invite the old gang to watch and make a dinner party out of it (you can guess the menu).
This great series really sparked my imagination and opened my mind to the fantastic. Almost every episode I watched as a kid made me feel like I’d been let in on some special mystery that only a few knew about. I liked to watch the show with my dad and after the program we’d discuss the possibilities that the episode brought up. It was one of my favorite things to do when I was palling around with my dad.
This was one of my favorites when I was a kid – I was mostly drawn to the more modern mysteries like the disappearance of DB Cooper, Amelia Earhart, etc, but the Bermuda Triangle episode really messed with my head. I definitely thought of this show when ST: Voyager solved the Amelia Earhart mystery – it was an alien abduction all along!
Subtitles in Spanish only. Thanks for absolutely nothing.
Would have bought the set as soon as I saw this article if they had English subtitles.
Unfortunately I can’t give you specifics of any favorite moments, but boy oh boy do I remember watching that show. Loved it as a kid. It fueled the Sci-Fi/Fantasy hunger that I had (well, still have).
Hell, I ate up anything with more Nimoy and Shatner. That meant more Trek related shows (even if they weren’t even remotely related to Trek).
Memories. *sigh*
In Search of.. was my favorite show as a child, even more than Star Trek, because the subjects were REAL. While the theories might be a bit outlandish or dated, I think the concept is grand.. I love Nimoy as the narrator, and watching it now brings back memories
The episode I remember most clearly is the one on Bimini Road–I had never heard of it before! And, I must say, Nimoy can rock the ascot!
Oohh…so many memories. I’d watch this show whenever I could find it. Obviously stuff like bigfoot and the Bermuda Triangle grabbed my interest but if I had to pick a show, I’d have to go with the one about the Coral Castle. It was just so strange (did he really levitate those blocks?) and so sad (all for a lost love?) that it really stuck with me.
I remember seeing it for the 1st time in the early 80′s and loving it. Leonard’s voice definitely lent an air of gravitas to the proceedings. I assume he was approached for the revival but wasn’t interested.
One of it’s charms, like Robert said, is how crunchy the visuals and sound are. It’s a wonderful artifact of the times and a great remembrance of the era.
Great review, Robert. I’m now officially tempted to buy it…
Never heard of it.
Did I win?
I don’t remember the specifics of one “favorite moment” – I watched it all the time as a kid and was never disappointed. My favorite thing really was the tone of it – Nimoy presented the story seriously, without either ridiculing it or endorsing that this was the way. You were encouraged to think about it and draw your own conclusions. Shows are seriously lacking that now!
Loved this show growing up… the first time I’d heard of crystal skulls.
Great stuff.
I have to confess, my favorite was actually the parody of this sort of program done in “Amazon Women on the Moon”, under the title “Believe it or Bulls^%t”.
Henry Silva was the “presenter” giving us the evidence thatJack the Ripper was actually the Loch Ness Monster. Hey, it made as much sense as most of what was on “In Search Of…”!
I loved the one about the Lost Dutchman mine in Arizona. Such a great mystery. Sadly, I can’t remember the other episodes. I would sure love a chance to watch em all over! Hopefully they’ll show up on Netflix someday, or I’ll find this set on sale on day.
I have always been a Strar Trek fan and I was overjoyed when Leonard Nimoy was hosting the In Search Of… series. I have also always been interested in science and I enjoyed watching Spock explain some “facinating” topics.
i remember a episode about the amnity ville horror house , i was 12 and it scared the hell out of me, lenard nimoy looked coll in turtle necks
I used to watch reruns of this when I was a kid. Absolutely loved it. I feel like there was an open-mindedness on display that was really admirable. They tried to take a scientific approach to everything, even the silliest subjects (ahem, the Crystal Skulls). My favorites were the episode on the Coral Castle, the Hope Diamond and the Bermuda Triangle. And the reality is that Leonard Nimoy spoke so authoritatively he made even the goofiest subject seem downright plausible.
I think, more than the show itself, it was the atmospheric promo spots for it which inhabited my memory. They almost didn’t even have to give you the subject of the upcoming episode; they just created intrigue with music, v/o and editing.
I used to watch this all the time, one of my favorites!!
I remember watching ISO on Saturday nights reruns as a kid. I still remember the Noah’s Ark ep very well. Still intrigues me today…
“In Search of…Dracula” was always my favorite of the series. I can’t count how many times I’ve watched and re-watched that episode.
In the early 2000s, I tried, unsuccessfully, to use “In Search Of…” as background noise as I fell asleep. Problem was, Leonard Nimoy’s sonorous voice made everything so damned interesting that I stayed up watching it.
Can’t choose a favorite. I enjoyed the Titanic episode, paticularly for the fact that it is presenting information pre-discovery of the wreck. Having Leonard Nimoy as the host gives the wilder stories some wieght and draws you in.
I enjoyed several Eps. The one wioth the Amytyville House was scary at best. Most shows like Ghost Adventuresd and Ghost Hunter’s and many other’s owe In Search of. The Ep with Titanic was simply amazing. Then a few years later they find the real Titanic.
Cool, cool and cool! Was just talking to my wife about this show the other night.
Good article. and well put….going from Serling to Nimoy was a “natural evolution” I remember kind of getting chills listening to both men and the subject matter they covered. And everyone was buying all those theories back then. It had a little more weight to it. But with these guys speaking on the topics…fuhghetabout it.
When Nimoy came on board I remember thinking “Wow! he was perfect to replace him.” His delivery and persona from playing Spock just captured it all at exactly at the right time. It was just as the second wave of re-runs were hitting of Star Trek that really brought “it” back and he was riding that wave of the aura and mystery of Spock before the movies. It was perfect. I also contend he still had his real teeth at this poing because he sounded a bit different to me in Star Trek The Motion Picture.
Bigfoot and Easter Island were interesting. I just remember seeing Leonard Nimoy and telling him how much he and Robert Stack scared the crap out of me as a kid. He chuckled. It was a great feeling making Spock laugh.
Great episode on Van Gogh and the fact the Nimoy did his great one man show called Vincent.
Why isn’t this on A&E or History Channel?
I remember the original show very well. Many of the shows inspired me to do further research on the topics covered. My favorites were the ones on UFOs.
