Television series
In Search of Monsters
- Supernatural mystery
- Dip in and out
A deliberately entertaining hunt through cryptozoology, folklore and alleged creature sightings. In Search of Monsters treats its subjects with just enough seriousness to stay grounded while never quite pretending the Mothman was definitely real. It's for people who love a good mystery more than they need a definitive answer.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you enjoy cryptid lore approached like a casebook, where the fun is weighing eyewitness accounts and half-convincing theories against a sceptical eye.
Skip it if you want hard proof or a sharp, cinematic production; this leans on speculation and talking heads, and the evidence rarely lands with much punch.
What it asks of you: Ten hour-long episodes in one season, paced like a patient investigation that circles back over familiar sightings, so you settle in rather than being carried along.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
The Toys That Made Us2017
Each episode unpacks the cultural origins and true stories behind iconic toys and characters. Same DNA as In Search of Monsters: hunting for the real history beneath the legend.
But Entirely different subject matter. If you specifically want monsters and cryptids, this won't scratch that itch.
Ancient Aliens2009
Speculatively connects historical mysteries and archaeological anomalies to extraterrestrial intervention. Endlessly enthusiastic, visually compelling, and wonderfully unashamed of its own premise.
But The show makes enormous logical leaps and rarely admits uncertainty. It's fun precisely because it commits to wild ideas without much evidence.
Lore2017
Aaron Mahnke adapts his podcast into atmospheric, beautifully illustrated stories about the real folklore and historical events that spawned our monsters. Intelligent and genuinely unsettling.
But Very heavily focused on the history and psychology; far less sensationalism than In Search of Monsters. Slower and more cerebral.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from In Search of Monsters
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
The Vast of Night2019
Both are about chasing the outline of something unknowable using the evidence available. One interviews experts, the other composes dread from whispers—same act of believing in absence.
A small-town mystery unfolds through radio broadcasts and found audio in 1950s New Mexico, building genuine dread without ever showing you what's causing it. Structurally brilliant and genuinely atmospheric.
But Entirely dialogue-driven with minimal action. The 'monster' is suggestion rather than investigation. Demands your full attention and rewards it completely.
More like this (4)
Unkahi2016
Witness accounts and alleged paranormal events presented with minimal explanation. Trusts the audience to draw conclusions, which creates genuine eerie tension.
But Some episodes are just confusing rather than mysterious. Lacks the expert analysis that makes In Search of Monsters coherent.
Paranormal Caught on Camera2019
Rapid-fire clips of alleged supernatural and cryptid footage, each episode a collection of viewer submissions. Trashy fun with zero pretence, great for half-watching.
But Almost entirely relies on shaky phone footage and thermal camera blurs. No investigation, no narrative, no expertise—just accusations of weirdness.
Mysteries at the Museum2010
Don Wildman investigates the strange stories behind museum artifacts and historical oddities. A lighter, more accessible take on the same appetite for oddity and hidden history.
But Far gentler and less investigative than you might want. Focuses on artefacts rather than creatures. Almost wholesome compared to cryptozoology.
The Night of the Hunter1955
Same fascination with legendary monsters made flesh—the difference is Laughton made a work of art instead of a documentary. Shows what cryptid terror becomes when approached as nightmare rather than mystery.
Charles Laughton's only directorial effort is a visually extraordinary fever dream of a noir, bathed in shadow and paranoia. Taut, genuinely frightening, and more inventive than films made fifty years later.
But It's monochrome, slow-burn, and deeply strange. No jump scares or action. The horror is mood and character rather than event. Not a modern thriller.
Recommended by
BuzzFeed Unsolved: Supernatural, Mountain Monsters, Mysteries at the Museum, The Proof Is Out There, Expedition X, Monsterquest, America Unearthed, Weird or What?, The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch, Hunting Hitler