This series starts out in 1948 with the U.S. Air Force recruiting Ohio State University's Dr. Allen Hynek (Aiden Gillen) to be the scientific face of Project Blue Book---a purported investigation into the numerous sightings of UFOs and other inexplicable phenomenon. It is based very loosely on the history of the actual Project Bluebook, but this is nothing close to a documentary. This is a dramatization that bears little resemblance to the truth.
In 1965, a friend and I became enamored with the extra-terrestrial phenomena that citizens were reporting across the country. There were newspaper reports of sightings, contacts, and even abductions. Project Blue Book was ongoing, and we debated whether it was a real investigation or not. Perhaps it was a cover-up for new aircraft being developed in secret by the U.S Government. Or, more likely, it was merely a public relations task force dedicated to dispel rumors with pseudo-scientific explanations like weather balloons, swamp gas, and hoaxes.
I was hoping this series would take few liberties and approach this subject in a documentary fashion. Unfortunately for me, that is not the case. This series should be seen as pure fiction, because its divergence from facts are so numerous and so dramatic. Episode two involves an actual reporting from West Virginia, but the basic facts are distorted almost beyond recognition. You can read the basic facts of the case on Syfy's own website. I thank them for that.
I personally know someone who saw, from a short distance, a UFO, so I take this subject somewhat seriously. That sighting occurred less than thirty miles from the W.V. sighting detailed in the show. And the relative of mine who saw the UFO has a reputation beyond reproach.
So, if you are interested in facts, this is not the series for you. But if you want to be entertained a la "The X-Files", this show has espionage, dangerous blondes, shadowy characters lurking around every corner, and a knack for creating an engaging arc of a mystery.
In 1965, a friend and I became enamored with the extra-terrestrial phenomena that citizens were reporting across the country. There were newspaper reports of sightings, contacts, and even abductions. Project Blue Book was ongoing, and we debated whether it was a real investigation or not. Perhaps it was a cover-up for new aircraft being developed in secret by the U.S Government. Or, more likely, it was merely a public relations task force dedicated to dispel rumors with pseudo-scientific explanations like weather balloons, swamp gas, and hoaxes.
I was hoping this series would take few liberties and approach this subject in a documentary fashion. Unfortunately for me, that is not the case. This series should be seen as pure fiction, because its divergence from facts are so numerous and so dramatic. Episode two involves an actual reporting from West Virginia, but the basic facts are distorted almost beyond recognition. You can read the basic facts of the case on Syfy's own website. I thank them for that.
I personally know someone who saw, from a short distance, a UFO, so I take this subject somewhat seriously. That sighting occurred less than thirty miles from the W.V. sighting detailed in the show. And the relative of mine who saw the UFO has a reputation beyond reproach.
So, if you are interested in facts, this is not the series for you. But if you want to be entertained a la "The X-Files", this show has espionage, dangerous blondes, shadowy characters lurking around every corner, and a knack for creating an engaging arc of a mystery.