I used to be a fan of this when it first aired. Lots of crazy stuff!
Never saw it, but as a teacher I wonder if there is anything useful that I could use…
I truly enjoyed this series. It was fascinating with a hint of intrigue for a kid growing up.
I loved that show, I used to watch it regularly. The episode that has always stuck in my head for some reason was the bigfoot episode. Never saw the Rod Serling episodes but I can’t wait to check them out.
Fascinating
In Search Of was one of the few shows I never missed as a kid. This was back when a lot of these topics weren’t treated as tabloid trash, as they are now. In Search Of didn’t waste time on fringe aspects of any of the topics they explored. They did their best to stick to facts. Many of the episodes are still pertinent today and good reference material for anyone looking into the unexplained and the paranormal. Nimoy gave the show the serious tone it needed to keep the information they presented as factual as possible. This was when the Bigfoot craze and Erich von Däniken’s “Chariots of the Gods” were still quite in vogue. It’s good to see the series getting released on DVD. The best one could hope for seeing this classic series was when it ran on the History Channel and poor quality uploads to YT. I’d love to see them all again.
I use to watch IN SEARCH OF when it was on TV. I liked the stories and it interested me in learning of different IN SEARCH OF topics that existed all over the world. It was like a TV encyclopedia. Now days on TV, their is so much violence and reruns of the popular TV shows of the past. My favorite episodes were UFO, BIG FOOT and LOCK NESS MONSTER. My FAVORITE episode is IN SEARCH OF UFO’s.
My first memory of In Search Of… was an episode about “Mayan mysteries,” I think. I loved this show as a kid, it was always one I would try to catch whenever it was shown in reruns — I believe our local station showed it Saturday afternoons. Nimoy never seemed convinced about all of the “mysterious” stuff he was presenting on the show, but the show also never failed to be entertaining. Loved it.
I don’t know if it’s my “favorite” recollection of “In Search Of,” but it’s certainly my strongest and most vivid: the episode about the invasion of the killer bees into North America scared me so much as a kid I went and hid in my parents’ bedroom!
I watched the shows as a teenager and enjoyed the UFO, Bigfoot ones. Enjoyed them becasue at the time In the late 1970′s, there were plenty of UFO, paranormal magazines on the newstands to peak my interest. Even the Star newspaper had great UFO stuff in it. No Internet, just getting cable tv in our area, and a few tv stations. Luckily I was close enough to NYC to get their stations and the Star Trek reruns on Channel 11. So being a Star Trek fan was a big reason for following In Search Of…with Nimoy. We all had CB radios in our rooms then and I still remember my friends getting off channel 22 to watch the show and the channel going dead because we all signed off at the same time. Have times sure changed!
I was about 10 when it originally aired, and I *think* it was from this show I first learned of the legend of Bigfoot. Truly fascinating. Nimoy’s voice and the neat 70′s music themes were highlights I remember to this day.
Neat. Even with Amazon Prime and their ‘reduced’ price, however, no way I’d ever shell out that much for it.
I’ve always been a fan of Rod Serling’s programmes, including The Twilight Zone and Night Gallery. So I shall be looking forward to delving into this boxset…Serling plus Nimoy. What more could you ask for?!
Watched this a lot as a kid and it stoked a lot of reading time in the library!
Thanks for offering this!
I really enjoyed watching “In Search Of” as a kid, which along with Star Trek, Cosmos, and other programs helped inspire my interest in space science.
My sister and I watched this series every Saturday night when it first aired, followed by the latest episode of the Muppet Show. It made for a great, if oddly paired, hour of TV viewing!
In search of…the Loch Ness Monster – oh wait that was in Amazon Women on The Moon. I still loved this show, who couldn’t? And i’d love to have a DVD box set.
It was great to see In Search Of get a shout out from Bad Robot in Super 8!
Wait, there wasn’t an ‘In search of… the Loch Ness monster?’ Because that’s the first thing I think of when I think of this show.
When I think of Leonard Nimoy, I think first of Star Trek and then of In Search Of. I remember watching it late on a Saturday afternoon areound 5 or 6. Fond memories!
I only recall seeing bits and pieces of the show on the History Channel in the 90s. Being a Trekkie, of course I stopped channel surfing and watched for a bit.
I loved this show! These and the Time-Life series of books on the supernatural fueled my childhood imagination, as much as Marvel comics. Leonard’s voiceover is iconic, in my opinion, and lent an air of mystery and substance to the episodes. And like the original Star Trek, the cheap production values (grainy film, photos looking as if they were shot for the Nat’l Enquirer and a creaky, croaky musical soundtrack) all made In Search Of… greater than the sum of its parts. Can’t wait to see this again!
What a cool series, I thought I was the only one that liked it ;). Some were very interesting, others scared the crap out of me more than any horror movie, because it was just possible. Hard to pick just one. The one I would pick is Van Gogh. I know it was to promote Nimoy’s play, but I liked the flow and it was different from the others.
I recall very much enjoying In Search Of on its original run in the 70′s – which were a time when many aspects mythology, science, sci-fi, were over-lapping in attempting to explain some of the “unexplainable”.
Adding Mr. Nimoy as host was icing on the cake .. being a Trek fan, it was always a treat to see him out of uniform, if you will and he did give the show an extra air of authenticity.
I’d love to relive those moments again with the new box DVD set .. send it my please!
64. Jack – “Wait, there wasn’t an ‘In search of… the Loch Ness monster?’ ”
Season 1, Episode 20
It’s just that “Amazon Women on the Moon” did it more plausibly…
[grinning, ducking and running]
Hey, I remember that series. Cool seeing “Mr Spock” in civvies and smiling. I can’t remember much of what was discussed, but I know I found it interesting and enjoyable. Those were the days…sigh…;)
Yes, indeed, send the box-series to me as well. DVDs need to be Region 4 OK. So does the TOS DVD box-set need to be Region 4 as well. That’s the ticket now…
Good people!
OT – just listened to a gorgeous piano concerto (Tchaikovsky/Chopin?) being played by a character in a sci-fi cartoon – Ben 10 Ultimate Alien. Way to go, producers of children’s cartoons introducing young minds to the beauties of *classical* music. I applaud! My daughter was watching it on TV.
