First Season of 'Chasing Legends' is DIY Cryptid Video Production at Its Best

Chasing Legends, a new YouTube series which follows host Nash Hoover and his team as they investigate a variety of reported monsters across the United States, is an outstanding example of what makes this industry so special; clearly a group of friends, all of whom are interested in the unexplained, gathered together to film a series based on their shared passion, and they did it really, really well. A few minor audio issues aside, this documentary series, available for free on YouTube, is as good or better than anything you’re likely to see produced for any cable network.

Season 1 of the show takes the viewers to a variety of wild locales within the U.S.. From Arizona’s Mogollon Rim to the northeast’s sprawling Lake Champlain to the Freetown-Fall River State Forest outside of Boston and the swamps of Jean Lafitte National Park in Louisiana, the breadth of travel in the series is impressive. That range brings an array of monsters to be investigated throughout the season. With everything from bigfoot to lake monsters to small, indigenous wild men and Cajun werewolves appearing as subjects of inquiry, there’s very little repetition and each episode feels fresh as a new mystery is tackled.

The series follows the formula seen in similar documentary-style productions, including eyewitness and expert interviews followed by an onsite investigation of popular sighting areas, but it feels more fun than formulaic. Hoover and his team—which features a couple of faces that fans of cryptozoology might recognize, such as Aleksandar Petakov of documentary films On the Trail of Champ and Lions of the East and Eli Watson of cryptozoology podcast Cryptid Campfire—appear very natural on camera, and there’s none of the halting, over-rehearsed dialogue that can be so jarring in other productions. It’s a refreshing change of pace from the uncanny valley effect that develops from onscreen talent being forced into multiple takes by a director looking for lines to be delivered a certain way. Nothing ever feels quite right the second or third time a person is expected to act like they’ve just spontaneously said something.

The cast brings an infectious humor to their investigations, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t taking things seriously. The subjects of each episode are well-researched and the people they interview treated with respect. This show’s humor comes from watching people who love what they do, and it’s a pleasure to watch them enjoy it.

Chasing Legends is an excellent example of authenticity in action. It’s a show with heart, and that feeling of excitement and joy felt by those involved transfers easily to the audience upon watching. And with the entirety of the team under 30 years old, we very well may be witnessing the next generation of cryptid researchers. Be ready to say you saw them here first.

Season 1 is available to watch for free here.

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