I recall this show as a kid and it scaring the crap out of me a lot of the time. I have watched some of the episodes again as an adult and they still have a tendency to creep me out a bit but in true Vulcan sense… I find it all very fascinating! I miss that era of my youth when everything was interesting, fascinating and an enigma.
The episode about the Loch Ness monster is the one I remember best.
So glad to FINALLY see this released on DVD, and in it’s entirety! I bought a boot-legged VHS tape version a few years ago and the two episodes that were on it were transferred from worn-out 16mm film dupes, terrible quality with scratches and bad edits.
Love the whole series… episodes like the ‘The Lincoln Conspiracy’ and the ‘The Hindenburg Mystery’ always intrigued me. Would love to watch this show again and introduce it to my daughter.
I never watched “In Search Of…” when it was first on television. When I came back from Military service overseas in 1977, I saw Leonard Nimoy hosting the program. I watched it just because I have always been a Star Trek fan.
I was in my heady exciting days of early Trek fandom in 1976… I was in the middle of watching many episodes for the first time as they were shown each weekday afternoon on the local station. Anything Trek-related was of interest to me, and for that reason I caught “In Search of” as often as possible. I even taped an episode or two on audio cassette as I did each episode of Trek. Hearing Leonard’s voice made anything he said sound reasonable and logical. Getting to see him as he was atthat time ignited hopes of seeing him in the role os Spock again. So, although connected to Trek only by virtue of starring Nimoy, it seemed almost to be an extension of it by having “Mr. Spock” talk about strange phenomena. Here is an article I clipped about it back then: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_s8l-yu7AZLM/Sklxy2rbO5I/AAAAAAAAIDs/KucNYlgIPrA/s1600-h/tvs_dynamic_heroes_st_04.jpg
I remember watching “In Search of” on a regular basis. It was always weird seeing Leonard Nimoy with regular ears. But I really enjoyed the show and recall the one about the “Lost Dutchman Mine”. Searching for lost treasure seemed like it would be fun and of course one always thinks they will be the one to find it. Who knows, maybe the “In Search Of” DVD set will be the treasure I find. :’)
I wasn’t around for the original run of In Search Of… but I used to have dozens of VHS tapes filled with episodes from re-runs on A&E. It was a great show for introducing kids to world history and I think it encouraged critical thinking.
I’d love to add the DVD set to my collection to replace my VHS tapes!
Nimoy had the perfect voice for this kind of show. Glad to finally see it on DVD.
Very enjoyable show, and I think I viewed most if not all, at the time they first aired.
This show had a few scary stories about insects that easily frightened me as a child. However, my most fond recollections were when Nimoy would occasionally skirt around an issue with very non-committal narration. Even as a child, I could tell that the narrator was not wanting to push the ideas suggested by the show as definite facts.
I was quite young when I first discovered ‘In Search Of …,’ and the timing was such that I had just started watching the original Star Trek series. The combination of Spock, mythology, and loose science was more than enough to hook my 3rd grade mind. I was in awe as the show took me to explore Atlantis and see people with psychic powers. In fact, it was because of ‘In Search Of …’ that I enjoy watching science television/documentaries now!
Always enjoyed this show when I could catch it. Would love to see it again!
I remember watching as a kid in the 70′s and being curious why Nimoy was doing something other than Trek.
I always think of my dad when In Search of is mentioned. He had that program on every time it was on growing up! Good memories.
In search of… UFOs
In search of… The Loch Ness Monster
these topics — and so many others — were what initially drew me into the series – aside from the somewhat familiar host ;0)
I’m thrilled to hear that the series is being re-released as a DVD box set!
This was part of the Saturday night syndicated line-up here in Rochester, NY. In Search Of, The Muppet Show, Space 1999 and Star Trek. Classic shows, a big part of my early teen years. I also had a chance to meet Mr. Nimoy during this time. I’m pretty sure I’ll have to buy this set.
In Search Of… was one of those shows that I never really had a favorite episode as much as the desire of catching the new stories every week. The narrative throughout left an anticipation of discovering new clues on old theories & subjects. With the loss of the late, great Rod Serling, Leonard Nimoy was the perfect choice to step in as our guide into the unknown.
I should mention that all this was before Star Trek TMP was released. One of my favorite times of Trek history- that’s age and nostalgia speaking.
I used to LOVE watching that show after school growing up. They always had something really interesting they were investigating.
Great to see they’ve released it on DVD.
It WAS a great show … for it’s time, and it was a joy hearing Nimoy’s iconic voice doing science fiction again. I miss it.
“In Search Of” was a family favorite during its original airing, when I was a young kid. I agree with others who recall the Bermuda Triangle episode as one of the best. I also enjoyed Nimoy’s hosting of “The Coral Jungle” which was aired around that same time. Anyone else recall that?
Loved that show..fave In Search of Bigfoot..has that crazy music and sounds as Nimoy describes the events….fascinating!
http://www.thewrap.com/movies/article/jj-abrams-set-direct-next-star-wars-film-exclusive-74596
Has anyone else seen this? Abrams IS directing Star Wars VII??
I never missed an episode back in the 70s. My favorite memory of the show wasn’t actually from the show but in the Studio movie theatre on Ventura Blvd after seeing opening night ‘Wrath of Khan.” Walking out of the restroom a younger kid was telling me the next movie was going to be called “In Search of Spock.” I,of course, didn’t believe him. ;~}
@96 Been seeing these reports. I trust Anthony to get to the bottom of it.
Yes, Collider is also reporting that Abrams will direct the next Star Wars. I just hope he remembers there is a difference between Star Wars and Star Trek.
http://collider.com/j-j-abrams-star-wars/#more-226856
If JJ is going to direct the next Star Wars, the next Star Trek is 8- 10 years down the road.
Time for him to pass the baton.
Yeah I have serious doubts that JJ would even touch Star Trek 3 after this. It’s no secret that he loves him some Star Wars. I have some mixed feelings about this, but it’s still rather exciting (if it proves true).
I can think of a lot of other things I would rather spend $150 on, so this is a non- starter. If anything, I will wait until it hits the cut- out bins at Big Lots for $14.95.
99- JJ Abrams directed Star Trek as if it was a Star Wars prequel, all eye- candy and very little content. He’ll have no problem porting his lens flares into the Star Wars universe.
I loved watching “In search of…” with my father. We always had such great discussions about each episode. If I were to win this DVD set, I’d share it with my sons (8 and 7).
My favorite memory is of the episode Entitled “In Search Of UFO Cover Ups”, which I saw back in the ’70s. In the dramatic “re-creation” of an “eyewitness” event, a group of soldiers journeys out to the desert and finds…the Jupiter 2.
I’m not kidding. It’s even on youtube. watch the episode and at about 16 minutes in you’ll see the clip I’m talking about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE6l09lSfeI
My favorite recollection is watching the show in first run syndication with my dad on Saturday afternoons,
Goes it matter if he directs the next Wars movie? Paramount had his production company sign off on 3 Trek films, so while he may produce Trek 3, he won’t direct it…which can be a good thing for folks who disapprove of lens flares, etc.
New directors, new directions, new ideas. Nothing wrong with that. It’s obviously still a tent pole franchise for Paramount, unless this flick bombs horribly.
I was always interested in the UFO phenomena and loved In Search Of. Nimoy was my favorite.
In the 80′s they did a parody of it in a movie called “Amazon Women on the Moon.” Henry Silva played the Nimoy role and it was called “Bullshit or Not” the “episode” was about how the Loch Ness monster was Jack the Ripper. Good fun.
Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2yVZCVLK3E
I remember watching these in the mid 80′s when they ran on Australian television. This and “The World Around Us” were two of my favourite documentary shows. Great viewing that the whole family would watch in the early evening on the weekend.
Classic stuff.
I just hope J.J Abrams doesn’t turn “Star Wars” into “Star Trek”.
Not sure that we need to see Han Solo and co. firing phaser beams, or Chewbacca quoting Klingonese.
:-)
Really JJ went to Star Wars.
I hope its fake.
I remember being utterly fascinated by th Nazca lines geoglyphs and the synthesizer soundtrack to the program. Seeing Nimoy with his leisure suits, neckerchiefs and groovy sideburns had me doubting I’d ever see him in Spock ears again.
Is that movie-era Spock being used on the box cover art? Weird.
I feel kind of jilted. JJ made no bones about the fact that Star Wars was his first love, but he turned down the project out of loyalty to Star Trek. It just feels like the Trek film franchise gets the sloppy seconds treatment all over again.
Love in Search of the way Mr. Nimoy handled it. Absolute classic tv. On another subject, why hasn’t this site mentioned the HUGE news of JJ Abrams being the new Star Wars director, and how it might effect Star Trek 3? http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1700760/jj-abrams-star-wars-episode-vii.jhtml
This is further proof why we’ve gotten a load of sequel info in the last couple of months. The “Star Wars” aquisition by Disney forced the hand of Paramount, and with J.J Abrams now rumored to direct the next “Star Wars” movie, the studio will not tolerate another four-year gap between movies.
The third Trek movie will be out by 2016, at the very latest.
Looking at the photo –
In Search Of …
A fashion consultant!
;)
Hey all, dunno if you’ve heard this yet, but apparently, moviepilot.com has it that JJ is directing Star Wars Episode VII. This after JJ specifically said he outright refused to do it. If he really is the director, then I’m happier than all heck, couldn’t ask for a better director.
WOW!!!
I think J.J. will do a great job with Star Wars. I hope he and his creative team continue to be involved in Star Trek as well.
J.J. is now the ultimate nerd in the universe LOL! I’m so jealous.
P.S. DON’T KILL OFF HAN SOLO OR LUKE SKYWALER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!!!
I know. I now can’t wait for 2015. But..you do know now that since JJ is directing it, its gonna be the secrecy team of doom and we won’y know jack until like 6 months before the film hits theaters, LOL!
JJ will probably have Han Solo travel back in time and alter the time line so the Death Star will end up looking like a Borg Cube and the Falcon will have one nacelle….Seriously, how can you create a stable warp field with only one nacelle?
As a Star Wars fan, I think JJ directing Episode 7 is fantastic. As a Star Trek fan, I’m greatly disappointed. I’m incredibly conflicted.
This means one of three things for Star Trek 3:
1. Star Trek 3 will be delayed another four years so JJ can direct, since Star Wars is already set for 2015.
2. Another person will direct Star Trek 3.
3. Star Trek 3 will not happen.
I’m certain option 3 will never happen. Paramount won’t allow it, they’re in too deep now. Option 1 will probably be the one that happens, and MAYBE option 2. I’d prefer option 1, thought I hate it, but I’m bot a Trek and Wars fan, so every two years an new Trek and Wars movie, hell, count me in!
I used to enjoy watching this show as a kid with my parents. I might have to get this for the nostalgia factor alone.
I can remember sitting in front of my Grandparents floor model color tvacuum ube Zenith when I got off the school bus in the afternoon. I would come in a turn on the TV and there would be in seach of along with my Peanut Butter Cookie and Glass of Milk. It was around this time that my mother ordered the original series on VHS from Paramount out of a Time magazine. We would get four episodes every month and they were all in a cool grey case. I first knew Leonard Nimoy as the In Seach Of Guy and when mom told me he was in Star Trek I had to take a look and it hooked me on Star Trek for life. 25 years later I eat up anything Trek related and it is all because of that old tube zenithand Leonard Nimoy.
Sam Mendes. Trek 3.
I’d prefer option 1 too, but I fear Option 3 may be the case.
There is also the possibility that Bad Robot as a whole will pull not be involved and working with Paramount anymore. I wonder how JJ jumping to Disney impacts his contract with Paramount.
Not sure, but all I know is the actors signed a contract for 3 Trek films, so if they DO do a 3rd film, the actors are contractually obligated to reprise their roles. I’m afraid option 3 will be the case too, but you never know. Hey, Abrams might only be directing Episode VII only, then can go back to Trek and get us Trek 3 by 2017. Of course, we won’t know for a few years.
During Winter of 1978, I remember seeing the episode that focused on “The Abominable Snowman”. I was 10 years old and on the beloved Christmas break. The episode had an amazing segment that featured a mountain climber who was surveying an icy landscape with some dark rocks. The camera panned back again and one of the rocks jumped up and began moving accompanied by the amazingly atmospheric music. I still remember the fear of that moment so many years later.
I almost want to blame Paramount for this. They were proactive enough in securing JJ as director of Star Trek 3 and greenlighting it for say… 2016.
If they knew JJ was thinking about doing Star Wars, they should have secured him before he could.
BobOrci
Get your directing hat on and do Trek 3. I love what you’ve done in the comics!
Jax, if Orci directed Trek 3, that would be just as good as Abrams directing it. Too bad it probably wont happen.
I remember watching an episode in 6th grade social studies class in the early 90s. I loved the fact that Leonard Nimoy hosted it and the 90s seemed to be a perfect time to look back at the show, as Unsolved Mysteries, The X-Files, and Roswell seemed to be part of the zeitgeist.
In combing through some of the episodes online, through grainy film and generations of video loss, one episode haunted me in particular. It was The Money Pit Mystery, in which six people died looking for Captain Kidd’s treasure on Oak Island. I found the desperate search for such ephemeral treasure slipping through their hands to be a powerful tale.
I’d love to see more of this chapter of television history that might best be described as “Fascinating.”
I can’t imagine Paramount is too happy with this piece of news. I don’t think they’re mad at J.J Abrams personally (as they have obviously allowed him to work with other studios during the life span of his contract) so much as nervous at one of their highly coveted directors helping bitter rival Disney expand its empire (pun intended) during a time when Paramount has just begun to reboot its own “Star” franchise.
Heck, get Jonathan Frakes to direct Trek 3, and start pre-production tomorrow. It could be out for 2015 because you KNOW JJ will have negotiated a delay in SW7, or will delay it because that’s what he does. I think this pushes SW7 back to 2016.
Trek 3 should be a “return to normalcy” kind of Trek, launching the equivalent 5YM of nuKirk and company. Frakes is just the right guy to direct such a thing. It should set up a series starring the willing actors as the crew of the USS Excelsior. nuExcelsior, whatever. Get Coto onboard, and have it out for Fall of 2015. Perhaps John Cho would be willing to portray Captain Sulu in a series?
On one hand it shows the lack of imagination in Hollywoodland. If you can do a serial killer or a car salesman or a stripper, by gosh that is what you get offered. If you can direct one great space opera, then you can do ‘em all.
On the other hand, if this news is true, then good for jj because he has often spoken of his love for SW and this woud let him show off what he can do.
As for who directs the next Star Trek, they have a number of people they know pretty well, like Matt Reeves or Alex Kurtzman who just made his first feature. Or they might reach out to a new filmmaker that they like, a left-field choice. I am going to assume that at this point we believe that Bad Robot knows how to make shows.
In a way, the key guy to keep behind the camera is Dan Mindel, so that it is his storytelling eye that keeps the three Bad Robot Treks somewhat consistent as an experience.
Meh,
I won’t be mad if JJ moves on, I’m looking forward to a Whedon or Brad Bird directed Star Trek 3.
Remember watching the show as a kid. Bermuda Triangle and Space Aliens Episodes were always the creepiest.
If this J.J. news is true…I’m a little sad, since I wanted him to stay on for all three Trek films as director. But maybe, if they get someone else to direct Trek 3, we won’t get such a long wait from Into Darkness to the next one. And as a Wars fan, I think J.J. would do well with it. It’s sort of ridiculous, though, to think of the same person helming the two most influential space franchises. Like the Hollywood talent pool is getting so condensed it’s more like talent stew at this point. I don’t know.
But if this is really happening, Karl Urban and Simon Pegg need to engage in some shameless nepotism and get in on it. Their little fanboy hearts would explode if they could be in Star Wars AND Star Trek, and so would mine.
A lotta good memories of watching this with my brother. It was soo cool watching “Mr Spock” explaining the unexplained.
Aaaaaaaand back to mediocrity. For a guy (JJ) who’s been such a vocal fan of what made Star Wars …well classic Star Wars. I’m not surprised or even mad at him or anything for taking the gig. If I were him, I wouldn’t have passed it up at all. But personally I’m just not happy about this inside. It might not be fair but I just feel kinda let down. Then again I dont think Trek needs to go back to the old movie formula after this. I mean unless you really want the franchise to take the big dirt nap. JJ needs to make a 3rd (NOT produce, but DIRECT IT) and then leave it alone and let it go back to television. And for the love of everything holy, tv Trek can steer clear from being anything like Voyager or Enterprise…or TNG for that matter because while TNG was great in its day Trek on tv today should be an awesome mix of TOS, DS9, and BSG.
Whedon wouldnt touch the 3rd Trek and for everyone saying they’re glad JJ is jumping ship- a. he hasnt said he wouldnt direct a 3rd movie and b. a change of director for the 3rd film probably wouldnt be so good for this cast who has really enjoyed working with JJ and has said they’ve basically loved the films because of what JJ brought to it. But hey, when a vocal minority is constantly ragging on you and your filmmaking abilities, why stick around when you’re not wanted?
Two episodes still rock my mind. The Coral Castle episode, and then the Dogon episode–how did they know about Sirius B? Or the outer planets? I seem to recall he did an episode on Van Gogh, too, though I don’t know if that was before or after his one-man play.
It was on the network news about an hour ago. It’s true.
How about Quinten Tarentino directing? Now he could remake The Wrath of Space Seed!
“Say “Beam me up, Scotty” again M%$# F$%#. Say it again.”
Loved in Search Of. I remember scrambling through the end of dinner so we could watch it. I lived he music, which gave me the creeps. I remember being especially creeped out by the Amelia Earhart episode FO ome reason. Maybe something about the idea of her dying undiscovered on some island. Also the one bout count st. Germaine. Creepy good.
You have to understand the times to understand my love for ISO, the trekless ’70′s….after the animated series, all we had were the foster and Blish books…the few and far between issues of TREK and Enterprise Incidents…a quarterly Starlog…Fantastic Films and of course Star Trek Giant Poster Magazine.
Weeknight teleevision… the networks were saddled with the ” family hour” local affiliates had a half hour slot after the nightly 7pm news….mainly populated my animals shows (Lorne Greenes Last of the Wild)….game shows (Beat the Clock, Treasure Hunt) and syndication stalwarts like Andy Griffith and Dick Van Dyke.(ST at an hour long didn’t fit.)….and then there was ISO and of course “that voice”.
That voice was Leonard and he took us to old civilizations and strange new ones….for 30 minutes a week the weird kid in school had a place on tv. ISO was the talk in school the next day… For a brief shining moment I “fit” and it was awesome. Thanks Leonard.
I’d love to have this set…can’t afford it…if ISO could make me think in 1975 than hopefully it can make me dream in 2013.
There was an episode about a guy in Florida who built a garden with heavy stones that I always found interesting. Haven’t seen thing series in year.
i really wish I had been old enough to appreciate this show.
As much as I loved the narration by Leonard Nimoy the opening music was amazing! Great 70′s synthesizer sound! The Fountain of Youth and Bermuda triangle episodes are fondly remembered.
This show was from a time when there was still mystery in the world. Like many of you, I grew up watching it and it scared the pee outta my friends and I when watching it after school…especially the bigfoot episode! Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQJAYVbslIE
Nimoy was THE guy for this kind of show, I can’t imagine anyone else hosting it.
In our market, it aired weekdays right after the local news @6 and I remember many evening dinners shared while searching for aliens, Bigfoot and the like. And Trek ran from 5 to 6, so it was always great…and a little strange…to see Spock again, 30 minutes later but with long hair and wild sideburns. Good times.
I remember laughing when I read in Starlog that when they started working on Star Trek III they jokingly suggested the subtitle should be “In Search of…Spock” before choosing The Search for Spock.
It was a great show of the 70′s on Saturday night – coming on right after the Muppet Show.
Great nostalgia for my childhood
This series really piqued my interest in all sorts of offbeat subjects, especially ancient civilizations and weird science. I liked that it asked more questions than it actually answered, which is always a good thing.
The music was cool, too. But I enjoyed Nimoy’s sharp narration, which was the main reason I watched.
I can’t believe I never heard of this. With Ancient Aliens on now, I’m not sure it’s worth buying.
My brother and I used to watch this when we were younger. We’re in our forties now. It’d be pretty cool to sit together for the holidays and watch them over again.
Used to watch these episodes every week. Lots of fun stuff!
OMG, I totally forgot about the Saint Germain episode. I wonder whatever happened to the crazy clairvoyant medium lady?
I used to watch this show! I’ll never forget the DB Cooper episode. It was the first time I had heard of it. They had a really creepy illustration of the guy. Also, there was an episode about a lake monster – I don’t think it was Lach Ness – and some pranksters had tied some tires together and it fooled the film crew for a second. Good fun, it a little fantastic.
I loved watching this on Saturday afternoons before dinner… and sometimes would turn our big console Zenith TV so I could keep watching from the kitchen table. Mom didn’t really get it, Dad thought it was amusing (I think), but I thought it was great!
Extremely fond memories of this show. Used to scare and intrigue me. Especially the creepy guy who supposedly called the radio station to explain the Bermuda Triangle.
In Search of….
Jack the Ripper
Bigfoot
Dracula (Vlad the Impaler)
Each one scared the hell out of me as a kid in the 70s and early 80s. They all did in fact. We only had 3-4 channels (Antenna) plus 1 UHF channel back then. But, at 7:30 on Saturday evenings…..that UHF channel never let me down…..In Search of…….absolutely rocked.
I was in elementary school and junior high in the 70s. By the time “In Search Of…” premiered in 1976, my imagination had already been primed by Mr. Spock. So I devoured each and every episode of the show. To paraphrase Admiral Kirk, “I feel young”.
My favorite episode involved the show discussing the impending Ice Age.
I loved the show!
[Mind you, I believe in global warming, but this episode clearly shows that scientists of different times have come up with conclusions that suit the times.
Personally, I hope both are wrong.]
This was must see TV at my house. Even my father who was not one for this type of program watched it. It was – if you’ll pardon the expression- fascinating. it was fun and informative and a bit of geekness fun added that it was “Spock” telling us about the discovery!
Mid-70′s : middle school – 12″ b/w tv with a fuzzy picture + Mr.Spock telling us about the unexplained = believable “reality” tv that was both frightening and exciting!
What’s also cool is how you can see Mount St. Helens in its original state in the D.B. Cooper and bigfoot episodes, before it blew its top in 1980!
“In Search Of …” was the first program I saw in which I began the think of Leonard Nimoy as, well, Leonard Nimoy, not Mr. Spock. His appearance on “Mission: Impossible” came so close upon the heels of “Star Trek” that one could not help but think of him as Spock. But here, after a period of cooling off, he was a rather sage and august host of a TV series that MADE you believe in the unbelievable.
It would have been very easy to veer off into the world of breathless hyperbole and conspiracy theory, but each episode of “In Search Of…” presented the possibility of Bermuda Triangles, Big Foot, or whatever in a fair and intriguing way. The somewhat jaunty, adventurous theme song was the gateway to an adventure more than to a fantasy.
In some ways, it was the precursor of much of what airs on the History Channel, although what was being examined had yet to be proven as fact. For example, I seem to remember one episode that speculated on what may have happened to Amelia Earheart, which was excellent. This mixture of speculation on real history, examination of paranormal events, and what could only be called sci-fi, simply asked the viewer to at least consider the possibility of these strange occurrences, is why it was so compelling.
Favorite show as a kid!
Made me think even as a kid about the world around me and what my part in it would be. Hard to believe it was that long ago – nothing like it – really missed!
I remember this as a kid. I had no idea this ran for so long. Still, it’s one of the few shows my father and I could agree on. Even at the time, some of this seemed like patent bullsh*t, but I did appreciate the fairly rigorous examination of each subject.
My favorite memory is not of a specific episode, but how authoritative Leonard Nimoy’s voice was. He could be in search of rocks that had telekinetic abilities and I would have believed him!
Leonard Nimoy was the perfect replacement for Rod Serling for In Search Of. I have many fond memories of this series. I would love to see this series again. It is nice to see that the original movies with Serling are also included.
Leonard Nimoy makes this set worth the price!
While I don’t remember any segment from the show, I know I watched it…before I was the Trekkie. What I do remember is the cool theme to the show and how it got me in the mood and right frame of mind for what I was about to watch. I’d love to have a chance to experience again that tingle of excitement.
Oh yes.
I remember adjusting the rabbit ears to get a clearer picture on UHF channel 55
and whammo
it was Spock and the Loch Ness Monster!
What could be better?
I loved In Search Of!!!! Leonard Nimoy was fantastic as host and there were some genuinely creepy episodes. This is a must have for me.
i watched that show it in its entirety, first-run, in the 70s and into the 80s.
Nimoy narrating more or less as Spock while trying to get you to buy into the fact that he wasn’t trying to be Spock?
Truly priceless. Loved it…
Used to watch it all the time, partly due to the content, and partly due to it being hosted by Nimoy. I had no idea that the Sci-Fi Channel had attempted a revival of this classic show, wish I’d caught it as Mitch Pileggi is a favorite actor of mine too, but from the write-up it looks like a wasted effort. I’d still watch the episodes, and I know my two kids would love the original.
Cool! One of my favorite shows growing up. Today you have a multitude of shows devoted separately to ghosts, UFOs, Bigfoot, etc. But back in the 70′s, there was no other show that explored paranormal phenomena – this was it!
The episodes I remember most fondly are the ones about D.B. Cooper, the lost colony of Roanoke, Jimmy Hoffa, and the Lincoln conspiracy. But the one on the Amityville Horror really scared the frell out of me and I hadn’t seen the movie or read the book.
Leonard Nimoy was perfect as the host – I think his inclusion on FRINGE was as much of a shout-out to IN SEARCH OF as it was to STAR TREK.
I used to love watching IN SEARCH OF on Boston TV in the late 70s/early 80s. It captured my young imagination and had the power to creep me out on a regular basis, despite being aired in the cold light of day on Sunday afternoons. I vividly remember seeing a Bigfoot episode that depicted a Sasquatch attack on some campers, and was terrified watching it, despite it being a bright summer day in a suburban neighborhood. Nimoy’s narration always gave me a chill, too, no matter what the subject matter. Nice to see this series finally get a video release in its original form!
Don’t remember any specific episodes – Too much has happened in the intervening years. But my favorite character on Star Trek was Spock, and I always liked his voice – very well suited for story telling.
I still remember the In Search of about the shaw of Christ. That was really interesting to me. I’d love to watch it again. Very cool that this set is coming out on DVD! Never knew about Rod Serling either!!!
I LOVED “n Search of…” as a kid (and still do)! I’ve always had an interest in the paranormal and unsolved mysteries, which I’m sure “In Search of…” either fed into–or caused in the first place. It’s amazing what a young child’s imagination could add to the show. Watching it as a kid you more-or-less believed what was being shown (it WAS on TV after all), and the re-enactments were all true as far as I was concerned. Probably my favorite/most-horrifying “In Search of…” memory was from one of the shows that focused on Bigfoot (always a favorite subject for me). While there were a few on that subject, I remember one that featured a re-enactment of a guy in the woods trying to record the sounds of Bigfoot (or something like that). I think I really, honestly believed that they were going to show an honest-to-goodness Bigfoot! The suspense and fear were so overpowering that I actually left the room. I went to my sister’s room to tell her that she should come to watch the show–but in reality I was escaping the scene myself because I couldn’t handle it!
A couple of things that “In Search Of…..” did for me was start my interest in the Lost Continent Of Atlantis and Flight 19 that disappeared without a trace in the Bermuda Triangle….68 years later and they still don’t know what happened to those planes….. The show was always informative and very
entertaining.
No direct memories of any episodes but it sure was great to hear Nimoy’s voice again during the run of the series.
But man, oh man some of the fashion choices back in those days!
Probably the bigfoot episode. I can’t see grainy bigfoot footage anymore without hearing Spock’s voice in my head.
a “fascinating” review. i wasn’t really aware of the history and evolution of this series. of course, as a teenaged TOS-fan, i was pleased to hear Mr. Nimoy’s voice providing the narration.
nevertheless, i’d have to say that the first film, narrated by Serling was my favorite. i saw it first, it was a trendy topic at the time (“ancient astronauts”).
in addition, it played at the landmark FOX-theater when i saw it in the 70′s. in fact, it may have been the final film to ever play there before it, like too many, single-picture movie-palaces were demolished to make way for inner-city development (or to be replaced by multiplex-theaters). or maybe the last film was “in search of historic jesus” which i didn’t see. lol.
glad to see they’re finally releasing it all – although i do hope they’ve done more than a perfunctory remastering.
Loved the one about the Bermuda Triangle. It helped me through a science paper in college. And I got an A+!
My all time favorite is the Bigfoot episode..
Loved to watch it when it was on….
I used to watch this show as a young boy when it originally aired. We used to live in a two-family house with my grandparents. My father and I would go downstairs to watch In Search Of with my grandfather, and to paraphrase Mr. Spock, we found the series fascinating. My grandfather passed away in 1982, and watching In Search Of with him and my father is one of my favorite childhood memories.
I actually ended up working for one of the writer/producers of this show, and would ask him over and over about UFOs… :) That was the episode I remembered most. But my favorite “ISO” homage had to be the “Mysteries of the Universe”/LOST special features, which seemed to capture the feeling of the original series much better than the SciFi remake!
I was introduced to so many stories through this show. It was “can’t be missed” fourth grade television. I have such good memories of discussing the episodes at school the next day!
I saw this quality series here in the UK back in the 1970′s I always rated this show and im glad to see it finally recognised. Very entertaining and informative show.
I was dismayed however to find that the legendary title music and sequence had been replaced in more recent times with a dull bland updated version. I hope this box set retains the original score and intro.
Greg
United Kingdom.
I remember the one when he visited the Amityville house.
I started watching this again in the mid 90′s my college year. I hadn’t realize how many more episodes I’ve missed, or was too young to recall.It certainly sparked my imagination and cravings to learn more. Certainly Nimoy could pull off doing a few more seasons for us.
I used to watch the show only because of Nimoy’s involvement with Trek. Then I became an avid watcher of the show… Seems like ages ago.
Watched the show infrequently I think in the late 70S when I was in grade school. Always enjoyed the Nimoy segments. I remember a show on Bigfoot I think among others.
I caught re-runs of this when I was in grade school in the late 80s/early 90s and it COMPLETELY changed my life. Gave me a lifelong obsession with the paranormal, cryptozoology, etc. I tried to convince friends I had a psychic connection with Nessie and always watched for bigfoot tracks when camping or driving through the woods. For whatever reason – the clearest memory I have is of the “Crystal Skulls” episode, and specifically the line about the measurements being too precisely identical to real skulls for the crystal ones to have been made by hand. This show was proto-internet at it’s very, very, very finest! The kinds of of obscure information I’m up all night reading about now but collected neatly and narrated/hosted to perfection by The Nimoy!
My brother & I always ran home from school to watch the show!
“The Simpsons” episode “The Springfield Files” was a partial parody of “In Search Of…”. It had Leonard Nimoy as the host of a paranormal show chronicling Homer’s supposed encounter with an alien. Which actually turned out to be a glowing Mr. Burns on radiation treatment.
In Search Of was one of the greatest shows to come out of the 70′s, from the unmistakeable voice of Leonard Nimoy to the timeless and super-catchy theme music. I don’t think I ever missed many episodes as a kid. I think few (if any) of the phenomena have ever been explained. In Search Of was definitely the inspiration for dozens of shows that would follow in the decades after. There’s a great parody of the show in a comedy from the 80′s called ” Amazon Women On The Moon “.
Like many others, I grew up watching “In Search Of…” reruns, captivated by the strangest subjects. But one episode that stands out for me is not a typical one. It was about Vincent Van Gogh and covered Nimoy’s interest in proving that the “mad” painter was not insane at all but someone afflicted with deep emotional problems. One of the more interesting and personal episodes in the series.
I think I have a lot of these episodes on Video. If only I knew where they where. its a real Mystery……………….
I grew up watching this with my dad, for both it’s cool content and because we’re Trek fans. I even remember watching some episodes in school in the late 1990s/early 2000s. I couldn’t even begin to tell you what episodes we watched, but I remember thinking “Oh wow, ‘In Search Of…’ in school!”
I’m too young to know ‘In Search Of…’ Since all of you have already watched it, I should win the collection so I can go ‘In Search Of…’ this apparenty amazing series!
I remember the Amelia Earhart episode and the old woman in New Jersey who some were claiming was Amelia that had faked her death and lived the life of an American spy. She did have an uncanny resemblance to her, but she was mad as a wet hen that she was being identified as the missing pilot.
I always looked forward to airings of In Search Of. In particular, i recall an episode on the screaming skulls which always terrified me. An excellent series for its time, I’m glad to see it get its due in this collection.
I used to watch this all the time. My favorite episode was probably the one about the Loch Ness monster
I loved this show! First began watching it in the fall of 1977 on Saturday afternoons. I’m still impressed by the first episode I saw, “In Search Of…Michael Rockefeller”, an eerie disappearance.
An element of this show that holds a special place in my memory is the school film strip like film quality of the video. I have always presumed this was a result of the varied sources used to acquire the footage from, but to me it just added to the timeless adventure and exploration of the unknown this series was all about. And overlaying Mr. Nimoy’s narration just brought it all to a whole different level.
Seeing this takes me back. When I was a kid ISO really scared me; the documentary style made the subjects seem so real. The episode on the Shroud of Turin both fascinated and creeped me out at the same time. It would be interesting to see if this series has the same impact on me now that I am an adult.
I remember watching it as a kid in the 80′s, the episode with the all the… I think chairs and tables, and rooms all hewn out of rock in I think florida was fascinating, but the one thing that really scared me, and still gives me the heebee geebees is one episode with a doll sitting on a shelf of a kids room, the parents turn out the light and the dolls eyes glowed red… freaky.
I remember how mad my mom got when none of us kids could sleep after the Voodoo episode. And when the last Indiana Jones movie title was first announced it made me think of the episode with the crystal skulls. ;)
My wife especially loved the “woo-woo” episodes, as she calls them. I can’t get enough of Serling or Nimoy, but i missed the Pileggi episodes (lucky me, I guess)!
I was always glued to to the tv watching this show in the afternoons 1975-78, some of the shows really made the back of your hair stand up and only the calm of Leonard’s voice to keep it from scaring the hell out of this then-11 to 13 year old. I have a lot of fond memories of the show and only realized recently that it was not commercially available.
Because I was a child in the 70′s and because of my love for Star Trek, the idea that Spock found this information interesting enough to put it on television made me want to know more.
I credit my love for history, my degree in History and Religion, my ability to watch documentaries almost non-stop and my dream to write alternate history novels that remain true to the parts of history I am not messing with to a large degree because of “In Search Of…”!!
This show aired during my formative TV watching years, and I would often catch it syndicated right along with Star Trek. Leonard Nimoy as I recall was the first person to speak to me about Stonehenge!
The episode where the Mayan Apocalypse was predicted for December 2011. I cackled at that.
I vividly remember watching the Loch Ness Monster episode when I was a little kid — and even though it was filled with stories of dinosaurs still being alive in modern-day Earth, the thing I was most scared of was seeing Spock with a mustache.
i remember seeing the series…ahead of its time…the ufo reports were my favorite…the original chariots of the gods special had an incredible music soundtrack i had on 8 track wore it out playing it wish i could find it on cd….
I loved the documentary style. As a kid it made all of these seem to real.
I also grew up watching reruns of this show after school in the late 90′s. I still dig it!
Thank you TrekMovie! I look forward to watching In Search Of… and will report back with my thoughts!
I found mp3 of the chariots of the gods soundtrack…..at amazon for eight bucks…..highly reccomended….very original….listen to track one…..eclectic stuff……awesome to find again….lots of extra tracks too……anybody else get it lemme know how u like it….
Congrats to the winners…..looks like a great collection…2 bad I can’t afford….
“in search of…” Album By N.E.R.D / Pharrell, neptunes. They created Star Trak Ent. GREAT ALBUM!